Latent Profile Analysis of Emerging Adulthood Dimensions and Their Relationship to Depression Among Chinese College Students

Emerging adulthood (EA) is a formative life stage characterized by four core dimensions: self-exploration, responsibility, possibility, and instability in the Chinese context. While EA has been extensively studied in Western populations, its dimensional configurations and mental health implications remain underexplored in Chinese contexts. This study employed latent profile analysis to examine EA profiles and their association with depression among 631 Chinese college students ( M age = 21.49, SD = 2.64; 63.4% male). Three distinct profiles emerged: Stalled EA Transition with Low Possibility (Class 1; 5.86%), Average EA Transition (Class 2; 79.40%), and Positive EA Transition with High Self-Exploration and Possibility (Class 3; 14.74%). Depression levels varied systematically across profiles, with Class 1 reporting the highest and Class 3 the lowest. Family socioeconomic status, particularly paternal occupational prestige and maternal education, significantly predicted membership in the profiles. These findings underscore the need for culturally informed and profile-based mental health interventions within college settings in China. Future research should test whether these patterns extend to diverse emerging adult populations (e.g., non-students).