Emerging adulthood, which is a distinct life stage between
adolescence and adulthood, requires important tasks including
forming identity, attaining academic training, and exploring
potential career paths (Arnett et al., 2014).One in five emerging adults experiences a
mental illness, and the rate of substance use disorders is twice that
of adults aged 26 and older (Rosenberg, 2016
Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are a group of
painful and/or dysfunctional disorders associated with
the masticatory muscles, temporomandibular joints
(TMJs), and related structures [1], and are a grow-
ing public health problem.The main clinical symp-
toms include pain in the TMJ area and/or masticatory
muscles, joint clicking and noises, and abnormalities
or restrictions in mandibular movements.In particular, economic
uncertainty has created unique financial difficulties for this age
group, which directly impacts decisions related to housing,
family life, attending postsecondary, and entering the labor
market (Hallquist et al., 2011; Terriquez & Gurantz, 2015).They m