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NLSY79 Child and Young Adult

Missing Data: Noninterviews and Item Nonresponse

Missing values are indicated in the data and on the codebook page for each individual question. Following general NLS convention, a response of "don't know" to an individual question is coded "-2," a refusal to answer an individual question is coded "-1," and an invalid skip is coded "-3." (Invalid skip means that the respondent should have answered the question but didn't; this was more common in the paper-and-pencil interviews when the respondent or interviewer might make an error following the skip pattern on a paper instrument. The incidence of invalid skips has been significantly reduced in the computer-assisted interviews.) In the NLSY79 Child and Young Adult, noninterviews and valid skips (when a respondent was purposely not eligible for a question) have been collapsed into a "-7." Thus, users must know how to distinguish between noninterviews and valid skips for some types of research.

Starting with the 1994 survey round for the Young Adult and the 1998 survey round for the Child, users can rely on the Interview/Assessment flags in the CHILD BACKGROUND area of interest to determine child or young adult interview status. For Child survey rounds prior to 1998, users can identify interviewed respondents as those with sampling weight values greater than "0." The Child sampling weights (values greater than "0") can be used to accurately identify children assessed in any survey year. See the discussion below on the specific procedures for the creation of the Young Adult sample weights that distinguish sample eligibility from interview status.

Variables such as age of child at mother's interview date occasionally show missing values for child cases in which the mother was not interviewed, even though the children themselves were interviewed. Since the AGECH and AGEMOM variables are based on inputs from the mother's record, users may want to default to the child's age at the date of assessment (e.g., CSAGE2010 in 2010). Users should note that Young Adult children are often interviewed in a given survey round, regardless of the interview status of their mothers. Contact with children under age 15 is largely predicated on completion of the mother's own interview and her authorization to assess her younger children.

Interview status flags

A set of variables has been constructed that indicates the interview status for children, young adults and their mothers. These interview status flags are cross-sectional and thus only reflect valid values for cases from a particular survey round.

Created variables

This list includes child interview status variables, which are available starting in 1998. Also listed starting in 2002 is a flag that indicates the sequence in which the Child Supplement and Mother Supplement interviews took place. The "MINTRV" variables in this series indicate if the mother was interviewed as part of the main Youth survey. Finally, the Young Adult interview status flags available for 1994-present are also in the CHILD BACKGROUND area of interest.

1998

CINTRV98. INTERVIEW STATUS OF CHILD
CASSMT98. ASSESSMENT STATUS OF CHILD
INCSUP98. DOES CHILD HAVE A CHILD SUPPLEMENT?
INMSUP98. DOES CHILD HAVE A MOTHER SUPPLEMENT?
INCSAS98. DOES CHILD 10-14 YEARS OLD HAVE A CSAS RECORD?
MINTRV98. INTERVIEW STATUS OF MOTHER

2000

CINTRV2000. INTERVIEW STATUS OF CHILD
INCSUP2000. DOES CHILD HAVE A CHILD SUPPLEMENT?
INMSUP2000. DOES CHILD HAVE A MOTHER SUPPLEMENT?
INCSAS2000. DOES CHILD 10-14 YEARS OLD HAVE A CSAS RECORD?
MINTRV2000. INTERVIEW STATUS OF MOTHER

2002-2014

INCSUPyyyy. DOES CHILD HAVE A CHILD SUPPLEMENT?
CSCOMPyyyy. COMPLETION STATUS OF CHILD SUPPLEMENT
INCSASyyyy. DOES CHILD HAVE A CHILD SELF-ADMINISTERED SUPPLEMENT? (2002 and 2004 only; after 2004 the CSAS was part of the Child Supplement)
CSASCOMPyyyy. COMPLETION STATUS OF CHILD SELF-ADMINISTERED SUPPLEMENT
CSMSORDERyyyy. SEQUENCE OF CS & MS INTERVIEWS
INMSUPyyyy. DOES CHILD HAVE A MOTHER SUPPLEMENT?

