Still Living with the Folks at 32? It's Time to Move Out, McCann Uncovers as Global View in 'Truth About Youth'

NEW YORK, June 16, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Like generations before them, the next wave of young people are still going to want some young adult time to "find themselves" before they leave their parents' homes and strike out on their own.  But this growing up phase is getting longer and less well-defined as a process—and this is true around the world—according to a new global "Truth About Youth" study conducted by McCann Worldgroup. The globally average age when it stops being "socially acceptable" for people to live with their parents is 32, according to the global survey.

These findings were among many in "The Truth About Youth," a new worldwide study conducted by McCann Truth Central, McCann Worldgroup's global intelligence unit. The large-scale study surveyed more than 33,000 people of all ages in 18 countries, including the U.S., U.K., China, Brazil, India, Chile, Mexico, Japan, Spain, Hong Kong, France, Germany, Italy, Turkey, South Africa, Philippines, Canada and Russia.  The analysis included breakouts that showed and analyzed differences within nationalities and globally between people aged 16-20 (the emerging Gen Z cohort that includes people aged 2-20), 21-34 (millennials), 35-50, 51-69 and 70+ years old.  The study included 11,000 Gen Z and millennial interviews with people between the ages of 16 and 30.

"Once upon a time there were key transitional moments in a person's life that defined when they became an adult, such as buying your first car or getting married," said Laura Simpson, McCann Truth Central's EVP, Global Director. "Now there is greater fluidity on many of these issues. Surprisingly, on a global basis, the average age at which people think it is still okay to live with your parents is 32, with some variation across the globe." Among the countries surveyed, those tolerating the highest still-living-at-home ages were Hong Kong (41), Japan (37) and India (34). The higher age bracket in these Asian markets is driven by the tradition of multi-generational households.

India Wooldridge, SVP and Director at Truth Central, observed, "While there are fewer of the old universal milestones marking the path to independent adulthood, there are now new symbols of smaller wins that people around the world are pointing to as adulthood indicators."  She explained, "that these aspects of what is being called "adulting" include such characteristics as getting a morning paper, having couples' dinners, having Christmas with your partners' parents, shopping on a weekly basis, going to sleep at a set bedtime each night, and having an unbroken mobile phone screen."

The study also found that 87% of those surveyed around the world also believe that it's important to experiment with your life choices, even if it means you make mistakes. This is most true in Russia (92%), China (91%), and Canada (90%). Additionally, young people report that they are still heavily reliant on their parents, with 73% on average saying that their parents are their go-to source for advice, most strikingly in India (84%), Philippines (83%), and Mexico (81%).

About McCann Truth Central
McCann Truth Central is McCann's global intelligence unit, with representation in more than 100 countries around the world. The group is dedicated to uncovering human truths to help brands make their mark in the world. For more about Truth Central or to access Truth Studies, visit: http://truthcentral.mccann.com/studies/

About McCann Worldgroup: McCann Worldgroup, part of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG), is a leading global marketing services company with 24,000 employees in more than 100 countries, comprising McCann (advertising), MRM//McCann (digital marketing/relationship management), Momentum Worldwide (total brand experience), McCann Health (professional/dtc communications), CRAFT (global adaptation and production), UM (media management), Weber Shandwick (public relations), FutureBrand (consulting/design), ChaseDesign (shopper marketing) and PMK-BNC (entertainment/brand/popular culture).

SOURCE McCann Worldgroup