Pennsylvania State University researchers examined personal characteristics of more than 8,000 young adults -- half had children early in life and half did not -- during a five-year period.

The researchers found very few differences in depressive symptoms between the two groups.

"It is believed that those individuals -- ages 18 to 25 -- who fail to postpone these family transitions miss out on better career opportunities, make poor choices on partners, and may experience problems," lead author Alan Booth said in a statement.

However, leaving a divisive home and parents with poor parenting skills to marry or have children may provide an opportunity to escape an unloving home and create a more positive family, the study said.

"Most research on emerging adulthood has been on college students -- our study highlights the importance of study early family transitions in context, in light of the range of opportunities open to a person," said Booth.

The findings were published in the Journal of Marriage and Family, and are scheduled to be presented April 17 at the annual meeting of the Population Association of America.