NLSY79 Child and Young Adult

• Child Supplement

• Mother Supplement

• Child Self-Administered Supplement

• Child Supplement (Spanish)

• Mother Supplement (Spanish)

• Child Self-Administered Supplement (Spanish)

• Child Supplement

• Mother Supplement

• Child Self-Administered Supplement

• Child Supplement (Spanish)

• Mother Supplement (Spanish)

• Child Supplement

• Mother Supplement

• Child Supplement (Spanish)

• Mother Supplement (Spanish)

• Child
• Young Adult

Child

Smoking

Questions on smoking were asked in each Child survey round from 1988 through 2014. Children 10 years of age and older (10-14 starting in 1994) were asked about age at first use and extent of cigarette use. Variables related to smoking for NLSY79 children can be found in the CHILD SELF-ADMINISTERED area of interest of the data files. Table 1 provides information on what questions have been asked on cigarette smoking in the Child surveys and in which years they were asked.

In several survey years, NLSY79 mothers have also been asked about their own smoking habits as well as those of other household members. This information, in light of the fact that interviewed children are largely resident in their mothers' households, offer opportunities to link the child data with maternal and household smoking information. Three sets of cigarette use data for NLSY79 main respondents are available:

• Data were collected, during the 1984 main Youth survey on
  • age at first use
  • most recent use
  • the number of cigarettes smoked in the past 30 days. 
• Information was gathered in the 1992, 1994, 1998-current NLSY79 main Youth surveys to ascertain:
  • who had smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their life
  • the age that they started smoking daily
  • the number of months/years since they had last smoked daily 
• Female NLSY79 respondents who report at least one pregnancy have also been asked if they smoked in the twelve months before each pregnancy (1983-86, 1988, 1990, 1992, and 1994-current) and the number of cigarettes smoked during pregnancy (2000-present).

For a detailed description of smoking items in the mothers' record, consult the NLSY79 main Youth users guide topical section on Cigarette Use.

Drug Use

In the 1988 to 2014 surveys, children age 10 and older (10-14 starting in 1994) answered a series of questions on whether they had ever used marijuana and/or other drugs such as LSD, cocaine, etc. If they answered "yes," they reported whether such use had occurred in the past three months and how old they were at first use. Drug use questions were posed to children in the Child Self-Administered Supplements and are assigned to the CHILD SELF-ADMINISTERED area of interest in the child documentation. The question names of drug-use questions that have been asked in the Child surveys are also displayed in Table 1.

Beginning in 1994 more details were added to the substance use questions (also asked of children aged 15 and older in the Young Adult survey). Linkages can be made between children and their mothers, as the NLSY79 main Youth has included drug use questions in several survey years beginning in 1980, when respondents reported the number of times they had ever smoked marijuana or used other drugs (see the Drug Use section in the NLSY79 Users Guide). Mothers also report any drug use during pregnancy.

Peer pressure to try drugs

From 1992 to 2014, children aged 10 to 14 were also asked whether they felt pressure from friends to try marijuana or other drugs. This question is assigned to the CHILD SELF-ADMINISTERED SUPPLEMENT area of interest. See the topical guide entry on child Attitudes and Expectations for more information about the peer pressure questions in the Child Self-Administered Supplement.

Young Adult

All Young Adults are asked questions about cigarette smoking and drug use. These questions, which address actual use as well as behaviors resulting from use, are more detailed than those asked when they were children ages 10-14.

Cigarette Smoking

From 1994 to 1998, as part of the Young Adult Self-Report Booklet, young adults were asked on how many different occasions they had smoked in their lifetime. If they reported any smoking at all, they were asked the age at which they first smoked. They were then asked the most recent time they smoked cigarettes. If they reported smoking within the past month, they were then asked how often they had smoked in the last 30 days and how many cigarettes they smoked on the days when they did smoke.

Since 2000, Young Adults who are either new to the survey or have not previously reported smoking are asked if they have ever smoked cigarettes and, if so, at what age they first smoked them. These Young Adults, as well as Young Adults who have previously reported smoking, are asked the most recent time they smoked cigarettes. If they report smoking within the past month, they are then asked how often they have smoked in the last 30 days and how many cigarettes they smoked on the days that they smoked.

