Leaving the Parental Home by Emerging Adults: A Choice or a Challenge?

Leaving the parents’ home has long been seen as a commonly considered indication of adulthood. However, the scientific view on the transition to adulthood in modern society is revised, and the role of relocation from parents is changing. Based on the concepts of autonomy, flourishing and emerging adulthood, the present study examines young adults’ reasons for leaving their family homes using a thematic analysis of 24 interviews with respondents aged 18–25. We identified four types of narratives, which varied by the extent of autonomy and the quality of flourishing: lack of relocation as an impediment, lack of relocation as a personal decision, relocation as a challenge, and relocation as a responsible choice and passing a test. Mostly, the source of flourishing is not in the relocation itself, but in the associated social and career growth, which leads to positive emotions, engagement, relationships, achievement and the formation of personal meaning.