2002-2016

CINTRVyyyy. INTERVIEW STATUS OF CHILD 
MSCOMPyyyy. COMPLETION STATUS OF MOTHER SUPPLEMENT 
MINTRVyyyy. INTERVIEW STATUS OF MOTHER

1994-present

YASAMPyyyy. IS CHILD ELIGIBLE FOR YOUNG ADULT INTERVIEW?
YAINTVyyyy. WAS CHILD INTERVIEWED AS YOUNG ADULT?

More details on mothers' interview status are provided by a series of variables titled "REASON FOR NONINTERVIEW" in the NLSY79 main Youth area of interest called COMMON VARIABLES.

Sampling weights to identify interviews

Users can also employ the Child and Young Adult sampling weight variables to delineate their analysis sample and to identify respondents interviewed in each survey round. More information on the sampling weights can be found in the Sample Weights section.

The Child sampling weights are assigned to the ASSESSMENT and SAMPLING WEIGHTS areas of interest. Children who have been assessed or interviewed in a given year have values greater than 0 on their sampling weight for that year.

The Young Adult sampling weights for each year are assigned to the YA COMMON KEYVARS and SAMPLING WEIGHTS areas of interest. These YA sampling weight variables are specific to young adults interviewed in that year who were eligible to be interviewed, so that any young adult not eligible to be interviewed or any child who is not a young adult in that year is assigned a value of "0." With various sample restrictions in place over different rounds, occasionally a Young Adult who was not fielded in a given round is interviewed to ensure the participation of other family members. Such respondents will have an interview status flag indicating that they were interviewed but have a sampling weight of zero. For example, in 2012, 26 young adult respondents who were part of the older ages not being fielded were nonetheless interviewed. Therefore, researchers must use caution in their choice between using the interview status flag (YAINTVyyyy) versus the sampling weight (YAyyWEIGHT) to determine the cases interviewed in a given year.

Missing data in the Geocode files

Following the same convention as the NLSY79 Child and Young Adult public release data, missing data values on the geocode data files are coded -7 which indicates either a) a non-interview for a given year or b) respondents who have a missing value in the data for any variables from the County and City Data Book for the following reasons:

  1. Respondents who were in the military or who had an APO address
  2. Respondents who were residing outside of the United States
  3. Respondents whose state or county codes could not be determined
  4. Respondents who reside in a county or SMSA/MSA for which there is missing data for that geographic location from the County and City Data Book for that specific item
  5. Respondents who do not reside in an SMSA for any survey year 1994-2004 who will be missing SMSA level environmental variables for that year
  6. Respondents whose state, county, and ZIP codes for any survey year 1994-2004 do not lead to an unambiguous SMSA designation. This generally applies only to a small number of respondents living in New England.

In the 1994-2002 geocode data file, for 1988 and 1994 metropolitan statistical area variables with NECMA codes, respondents living in the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont were not treated any differently than those residing elsewhere. The addition of the "Record Type" variable in the 1988 and the 1994 County and City Data Book data files allows the user to designate these cases as missing and remove them from the analysis, without having to conduct a county-by-county or state-by-state determination of NECMA/non-NECMA status. Starting in 2004, these data are not available as part of the geocode data release. The Young Adult geocode files are described in more detail in Geographic Residence & Geocode Data.

Fertility

Created variables

  • C#DOB: Dates of birth of each child
  • C#SEX: Gender of each child
  • C#ID: Identification number of each child
  • C#RES_DLI: Usual residence of each child at most recent interview
  • C#DOD: Date of death of each child
  • Y12110. Number of children ever born
  • Y12111. Age of R at first birth
  • Y12111.01. Age of R at second birth
  • Y12111.02. Age of R at third birth
  • Y12111.03. Months between first and second births
  • Y12111.04. Months between second and third births

Important information

Contraception questions are described in the Sexual Activity, Sex Education & Contraception section of the topical guide.