As part of the YA2016 redesign, new questions about the use of electronic cigarettes were added. Respondents are asked if they have ever used e-cigarettes, and, if so, when they most recently used them. Respondents who have also reported smoking cigarettes are asked if they smoked these before first using e-cigarettes.

Comparison to Other NLS Cohorts: Select survey years of the NLSY79 have included questions on the quantity and frequency of cigarette use. Children of the NLSY79 age 10 and older (including the Young Adults) have provided this information regularly starting with the 1988 survey.   

In the NLSY97 round 1, all respondents were first asked whether they had ever smoked an entire cigarette; if so, they reported their age on the first occasion. In subsequent rounds, respondents were asked whether they had smoked a cigarette since the date of last interview, and if they had, frequency of use and the quantity of cigarettes smoked. Detailed information on cigarette use was gathered from the Mature Women in 1989 and from the Young Women in 1991 and 1993; these respondents also indicated whether they currently smoked in 1995-2003 surveys. Older Men provided retrospective smoking data in 1990. 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.

Drug Use

From 1994 to 1998, as part of the Young Adult Self-Report Booklet, young adults were asked on how many different occasions in their lifetime they had used the following:

• Marijuana
• Sniffed/Huffed substances
• Cocaine
• Crack cocaine
• Other drugs like LSD, uppers, or downers

If they reported using any of the above, they were asked the age at which they first used that drug/substance and the most recent time they had used it. If they reported using the drug within the past month, they were then asked how often they had done so.

Additionally, young adults were asked whether they had ever taken drugs such as sedatives, tranquilizers, stimulants, pain killers, heroin, hallucinogens, or steroids without a doctor's orders. They were also asked if they had ever injected a drug without doctors' orders. In 1994 only, they were asked about whether or not they had taken drugs such as sedatives, tranquilizers, stimulants, or pain killers under doctors' orders. 

Since 2000, Young Adults who are either new to the survey or have not previously reported using marijuana are asked if they have ever used it and, if so, at what age they first used it. These Young Adults, as well as Young Adults who have previously reported using marijuana, are asked the most recent time they used it. If they report use within the past month, they are then asked how often they used it in the last 30 days. Additionally, from 2000 to 2008, respondents reporting marijuana use within the last year were asked a series of 8 questions designed to assess the impact of marijuana usage in the last 12 months. Since 2010, only two of these questions (During the past twelve months, have you built up a tolerance to marijuana so that the same amount had less effect than before, and During the past twelve months, how often, if ever, did you use or feel high from marijuana during work time or on breaks?) continue to be asked.

Specific questions about amphetamine usage were added in 2000 including whether respondents had ever used amphetamines and, if so, how recently. If amphetamine use within the past 12 months is reported, Young Adults are then asked about workplace usage.

Questions concerning use of other kinds of drugs were greatly curtailed in 2000. Respondents are first asked whether or not they have used any drugs other than amphetamines or marijuana. If they answer yes, a series of follow-up questions are asked about doing any of the following sniffing/huffing substances, cocaine, crack cocaine, hallucinogens, sedatives/downers and any other drugs. Young Adults who are either new to the survey or have not previously reported that type of drug use are asked if they have ever used it. Those saying yes, as well as those who have reported that type of drug use in the past, are asked how often they have used that type in the last 30 days.

Several new questions about specific drugs were added in 2016. Questions about synthetic marijuana were added, as were questions about the use of narcotics such as Vicodin, oxycodone, codeine, Percocet, or heroin. Many of the other drug questions had new additional examples added to reflect drugs currently used.

As part of the 2018 redesign, the questions about drugs other than marijuana were greatly reduced. Respondents 14 and over are asked if they have used any illicit drugs other than marijuana and, if so, which drugs they have used. They are then asked how often they used drugs or felt high in the last 12 months.

Peer pressure to try drugs

Since 2002, young adults aged 18 and younger have been asked whether they feel pressure from friends to try marijuana or other drugs. This question was also asked of the 10 to 14 years olds in the Child Self-Administered Supplement from 1992 to 2014. See the topical guide entry on Attitudes and Expectations for more information about the peer pressure questions in both the Young Adult and the Child Self-Administered Supplement.

