Self Tests > Relationships > Is Your Adult Child Stuck?
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Is Your Adult Child Stuck?

20 Questions
3 Minutes

Could your adult child be experiencing failure to launch?

When an adult child seems unable to take on adult responsibilities like holding onto a job, living independently or managing relationships or finances, they could be stuck or experiencing “failure to launch.” Is this a concern for your family? Try this test to find out.

Using the key below, answer the questions based on how strongly you agree or disagree with the statement.

Mostly No
No
Not Sure
Sometimes
Yes
1. Does your adult child live at home—for a reason other than being in school or saving their salary to buy a home?
No
Yes
2. If your adult child attended college, did they complete their degree?
No
Yes
3. Does your adult child have a full-time job?
No
Yes
4. If your adult child is not working, are they motivated to find work?
No
Yes
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5. Does your adult child manage their own finances (credit cards, checkbook, etc.)?
No
Yes
6. Do you believe your adult child would be capable of managing their own household?
No
Yes
7. Can you talk with your adult child as an equal adult?
No
Yes
8. Could your adult child live financially independent from you?
No
Yes
9. Do you believe your adult child is too emotionally dependent on you?
No
Yes
10. Does your adult child accept responsibility for their actions or situation?
No
Yes
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11. Do you think your child is capable of committing to a long-term romantic relationship?
No
Yes
12. Does your adult child pursue hobbies, passions, or volunteer opportunities?
No
Yes
13. Does your adult child regularly see or talk with friends?
No
Yes
14. Does your adult child struggle to stick to one plan, goal, or activity?
No
Yes
Macrovector/Shutterstock
15. Does your adult child appear to fear situations that might be stressful or take them out of their comfort zone?
No
Yes
16. Does your adult child struggle to decide what to do next with their life?
No
Yes
17. Does your adult child become overwhelmed or frustrated when they need to complete important tasks or make important decisions?
No
Yes
18. Does your adult child prefer to rely on you instead of becoming more independent?
No
Yes
19. Has your adult child expressed feeling stuck or frustrated?
No
Yes
20. Does your adult child avoid social or family gatherings?
No
Yes
Psychology Today's online self-tests are intended for informational purposes only and are not diagnostic tools. Psychology Today does not capture or store personally identifiable information, and your identity cannot be determined from your responses. Aggregated self-test responses are stored to improve the tests and provide performance comparisons. Psychology Today uses third party cookies such as Google Analytics to collect visitor data on this page without sharing any personal data, ensuring your identity cannot be determined from your visit. There are no advertising partners included on these self-test pages. If you wish to remove cookies from this site or opt out of data sharing, please click 'Do not share or sell my personal information' below. For a reliable medical diagnosis, please consult a professional.

Who Is This Test For?

This test is for anyone curious about failure to launch, or concerned about their adult children or their relationships with them. This test is designed for adults and is not intended to be prescriptive.

We value your privacy - see how we protect the info you provide when you take this test.

How to Get Help

If you think your adult child may be stuck or experiencing other mental health concerns, you can speak to a mental health professional about ways to better support them and your family. You can find one near you in the Psychology Today Therapy Directory. 

Sources

Hargrave and Flemons. Failure to Launch: The Struggle to Leave Home in the 21st Century. (2006).

Kins, Evie, and Beyers, Wim. Failure to Launch, Failure to Achieve Criteria for Adulthood? (2010).

Lebowitz, Eli. “Failure to Launch”: Shaping Intervention for Highly Dependent Adult Children. (2016)

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