Interview data

The fertility section of the Young Adult survey parallels that in the earlier rounds of the NLSY79. However, no information is collected from Young Adults about non-biological children, and information about pregnancies not ending in a live birth is only collected for first pregnancies. In 2000, some of the detailed pre- and postnatal questions that had been collected since 1994 were curtailed.

Pregnancy and birth information

Female respondents who have not reported a pregnancy in a past survey round are asked if and when they have ever been pregnant. The fertility section then includes two paths for collecting fertility information about live births from both male and female respondents. Previously interviewed Young Adults are asked to verify and update their fertility information, while respondents who are Young Adults for the first time in a given survey round have their complete fertility record collected. Basic biological child roster information (gender, date of birth, and name.) is collected for each child.

Female respondents are asked a number of questions about each birth since the last interview, including behaviors that could be detrimental to the child's health, as well as the birth weight and length of the child when born, medical visits during the first year of the baby's life due to sickness or injury, well baby care, and breastfeeding. These questions are modelled after those asked of their mothers in the NLSY79 surveys. Beginning in 2010, male respondents are also asked about the birth weight of their children. From 1994 through 2012, both male and female respondents were asked whether or not they have health insurance for their children.

In 2008, a new sequence on work experiences around the birth of each child was added for female respondents. These questions were modeled after the 1983 maternity leave questions in the NLSY79. In 2008, this series was asked retrospectively about all children. This set of questions has remained in for subsequent years, but is asked only of children for whom these data have not been collected previously. The number of questions asked per child was reduced as part of the 2018 redesign.

Child residence and other parent characteristics

Young Adults answer questions regarding each biological child's residence and contact with each parent. Beginning in 2000, Young Adult respondents who did not live with their children were asked about monetary contributions to each child's upbringing. In 2004, a comparable series of questions was added concerning the monetary contributions of the other parent when the child resides with the Young Adult only. Also new in 2004 were questions directed to Young Adults with spouse/partners about whether the spouse or partner has children from prior relationships, in addition to any currently living in the household, and, if so, what their ages are. Starting in 2008, both male and female respondents were asked about the residence of each of their children immediately after birth and their relationship to the other biological parent at that time. Questions about the height and weight of each child were also added to the residence sequence.

Parenting attitudes and behaviors

Beginning in 2000, the Young Adult Survey has included questions about parenting attitudes and behaviors. From 2000 to 2010, Young Adults with at least one biological child, whether or not their child(ren) were coresidential, were asked a series of questions about their job as a parent. These questions were derived from a series of parenting questions asked of male respondents in the 1998 NLSY79 survey.

Young Adults with at least one child are asked an extensive series of parenting attitude questions about coresidential children in each round since 2000. Many of these questions are derived from the NLSY79 Mother Supplement and are discussed more fully in the discussion of Child Care in the Young Adult Survey.

From 2008 to 2016, a series of questions about co-parenting were asked in the residence sequence in the fertility section. This series was designed to be asked each round about each child, regardless of residence status. The 2008 interview also saw the addition of parenting behavior items adapted from the NLSY97. For coresidential children, these questions are asked in the Children in the Household section, and for nonresidential children the series is included with the other questions about residence status. Finally, in each round both male and female respondents are asked about wantedness for each new pregnancy resulting in a live birth.

Fertility Expectations and Desires

The fertility section provides researchers with an opportunity to examine how expectations about the future compare with what actually happens in respondents' lives. In each Young Adult survey round, respondents are asked the number of children they expect to have and when they expect to have their first/next child.

Constructed biological child record

A cleaned set of child-specific data has been created for all respondents ever interviewed as Young Adults. Most of these constructed variables are "yearless" in that they are constructed for all respondents regardless of when they were last interviewed as Young Adults, but Y12051, the year of the most recent Young Adult interview, quickly allows users to identify when these variables were last updated for each respondent. These variables can be found in the "YA Fertility and Relationship Data -- Created" Area of Interest.