Comparison to Other NLS Cohorts: The NLSY79 first included drug use questions in 1980, when respondents stated the number of times they had ever smoked marijuana or used other drugs. In 1984, 1988, 1992, 1994, and 1998, NLSY79 respondents reported their age at first use, lifetime use, and frequency of use in the past 30 days. In addition, NLSY79 females were asked about use of marijuana immediately prior to and during pregnancy. Beginning in 1988, the NLSY79 Child Self-Administered Supplement included a series of questions on whether they had ever used marijuana or other drugs such as LSD or cocaine. 

The NLSY97 round 1 survey first established whether the respondent had ever used marijuana or other illicit drugs and asked for the respondent's age at first use. In subsequent rounds all respondents were asked whether they had used marijuana or other illicit drugs since the date of last interview. Each survey then collected additional information on the number of days the respondent smoked marijuana in the 30 days prior to the interview. Finally, questions determined the number of times the respondent used marijuana right before or during school or work in those 30 days. 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.

• Child
• Young Adult

Child

The child survey included several questions for children ages 10 and older on alcohol consumption. Introduced in 1988, this series asked whether they have ever consumed alcohol, whether they drank in the past three months, their age at first use, and the number of times in the past year they got drunk, how often they consumed alcohol in the past month, how many drinks per day they usually had over the past month, and the most recent time they had a drink of alcohol. 

Starting with the 1988 Child survey, CHRR adapted forms of the NLSY79 main Youth alcohol questions for use with children 10 and older. NIAAA was involved in the development of many of the original Youth alcohol items. Questions from past NHIS surveys were also incorporated that asked respondents:

• whether they had ever consumed alcohol
• whether they had consumed alcohol in the past three months
• their age at first use
• the number of times in the past year the child had gotten drunk

In designing the alcohol questions, as well as related deviant behavior and substance use items, CHRR staff relied on the expertise of NIDA staff, including James Colliver and Andrea Kopstein (Survey and Analysis Branch, Division of Epidemiology and Prevention Research, SAMHSA) and Lloyd D. Johnston. In choosing the question format for the children 10 and older, the following studies were reviewed:

1. National Youth Survey (NYS) conducted in 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, and 1987 and sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health
2. the National Household Survey of Drug Abuse (NHSDA), sponsored by the Office of Applied Studies at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
3. the school-based Youth Behavior Risk Surveys (YSRB), conducted every two years starting in 1991, and sponsored by the CDC

Beginning in 1994, when the NLSY79 children age 15 and older moved into the young adult cohort, a more extensive sequence about alcohol use was introduced. The young adult series about alcohol use has some questions adapted from the Child Self-Administered Supplement but most of the young adult questions more closely resemble the NLSY79 main Youth alcohol use questions. 

Table 1 provides the child question names of the alcohol use questions asked of the NLSY79 Children. The pattern of administration of these questions on drinking can be found in the Asterisk Table. 

Table 1. NLSY79 Child: Alcohol Use Questions for Children Ages 10 and Older, 1988-2014
 

Peer pressure to drink alcohol

From 1992-2014, children ages 10-14 were asked whether they felt pressure from friends to drink alcohol. This question was assigned to the CHILD SELF-ADMINISTERED SUPPLEMENT area of interest. See the topical guide entry on child Attitudes and Expectations for more information about the peer pressure questions in the Child Self-Administered Supplement.

Young Adult

In all survey rounds, the Young Adult survey has asked questions about alcohol use. From 1994 to 1998, these questions were in the Young Adult Self-Report Booklet, a paper-and-pencil supplement. With the integration of the Self-Report Booklet into the CAPI instrument in 2000, the number of questions was reduced.

Some alcohol use questions have been asked in all survey rounds. The core set that are asked include:

• Age at first alcohol use
• Age when R first drank alcohol once a month or more
• Frequency of drinking alcohol in the last 12 months
• Usual number of drinks on days when R drank in the last 30 days

Respondents who report drinking several times a month and more than two drinks per day are additionally asked how often in the past 12 months, during or after drinking, they have:

• gotten into an argument or fight
• had problems with the police
• stayed home from school, or gone late to school because they were drunk or hung over  
• stayed home from work, or gone late to work because they  were drunk or hung over

First-time Young Adults who are aged 18 and under are asked:

• About how many of the students in your grade at school drink at least sometimes?
• About how many of the people your age that you hang around with drink at least sometimes?
• About how many of the people your age in your neighborhood drink at least sometimes?

