The transition from pediatric to adult healthcare represents a critical developmental milestone for young people with chronic conditions, involving not only a transfer of medical responsibility but also significant psychological and behavioral adaptation. Despite its importance, this process is often insufficiently structured, underscoring the need to better understand the psychosocial factors that shape transition experiences.
This study aimed to examine the subjective experience of transition to adult care and its association with key psychosocial variables from an applied health psychology perspective. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was employed with a sample of 74 participants (M = 18.16 years; balanced by sex). Measures included transition experience, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), motivation for a healthy lifestyle (including introjected regulation), perceived social support, and self-efficacy for emotional regulation. Descriptive, correlational, and multiple regression analyses were conducted.
Results indicated a moderately positive overall transition experience. Transition experience was significantly associated with HRQoL, motivation for a healthy lifestyle, perceived social support, and emotional regulation self-efficacy. In the regression model, HRQoL, introjected motivation, and emotional regulation self-efficacy emerged as significant predictors of transition experience.
These findings highlight the central role of psychosocial resources in shaping how young people navigate the transition to adult care. From an applied psychology perspective, the results underscore the importance of developing structured, developmentally informed transition interventions that strengthen emotional regulation skills, support adaptive motivational processes, and enhance perceived quality of life. Integrating these components into clinical practice may improve adjustment and continuity of care during this vulnerable period.