Most variables in this section are child-specific. Data are provided on the month and year of birth for each child the Young Adult respondent reports, plus gender, and, if applicable, month and year of death. These data are carefully compared across years, and discrepancies resolved as far as possible. Constructed variables for the last known residence of each child are included. Year-specific usual residence variables are also provided for each child. Users should note that these year-specific variables are created only where appropriate. For example, there are variables for the usual residence of fourth children in 1994, 1996, and since 2000, but not in 1998 because in 1998 an age cap of age 21 at the date of interview was in place and no interviewed respondent had more than three children. Similarly, the usual residence variable for a seventh child is first created in 2000, because that is the first round in which a seventh child was reported.

In addition to the child-specific variables, constructed variables for age at first, second, and third births, as well as months between first and second and second and third births, are available.

Comparison to Other NLS Surveys

The NLSY79 includes information on fertility and the status of children, with the greatest detail collected from the NLSY79 mothers. Maternal prenatal care information and health-related characteristics are provided on the NLSY79 Child and Young Adult file and are linked to individual children.

Information on fertility and on the status of children has been regularly collected from the NLSY97 and the Original Cohorts. Data include number of children, dates of birth, sex, and life status. For more precise details about the content of each survey, consult the appropriate cohort's User's Guide using the tabs above for more information.
Survey Instruments Questions on fertility are found in the Young Adult Instrument, Section 12, Fertility. Questions about first pregnancies not ending in a live birth were asked in the Young Adult Self-Report Booklet in 1994-1998 and moved to the main Fertility section starting in 2000.
Areas of Interest YA Birth Record (data about pregnancies, births, and the first year of life of child)
YA Children's Record Form Biological (unedited child roster data relating to verifying previously reported children and recording any new children)
YA Fertility and Relationship Data--Created (created variables, including cleaned dates of birth of children)

NLSY79 Young Adult Variables by Survey Year: Age 15 and Older

The selected variables for the Young Adult asterisk tables are grouped into three main categories:

  1. Labor market experience variables
  2. Human capital and other socioeconomic variables
  3. Attitudes and behaviors (located in self-report booklet through 1998)

Important information: Viewing asterisk tables

  • Click a topic below to expand and collapse the corresponding asterisk table.
  • Scroll right to view additional table columns.

I. Labor market experience variables

Variable 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20
Survey week labor force and employment status * * *                      
Hours worked in survey week * * *                      
Hours per week usually worked * * *                      
Job search activities * * *                      

Work experience since January 1 of previous year through 1998 or date of last interview beginning in 2000.

Variable 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20
Weeks worked * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Hours usually worked per week * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Number of weeks unemployed, out of labor force * * *                      
Spells of unemployment * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Characteristics of last job lasting 2 weeks or more and of first significant job after leaving high school * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

More than 10 hours per week and more than 9 weeks in duration since January 1 of previous year through 1998 or date of last interview beginning in 2000.

Variable 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20
Occupation and industry (Census code) * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Class of worker * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Start date and stop date * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Hours per week usually worked * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Shift worked * * *     * * * * * * * * *
Rate of pay * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Hourly rate of pay * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Commuting time to job, method of transportation * * *                      
Covered by collective bargaining * * *                      
Is R union member * * *                      
Availability of fringe benefits (CPS job only starting in 2000) * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Global job satisfaction item * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Size of employer * * *                      
Reason for leaving job * * *                      
Promotion and promotion potential with employer * * *                      
Impact of Covid pandemic on job                           *