Between 1994 and 1998 the Young Adult survey included more questions about drinking behavior, such as how recently the respondent had had a drink and how often they had 5 or more drinks at a time. There were also questions about what kind of alcohol was usually consumed, where, and with whom. A greater number of problem behaviors during or after drinking were asked about. Users can view these questions in the year-specific questionnaires.

Peer pressure to try alcohol

Since 2002, young adults ages 18 and younger have been asked whether they feel pressure from friends to drink alcohol. This question has also been asked since 1992 of the 10 to 14 years olds in the Child Self-Administered Supplement. See the topical guide entry on Attitudes and Expectations for more information about the peer pressure questions in both the Young Adult and the Child Self-Administered Supplement.

Alcohol use during pregnancy

Since 1983, NLSY79 mothers have been asked about the use of alcohol during each pregnancy ending in a live birth. Female Young Adult respondents are also asked about the use of alcohol in each of their pregnancies resulting in a live birth.

Alcohol use in the family

Mothers of the Young Adult respondents have answered a variety of questions about their own alcohol use in the NLSY79 survey. Additionally, beginning in 2012, Young Adults are asked in the first survey in which they are 21 or older whether or not before the age of 18 they lived with anyone who was a problem drinker or an alcoholic. This question is part of the childhood adversity series.

Comparison to Other NLS Surveys: NLSY79 respondents have provided information about the quantity and frequency of their alcohol consumption in most survey years. The NLSY79 Child Self-Administered Supplement has included questions about alcohol use since 1988.

The NLSY97 round 1 survey first established whether the respondent had ever consumed an alcoholic beverage and asked for the respondent's age at first use. In subsequent rounds all respondents were asked whether they had drunk an alcoholic beverage since the date of last interview and if so what was the quantity and frequency of alcohol use. 

The 1989 and 1995-2003 interviews of the Mature Women, the 1991-2003 surveys of the Young Women, and the 1990 survey of Older Men also gathered data on the frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption. For more information, refer to the appropriate cohort's User's Guide.

• Child
• Young Adult

Child

Unless indicated otherwise, the items about activities addressed to children 10 and older are assigned to the CHILD SELF-ADMINISTERED SUPPLEMENT area of interest. These questions were initiated in 1988 with the introduction of the Child Self-Administered Supplement (CSAS), administered to all children 10 and older until 1994, when the Young Adult survey was introduced for children 15 and older. From 1994-2014, the CSAS was completed by children who were between the ages of 10 and 14 in the survey year.

After school and summer activities

Beginning with the 1988 child survey, children age 10 and older were asked to enumerate the kinds of activities they engaged in after school. They were also asked where they went after school, including home, another person's home, community or sports facility, job, mall or after school facility. Children 10-14 were also asked about their activities on a typical summer day. These variables can be found in the CHILD SELF-ADMINISTERED SUPPLEMENT area of interest.

Computer use

Starting with the 1994 survey round, children age 10 and older were asked a series of questions on their access to a computer at home and at school, and about the extent of their computer use. They were asked whether they used a computer to do school work, write papers, correspond, play games and other recreational uses, access the internet, or search for information. The children were asked who helped them learn how to learn computers and whether they themselves had had any special training. Questions about computer use related to work, asked in the YA self-report series, were not asked of children under age 15. Young Adults were asked about accessing the internet while children 10-14 were asked about "surfing the net" and access to "bulletin boards." The child computer questions are assigned to the CHILD SELF-ADMINISTERED SUPPLEMENT area of interest.

Friends and dating

In all survey rounds except 1986, children 10 and older were asked about their friendships, whether they felt lonely, and how much pressure they felt from friends to engage in anti-social behavior. They were asked how often (if ever) they went out on dates, at what age they started, and whether there were any rules in the family about dating. If there were rules, they indicated how much say they had in making such rules and whether they argued with their parents about dating or parties. Children completing the Child Self-Administered Supplement were asked to express the degree to which they agreed with this statement: "It is ok for a girl to ask a boy for a date." See the topical guide section on Dating for information about the pattern of administration by survey year for these items on friendship and dating. Questions about dating are asked in greater detail once the child becomes part of the Young Adult cohort.

