Young Adults - The tasks of adulthood (age 18 and older) are varied and range in scope.  At age 18, many people are launched into the world when they separate from their parents and learn to be autonomous.  Some teenagers are faced with finding a job to support themselves.  Others go to college, the military, or trade school to learn specific skills.  Many just jump into the "real world" and try to make a go of it without training.  Still others stay at home and live with their parents.

As adults, they are often faced for the first time with finding a job, housing, and a car.  They need to learn how to pay bills, shop and cook, as well as do laundry and housework.  For many people, these tasks can be daunting.  If people feel too overwhelmed, it might trigger depression or anxiety that needs to be treated.  The adult children who stay living at home, especially without a job, often run into conflicts with their parents.

Relationships - As time moves on, the adult is usually confronted with relationship issues.  Tasks faced in relationships include learning to compromise, communicate one's feelings and needs, division of household tasks, handling of finances and intimacy issues.  Often when people are learning these tasks, stress, friction and conflict can develop.

Parenting - Raising children is another task for many adults.  Issues related to values and parenting styles are often brought to the forefront. Extra responsibilities of this time period can be all consuming and very stressful, as people attempt to balance their relationship, work, the children, and household responsibilities.  Learning to manage stress, resolving differences and keeping the relationship alive and healthy are key components of this age.

Middle Age - When middle age approaches and the kids leave the house, the couple is often left feeling distant from each other.  This occurs if they have put the children before their relationship.  Learning to reconnect with your partner can be a developmental task of middle age.  Another task of middle age is giving back to the community and planning for retirement.  Again, these tasks can be difficult, especially if the adult has any mental health issues.  Dealing with separation and divorce are also common problems of adulthood and especially with the middle age population.

Retirement - As adulthood progresses and people move into retirement age and beyond, they are often faced with an identity crisis, especially if much of their identity was tied to their occupation.  If people are in a relationship, it can also be stressful to suddenly spend so much time with their partner.  Issues that were never addressed due to lack of time can surface causing conflict.  Additionally, people experiencing retirement may need to find new ways to spend their time, as well as plan for any advanced care and health issues that may arise.