II. Human capital and other socioeconomic variables

Variable 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20
Date of birth * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Ethnic self-identification * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Number of times R has lived away from mother * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Father's employment status, occupation, highest grade completed, ethnicity * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Contact with nonresidential parent(s) * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Contact with sibling R feels closest to       * *                  
Current religion, religious attendance, importance of religion * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Father's employment status, occupation, highest grade completed, ethnicity * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Variable 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20
Current enrollment status, grade) * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Reason stopped attending school * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Date of last enrollment * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Periods of nonattendance, grades when occurred, reason why * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Grades repeated or skipped * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Highest grade attended, highest grade completed * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
GED or diploma received, date received * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Is or was the school R attended public, private, or religious * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
High school curriculum * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Time spent on homework in school, out of school   * * * * * * * * * * *    
Style of teaching in English classes   * * * * * * * * * * *    
Parent involvement with R's schooling (19 items in 1996-98, 17 items in 2000 and 2002)   * * * * * * * * * * *    
Job or career counseling received in high school * * * * * * * * * * * *    
Characteristics of R's school (nine items) * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Level of satisfaction with school * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Number of high schools attended * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Colleges/universities applied to       * * * * * * * * * * *
Date of college enrollment * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
College degree received, date received (asked in 2000 and 2002) * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Type of college attending (2- or 4-year) * * *                      
Field of study or specialization in college * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
College tuition * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Educational loans or financial aid in college * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Other means of paying college expenses * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Highest grade R would like or expects to complete * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Highest grade R's best friend would like to complete * * *                      

Information is available only for the most recent program obtained in 2000.

Variable 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20
Type(s) of training * * * * * * *              
Services provided by training program * * * * * * *              
Duration of training programs * * * * * * *              
Was training completed * * * * * * *              
Hours per week usually spent in training * * * * * * *              
Was training related to specific job or employer, related to a promotion * * *                      
Method of financing training * * * * * * *              
Does R have certificate or journeyman's card * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

See additional mental health variables in the Attitudes and Behaviors section.

Variable 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20
Does health limit work or school activity * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Type and duration of health limitation * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Asthma           * * * * * * * * *
Healthy behaviors           * * * * * * * * *
Catastrophic events             * * * * * * * *
Recent accidents, injuries, illnesses, hospitalization * * * * * * * * * * * *    
Height, body weight * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Right- or left-handedness   * *                      
Menstrual period information * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Health insurance coverage for R, children * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
CES-Depression Scale (7 items through 2008, 11 items since 2010) * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Impact of Covid pandemic                           *

Variable 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20
Number, ages, and demographic characteristics of all household residents (only information on age and relationship was obtained beginning in 2000) * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Family conflict scale             * * * * * * * *
Number of close friends of each sex, their ages relative to R's age       * * * * * * * * * * *
Month and year or age at first date * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Number of people R has dated in the past 12 months * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
How often R usually has a date * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Marital status * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Unmarried R's: Status of current relationship * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Relationship quality of steady dating relationship       * * * * * * * * * * *
Has R ever (since last interview) lived with someone R was not married to           * * * * * * * * *
Month and year or age of spouse or partner when R and spouse or partner began living together * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Characteristics of current spouse or partner: Ethnicity, religion, education, employment, income * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Impact of Covid pandemic on spouse/partner's employment                           *
Relationship history: Characteristics of previous spouses or partners * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Relationship quality: Happiness rating, positive activities series, topics of arguments series * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Relationship quality of steady dating relationship * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Relationship characteristics: household division of labor, economic embeddedness           * * * * * * * * *
Relationship plans, expectations * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Fertility history * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Use of various birth control methods * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Parenting attitudes       * * * * * * * * * * *
Prenatal care (females) * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Health care and nutrition during pregnancy (females) * * *   * * * * * * * * * *
Cigarette and alcohol use during pregnancy (females) * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Drug use during pregnancy (females) * * *                      
Postnatal infant care (females) * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Expected number of children * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
R's opinions or beliefs about parenting; actual parenting behaviors       * * * * * * * * * * *

