Adversities that Disrupt Positive Development among Emerging Adult Students in Universities in Cameroon A conceptual review

Higher education is universally applauded as a means to empower young people with skills, knowledge, experiences and significant relationships which can enable them to play their roles successfully as leaders of tomorrow. Psychologically, one group of persons who are overwhelmingly concerned in the quest for further knowledge are emerging adults. Emerging adulthood is now a globally recognised period of human development as transition to adulthood is delayed based on issues such as young people getting married late, continuous efforts to acquire higher credentials so as to be better equipped for the labour market. As they transition from home to the university and to the world of work more so in the third decade of life, many challenges often stand on their way with the capacity of preventing them from progressing successfully and transitioning productively into adulthood. Notably academic palavers, financial hurdles, sudden independence and freedom from parental control, identity issues as well as socio political tensions commonly seen in developing societies like Cameroon abound. The foregoing constitutes a barrier that makes university studies unbearable to some emerging adults in universities. Developmental literature on this phase of life equally depicts a hopeless situation for young adults. Also, media reports, observations and stories or experiences from some parents and families as well as the society at large reveals increase fears and anxiety on the state and future of university students as leaders of tomorrow. With these, the prospects for positive development in later life stages like adulthood are slim with huge possibilities of floundering and discontinuity for some of them. This paper highlights some of the key issues that university students in Cameroon battle with as well as the environmental socio political trivialities that worsen the scenario. Delbert Akom Afumbom "Adversities that Disrupt Positive Development among Emerging Adult Students in Universities in Cameroon A conceptual review" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-4 | Issue-1 , December 2019, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd29545.pdf Paper URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/humanities-and-the-arts/psychology/29545/adversities-that-disrupt-positive-development-among-emerging-adult-students-in-universities-in-cameroon-a-conceptual-review/delbert-akom-afumbom