TV viewing

Mother-report

Starting with the first Child survey in 1986, questions on television viewing were posed to mothers for each of her children as part of the HOME.

Mothers reported the number of hours each child watched television, the number of hours the TV was on in the home, and for children 3 and older, the amount of TV viewing on a typical weekday as well as each weekend day. 

Two items related to TV viewing are incorporated into the Temperament scales for children ages 2 to 6 years:

1. TEMPERAMENT (24-83 MOS): HOW OFTEN CHILD TURNS OFF TV WITH NO PROTEST
2. TEMPERAMENT (24-83 MOS): HOW OFTEN CHILD OBEYS WHEN TOLD TO TURN OFF TV

These two items are assigned to the year-specific MOTHER SUPPLEMENT areas of interest. Starting in 2006, these TV "obey" items are consistently named MS-ACT-C05 and MS-ACT-C06.

NOTE: In 1981, the mothers of the NLSY79 children reported on their own daily activities in the past seven days, including time spent watching TV. See question names beginning with TIMEUSE in the NLSY79 dataset.

Child-report

Children age 10 and older indicated in the Child Self-Administered Supplement (CSAS) how much time they spent watching TV on a typical weekday, typical Saturday, and typical Sunday. Children 10 and older also reported about family rules governing TV viewing and how much they shared with their parents about what they watched. Starting in 2012, a question about hours watching TV or movies in a typical week (CSAS_WEEKLYTV) was added for 14 and 15 year olds, to match the question asked in the Young Adult survey.

All self-reported TV viewing questions can be found in the CHILD SELF-ADMINISTERED SUPPLEMENT area of interest.

Video games

Children 10-14: At the beginning of the Child Self-Administered Supplement (CSAS), starting in 2002, children ages 10-14 reported what they liked to do after school, with "play video or computer games" as one of the options. The question name for this item is CSAS-P7~000007.

Starting in 1994, children ages 10-14 were asked what they used the home computer for most often and how often they used a computer to play games.

Starting in 2006, children ages 10-14 were asked how many hours they played video games on a typical weekday, on a typical Saturday, and on a typical Sunday. The question names for these items are CSAS033VID, CSAS034AVID, and CSAS034BVID.

Starting in 2012, a question about hours playing video games in a typical week (CSAS_WEEKLYVID) was added for 14 and 15 year olds, to match the question asked in the Young Adult survey.

All of the items described above can be found in the CHILD SELF-ADMINISTERED SUPPLEMENT area of interest.

Children 8-14: As part of the SCHOOL section, children reported how often parents limited the amount of time the child could spend watching TV or playing video games. In 1996 and 1998, this question was named CS96SCHL-22 and CS98SCHL-22, respectively. Since 2000, this question is named SCHL-22.

Volunteer and community service

Children ages 10 and older were asked, starting with the 1994 survey, about volunteer work or community service after school. These questions, in the Child Self-Administered Supplement, had only two response choices of "yes" or "no" through 1996. Starting in 1998 and thereafter, the response set for the volunteering questions was converted from a dichotomous format to a 3-point scale to gauge the frequency with which the children performed volunteer activities.

Starting in 1996 in the Child Supplement, school-agers were asked to estimate how often either parent volunteered at their school. Mothers of school-age children were also asked about parent volunteer activities related to the child's classroom or school. With the exception of the 2000 survey year, these mother-report questions about school involvement that were addressed to mothers are found in the MOTHER SUPPLEMENT area of interest. (Only in 2000 are these items in the CHILD SUPPLEMENT area of interest.) In 2004 the child volunteering series was expanded for 14 year olds so that children of that age answered the same question sequence regardless of whether they were interviewed as younger children or young adults. Young adults answer a series of questions about community service in the young adult questionnaire.

Work for pay

Children 10-14 were asked if they did any work for pay, not counting jobs around the house. They listed the kinds of jobs and the amount they worked and usually earned in a week. In 1990 and 1992 children simply answered whether they worked or not, without specifying their duties. In 1994 children who worked for pay chose from a short list of employment categories. The code categories on this question series have been expanded, starting in 1996, to include babysitting, house cleaning, paper route, yard work for neighbors, house-sitting, fast food work, farm work, clerk or office work, pet care, and construction. For a more detailed description, see the Employers & Jobs (Work for Pay) topical guide section.