Variable 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20
Income of R and spouse/partner from farm or own business * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Income of R and spouse/partner from wages or salary (military income included starting in 2000) * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Income of R and spouse/partner from unemployment compensation * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Income of R and spouse/partner from public assistance * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Income of R and spouse/partner from Food Stamps * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Income of R and spouse from Social Security, other sources * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Income of R and spouse/partner from military service (combined with civilian wages starting in 2000) * * *                      
Income of R and spouse/partner from child support * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Child support expected versus amount received * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Amount of Covid stimulus payments received by R and spouse/partner                           *
Income of R and spouse/partner from other sources * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Financial assistance from others             * * * * * * * *
Possession of various assets (R and spouse/partner ) * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Asset market values (R and spouse/partner ) * * *       * * * * * * * *
Household income       * * * * * * * *      
Financial strain       * * * * * * * * * * *
Amount of debts * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Foreclosure                 * * *      

Variable 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20
Branch of Armed Forces * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Months spent in Armed Forces * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Military occupation(s) * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Activation for reservists; reactivation for regular branches         * * * * * * * * * *
Participation in VEAP or GI bill * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Type and amount of military training * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Formal education received while in service * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Variable 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20
Knowledge of World of Work series * * *                      
Characteristics of job R is willing to take (for Rs who are unemployed or out of labor force) * * *                      
Reaction to hypothetical job offers * * *                      
Pearlin Mastery Scale (seven items) * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg) (10 items) * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Attitude toward women working * * *   * * * * * * * * * *
Gender Role Attitudes (for Rs who are 14-16 at interview date)           * * * * * * * * *
Ten-Item Personality Inventory             * * * * * * * *
Schieman anger scale               * * * * * * *
Mini-IPIP (International Personality Item Pool)                   * *      
General Anxiety Scale (GAD-7)                         * *
Brief Resilience Scale                           *

Variable 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20
Child care arrangements in last month (youngest child only in 2000 and 2002) * * * * *                  
Number of hours per week (youngest child only in 2000 and 2002 ) * * * * *                  
Parenting behavior (towards youngest child in 2000 and 2002)       * * * * * * * * * * *
Cost per week (all children) * * * * * * * * * *        
Did child care problems force R to turn down job offer or to lose work * * * * * * * * * *        

Variable 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20
R looking for work or employed when found current or most recent job * * *                      
Methods of job search used * * *                      
Job offers rejected (while looking for each job) * * *                      
Desired characteristics of job sought * * *                      

III. Attitudes and behaviors

Attitude and behavior variables are located in the self-report booklet through 1998.

Variable 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20
Does R have a computer at home or have access to one elsewhere * * * * * * * * *          
What R uses computer for most often * * *                      
Has R ever used computer at school or college, or at work * *                        
How R has learned about computers * * *                      
Has R ever had a class or training in computer use, programming, or word processing * * *                      
How often R uses computer for various activities * * * * * * *              
How many hours a week R uses a computer           * * * * * * *    

Variable 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20
Extent, frequency of R's alcohol use; age first used * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Where and with whom was first drink * *                        
Alcohol abuse behavior in past year series (had an argument, missed school or work, drove a car, and so on) * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Does R usually drink beer, wine, or liquor * * *                      
Where and with whom R usually drinks * * *                      
R's perception of how many drink at least sometimes (series): Students in R's grade, people R's age with whom R hangs out, people R's age in R's neighborhood * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Extent, frequency of cigarette use; age first used * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Extent, frequency of marijuana use; age first used; various details * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Extent, frequency of amphetamine use       * * * * * * * * *    
Extent, frequency of use of substances (glue, gas, sprays, fluids) that are "sniffed/huffed" * * * * * * * * * * * *    
Extent, frequency of cocaine use * * * * * * * * * * * *    
Extent, frequency of "crack" use * * * * * * * * * * * *    
Age at which R first used each drug * * *               * *    
Extent, frequency of use of other drugs (LSD, uppers, downers); age at which R first used * *     * * * * * * * * * *
Frequency of use of hallucinogens (LSD, PCP, peyote, mescaline)     * * * * * * * * * *    
Frequency of use of sedatives or downers (barbiturates, sleeping pills)     * * * * * * * * * *    
Frequency of use of other drugs (stimulants, heroin, steroids, MDMA/"Ecstasy", crystal meth./"Ice")       * * * * * * * * * * *
While high, has R ever: Hurt self or someone else; stayed home from school or work; gone late to school or work; driven a car * * *                      
Due to drug use, have R's grades suffered; has R ever hurt chances for a raise or for a better job * * *                      
Has R ever taken sedatives, tranquilizers, stimulants, painkillers, steroids, heroin, hallucinogens, or an injection of any drug without doctor's orders * * *                      

