Becoming an adult in Brazil: mapping the academic production in theses and dissertations (2020–2024)

Abstract

This article analyzes Brazilian academic production on the transition to adulthood in the period from 2020 to 2024. The research was conducted in the Brazilian Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (BDTD) and in the Capes Theses and Dissertations Catalog, using the keyword “transition to adulthood.” Initially, 43 works were found, distributed across different regions of the country and linked to various graduate programs, with a higher concentration in the areas of Education and Psychology. After selecting works whose central research focus was the transition from youth to adulthood, 9 master’s theses and 9 doctoral dissertations remained. Due to their approaches and thematic scope, these works were organized into four main subareas: (1) Pathways of young people with disabilities and chronic conditions; (2) The passage from youth to adulthood in the school–work context; (3) Gender issues in the transition to adulthood; and (4) Transition to adulthood at the intersection: immigration, life projects, and schooling. The analysis highlighted the diversity of perspectives and theoretical–methodological approaches to the topic, revealing the multiple dimensions and inequalities that permeate this process in the Brazilian context.

Key words: transition to adulthood; youth; adulthood.