Young Adult

Computer use

Between 1994 and 1998, Young Adults were asked about access to a computer at home, school, or work and the extent to which they used computers. Respondents were asked whether they used a computer to do various activities, including school work, writing papers, correspondence, playing games and other recreational uses, accessing the internet, or searching for information. They were asked who helped them learn how to use computers and whether they themselves had had any special training. 

In 2000, the number of questions about computer usage was greatly curtailed. From 2000 to 2006, Young Adults were asked whether they had access to a computer and, if so, where. They were also asked how frequently they used a computer to do activities related to their school or work, read e-mail, access the internet, write programs and play games. In 2008 and 2010, Young Adults were asked only whether they had access to a computer and, if so, where. Beginning in 2012, these questions are no longer being asked.

In 2004 and 2006, the Young Adult Health section included a summary question asking respondents how many hours in total they spend using a computer in a typical week. From 2008-2016, two separate questions were asked: the number of hours in a typical week spent using a computer for work-related activities and the number of hours in a typical week spent using a computer for leisure activities. From 2006-2016, Young Adults were also asked in the Self-Report section about how many hours they spent playing video games in a typical week.

Other leisure activities

From 2000-2016, the Young Adult Self-Report section included a question about how many hours in a typical week the respondents watched television. In 2012, the wording of this question was updated to ask about watching TV programs or movies, either on a television, computer or mobile viewing device.

In 2004, a question was added about how often the respondents read for pleasure, including time spent reading books, magazines and newspapers. The wording was augmented in 2010 to remind respondents to include reading in print or on the internet. A further augmentation was made in 2012, so that respondents were asked how much time they spent reading for pleasure including time spent reading books, magazines, newspapers or other publications, in print, on an e-reader or on the internet. This question was last asked in 2016.

After school and summer activities

Beginning in 2002, questions about the kinds of activities engaged in after school and during the summer were added to the schooling section of the Young Adult survey. The youngest Young Adults who were still in secondary school were asked where they went after school, including home, another person's home, community or sports facility, job, mall or after school facility, as well as about activities on a typical summer day. These questions were last asked in 2016. These questions parallel those found in the Child Self-Administered Supplement.

Volunteer and community service

Questions on volunteerism have been in asked in every YA survey. From 1994 to 1998, they were part of the Young Adult Self-Report Booklet. When incorporated into the CAPI questionnaire in 2000, they remained substantively intact. These questions include:

• Whether the young adult had performed any volunteer or community work in the referenced time period*
• If so, they were then asked if any of it was:**
  • Strictly voluntary
  • Court ordered
  • Required for one of their classes or sponsored by their school
  • Required or sponsored by their church
  • Required for other reasons
  • They were also asked whether they had been involved in the following types of organizations:
    • Youth organizations
    • Service organizations
    • Political clubs or organizations
    • Church or church-related groups
    • Community centers, neighborhood improvement, or social-action associations or groups
    • Organized volunteer group in a hospital or nursing home
    • Educational organizations
    • A conservation, recycling, or environmental group

*From 1994 to 1998, the referenced time period for the initial question was the last two years. Since 2000, the referenced time period has been "ever" for new Young Adults and "since the date of last interview" for previously interviewed Young Adults. 

**In 2000, 2002 and 2004 questions about reasons for participating in volunteer activities were restricted to new Young Adults. Prior to 2000 and since 2006, these questions have been asked of all Young Adults reporting any volunteer activity.

These long-standing volunteering items were revised and expanded in 2010 after a careful and extensive review of the new volunteerism module in the NLSY79 as well as verbatims collected in the YA survey. Since 2010, the structure and content of the items about volunteerism has been:

• Whether the young adult has performed any volunteer or community work in the referenced time period
• If so, how often they have done this kind of work
• They were also asked whether they had been involved in the following types of organizations:
  • Youth organizations
  • Service organizations
  • Political clubs or organizations
  • Religious or spiritual organizations, including churches, synagogues, and mosques
  • Community centers, neighborhood improvement, or social-action associations or groups
  • Volunteering in a hospital, nursing home, or retirement community or in a program making home visits to people in need
  • Educational organizations
  • A conservation, recycling, or environmental group
  • A group providing international aid or promoting world peace
  • A group that helps people in need of food, shelter, or other basic necessities
  • Activities related to arts or culture
  • Groups related to animal welfare, such as rescue groups, vet clinics, or shelters (Added in 2016)
  • Groups related to physical health and well-being, such as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation or the American Cancer Society (Added in 2016)
  • Groups related to people with disabilities, such as the Special Olympics or tutoring/mentoring activities (Added in 2016)
  • Groups related to mental health and well-being, such as support groups or resource centers (Added in 2016)
  • Groups related to civic protection, such as volunteer fire fighters or neighborhood watch (Added in 2016)
  • Any other kind of group or organization
• Through 2014, they were then asked if any of it was:
  • Court ordered
  • Required for one of their classes or sponsored by their school
  • Required or sponsored by a sorority or fraternity
  • Required or sponsored by an employer
  • Required or sponsored by by a religious organization they belong to
  • Because a friend or family member asked them to
  • Because it would look good on a college or job application
  • Required for other reasons
  • Was the main reason they did volunteer work because it was court ordered, required for school, work, or religious group, or because they wanted to
• Since 2016, they were then asked the main reason they did volunteer work.
• As part of the redesign in 2018, the detailed questions about the type of organizations the respondents volunteered for were dropped, and they were asked only the main reason they did volunteer work.

All Young Adults are additionally asked whether in the past 12 months they or their spouse/partner have donated money or goods with a combined value of at least $25 to religious or non-profit organizations such as schools, hospitals, museums, charities, or the United Way. If so, the total value of the money or goods donated in the last 12 months is asked.

Political beliefs and voting behaviors

In 2006, a series of political questions, based on the American National Election Studies (ANES) were added to the Young Adult survey. In 2008, some of these questions remained the same while some questions were removed and new ones added. For example, the 2006 voting behavior question was updated to refer to the 2006 election. Party affiliation and political leaning questions remained the same, but some of the attitudinal and behavioral questions were dropped with others added to replace them. The questions concerning mother's and father's politics during childhood were asked only of those new to the sequence in 2008. 

Three questions about self-perceived financial strain were asked of Young Adults for the first time in 2000 and have been asked each round since then:

• How often they or their household puts off buying something they need
• How much difficulty they or their household had paying bills in the last 12 months
• At the end of each month over the past 12 months, did they or their household end up with more than enough money left over, some money left over, just enough to make ends meet, or not enough to make ends meet

Beginning in 2006, Young Adult respondents, except nonemancipated minors, have been asked whether anyone other than their spouse/partner paid part of their living expenses in the last calendar year. If they answer yes, they are further asked if this person lived in their household and how much of their living expenses this person covered.

From 2010 to 2014, the Young Adult survey included an expanded set of questions looking at the financial strain that respondents and their families might have been experiencing. Young Adults, except nonemancipated minors, were asked whether during the last 12 months they or their spouse/partner had been 60 days late in paying the following types of bills:

• Mortgage or rent 
• Utility bills    
• Credit card bills
• Car payment      
• Other kinds of loans
• Other bills

Respondents were also asked whether in the past 12 months they had:

• Had an account sent to a collection agency
• Had something
• Gotten a loan from a payday or other store-front lender
• Filed for
• Experienced foreclosure of a property they owned or were renting

Also asked from 2010 to 2014 were a series of questions focused on experiences with foreclosure. The first time a respondent answered these questions, the reference date used was January, 2007. After that, the reference date used was the date of last interview. Respondents who had indicated they either currently owned or had owned a home since the reference date were asked:

• Whether they had fallen more than two months behind in their mortgage payments
• Whether they had gone through foreclosure
• If so, did they lose their home
• If not, they were asked both:
  • whether they were facing possible foreclosure
  • how likely they were to fall behind in their mortgage in the next six months

Respondents who had indicated they either currently owned or had owned any other real estate since the reference date were asked the same series about their other real estate.

Comparison to other cohorts: Since 2010, the NLSY79 survey has included comparable questions about foreclosure.