Variable 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20
Risk-taking behaviors and attitudes (six items) * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Best age for R to marry; youngest age at which R can imagine getting married * * *                 * * *
Best age and youngest age R can imagine to have first child * * *                 * * *
Aspirations for future (marriage, fertility, employment, relationships) * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Political attitudes and behaviors (age 21 and older only in 2006, 18+ in 2008)             * *            
Perceived Discrimination                   * * * * *

Variable 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20
Any courses or time spent in class on sex education * * * * * * * * * *        
Grade R first had this course * * * * * * * * * *        
Who in family R talks to about sex * * *   * * * * * * * * * *
Who outside family R talks to about sex         * * * * * * * * * *
Ever had sexual intercourse; age at first intercourse * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Number of partners in last 12 months * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
When last sexual intercourse occurred * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
During last sexual intercourse, did R and partner use birth control and, if so, which method(s) * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Relationship with and characteristics of partner at last intercourse     * * * * * * * * * * * *
Has R ever been pregnant, number of times (through 1998) * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Month and year in which R got pregnant the first time, R's age at the time * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
In the month before the last time R got pregnant, did R or R's partner use birth control and, if so, which method(s) * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Did R or R's partner use a birth control method on every occasion of sexual intercourse that month * * *                      
Has R ever had an abortion and, if so, how many * * *                      
Month and year of R's first abortion, and R's age at the time * * *                      

Variable 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20
Does R live with biological father or stepfather * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Do biological parents (and mother and stepfather, if applicable) get along, agree about who sets rules, argue * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Does R feel caught in the middle; can R talk about each parent with the other * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Extent of neighborhood problems (series): Disrespect for laws, incidence of crime or violence, incidence of unemployment, and so forth * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Number of times R has run away from home * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
R's age the first time R ran away * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Variable 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20
Crimes or delinquent activities R has committed in the last year (got in a fight, stole something, and so on) * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Has R ever been convicted on any charges except a minor traffic violation; if so, what was R's age at the time * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Number of times R has been convicted of something * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Date of most recent conviction * * *                      
Charges on which R was convicted (for example, assault, robbery, or theft) * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Has R ever been convicted on charges in adult court * * *                      
Has R ever been on probation; has R been on probation since last interview * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
When R's (most recent) probation period ended * * *                      
Has R ever been sentenced to spend time in a youth or adult corrections institution * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Date of most recent release from corrections facility * * *                      
Number of times R has been referred to a court-related counseling or diversion program by police, courts, school, or own parents; if so, age at which this first occurred * * *                      
Date on which (most recent) counseling program ended * * *                      

Variable 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20
Volunteer work performed in last 2 years or since last interview * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Was any of the volunteer work: Court ordered, church- or school-sponsored, other * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Types of organizations R is or was involved with (for example, service, church, youth) * * * * * * * * * * * *    

Variable 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20
Has R received any help for an emotional, behavioral, or family problem in the last 12 months * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Type of problem(s) * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Has R felt or has anyone suggested that R needed help for any behavioral, emotional, or mental problem in the past 12 months? * * *                     *
Does R regularly take any medicine or prescription drug to help control activity level or behavior * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
CES-Depression Scale (7 items through 2008, 11 items since 2010) * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Suicidal ideation                   * * * * *

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