In Flourishing As a Scholar, the contributors offer a comprehensive resource that is intended to benefit scholars seeking guidance for how to use diverse research methods to study emerging adulthood. Studying emerging adults (typically people between the ages of 18 and 29) presents specific challenges, therefore this book guides scholars in issues such as representative sampling and participatory inclusion of diverse emerging adults throughout the research process. This book is unique in its coverage of both quantitative and qualitative methods, and in its breadth of the entire research methods process: from philosophies of science, to the creation of research questions, sampling techniques, data collection strategies, procedures of data analysis, accurate reporting of results, drawing evidence-based conclusions, and recognition of the limitations and strengths of each methodological approach. The contributors cover the diversity of quantitative cross-sectional, quantitative longitudinal, quantitative dyadic, intensive longitudinal, in-depth qualitative, and mixed method approaches with a breadth and depth that will benefit emerging and established scholars who are interested in learning new methods that capture the diversity and complexity of the lives of emerging adults.
Angela Sorgente is an assistant professor of Psychometrics in the department of Psychology at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy where she teaches classes in research methods and statistics. Her research focuses on quantitative methodology, finite mixture models, structural equation modeling, and measurement. She mainly applies these competences to the study of emerging adults' financial well-being. She has held summer schools and webinars as well as published papers on methodology and statistical techniques, such as Latent Class Analysis, Latent Transition Analysis, reliability indexes, inter-rater agreement indexes, and contemporary view of validity.
Shannon Claxton is an associate professor in the department of Social Sciences at Morningside University in Sioux City, Iowa, USA where she teaches classes in psychology, research methods, and probability and statistics. Her research focuses on the romantic and sexual relationships that are common during emerging adulthood. She also has an interest in quantitative methodology and has published papers on methodology in emerging adulthood related to dyadic data and structural equation modeling.
Joseph R. Schwab is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater, MA, USA. His research focuses on the narrative construction of identity in adolescence and adulthood, exploring how individuals at different points in the lifespan create meaning and purpose in their lives through the stories they tell about morality, religion and spirituality, gender, race, adulthood, and life struggles. He also writes about best practices in research methods, with particular attention to meta-theoretical and methodological issues in qualitative and mixed-method research.
Rimantas Vosylis is full professor at the Institute of Psychology, Mykolas Romeris University, situated in the city of Vilnius, Lithuania. With a passion for illuminating the intricacies of human development, Dr. Vosylis has dedicated his academic career to investigating how family circumstances shape the psychosocial developmental trajectories and broader experiences of adolescence and emerging adulthood.
Dr. Vosylis's scholarly journey began with his doctoral thesis, where he delved into the intricate connections between the pathways individuals take toward adult roles and the corresponding experiences they encounter. Over the years, his research interests have evolved to encompass a specialized focus on financial issues during emerging adulthood. He passionately explores the development of financial capabilities in this pivotal life stage and how the financial landscape shapes the experiences of those navigating this critical phase of development.
Dr. Vosylis is also a dedicated educator, sharing his wealth of knowledge with undergraduate and postgraduate psychology students for over a decade. He has played a pivotal role in teaching future researchers by giving courses on research methods and statistics.