All survey years have included questions about public assistance income sources. The most detail has been asked about:

• TANF, AFDC, or any other general cash assistance to needy families
• Government food stamps
• Supplemental security income or public assistance, or welfare payments from local, state or federal government

For each of these types of public assistance, respondents are asked whether they and/or (if applicable) their spouse/partner received that type of assistance in the previous calendar year. From 1994 to 1998, beginning and ending dates were collected for spells of each of these types of assistance, as was the amount per week received in each spell. Beginning in 2000, the amount of detail collected was reduced and since then respondents have provided the following information about themselves and/or their spouse/partner:

• Whether they had received that form of public assistance
• The number of months they received that form of public assistance
• The amount received in the last month they received that form of public assistance

In all survey rounds, Young Adults have additionally been asked whether or not they received any of the following:

• Any WIC benefits
• Any educational benefits for veterans under the G.I. Bill or VEAP
• Any (other kinds of) scholarships, fellowships, or grants
• Any (other) veterans' benefits, worker's compensation, disability payments, or payments from Social Security

Respondents who report having received any (other) veterans' benefits, worker's compensation, disability payments, or payments from Social Security are asked the total amount received from all such benefits.

Respondents are also asked whether they live in public housing or pay lower rent or receive a rent subsidy because the federal, state, or local government was paying part of the cost.

The Young Adults have been asked relatively few questions about their assets and debts. From 1994 to 1998, respondents were asked the following questions:

• whether they or their spouse/partner had received any property or money valued at over $100, from any estates, trusts, inheritances, or gifts from relatives or friends in the last calendar year
• whether their house/apartment was owned or being bought by them or their spouse/partner
• what the market value was for their owned house/apartment
• how much they owed on their mortgage
• whether there was other debt on the property
• whether they or their spouse/partner owned any motorized vehicles
• how much was owed on these motorized vehicles
• how much these vehicles were worth
• whether they or their spouse/partner owned any other items, each worth $500 or more
• the total value of these items
• whether they or their spouse/partner owed over $500 to any stores, doctors, hospitals, banks or anyone else, excluding 30-day charge accounts
• the total amount owed

From 2000 to 2004, Young Adults answered a much reduced set of questions, including:

• whether their house/apartment was owned or being bought by them or their spouse/partner
• whether they or their spouse/partner owned any motorized vehicles
• whether they or their spouse/partner owed any money on credit cards
• how much money was owed on these cards

Since 2006, the Young Adult survey has included a more expanded set of questions:

• whether their house/apartment is owned or being bought by them or their spouse/partner
• what the market value of the house/apartment is
• how much is owed on the house/apartment
• whether they or their spouse/partner own any other real estate
• what the market values of that other real estate is
• how much is owed on that other real estate
• whether they or their spouse/partner own any motorized vehicles
• how much is owed on these motorized vehicles
• how much these vehicles are worth
• whether they or their spouse/partner have any credit cards that they pay the bills on
• whether they owe money on these cards
• how much they owe on these cards

Comparison to Other NLS Cohorts. Information on assets has been regularly collected from each cohort (except for NLSY79 children under age 15). Users should note, however, that the assets included have varied widely over time and among cohorts. Data on the respondent's debts have been collected from each cohort on a less regular basis. 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.

From 1994 through 1998, questions about usual child care arrangements and hours spent in child care were asked about all children in the household associated with the Young Adult respondent, including biological, step, adopted and/or partner's children. Beginning in 2000 the kinds of questions asked were expanded to include items from the NLSY79 Mother Supplement. In 2000 and 2002, the child-specific questions in this section were only asked about the youngest child. Since 2004, the child-specific questions were once again asked of all children in the household associated with the respondent. 

In 2000 a series of questions was introduced about parenting behaviors. These are modeled after questions in the HOME (Home Observation Measurement of the Environment) section of the NLSY79 Mother Supplement. Because these questions were developed for telephone administration, they do not allow an actual HOME score to be created as is done in the NLSY79 Mother Supplement. However, incorporating these items provides researchers with a unique opportunity to make intergenerational comparisons of parenting behaviors between the Young Adults and their mothers. In 2000 and 2002, the questions focused only on the youngest child in the household, regardless of whether that child was biological, step, adopted, or partner's, and included questions about child care arrangements as well as parenting behaviors towards that child. In 2004, specific child care arrangement questions were dropped, but the focus of the parenting behavior questions were expanded to include all children in the household associated with the respondent and tailored for a wider age range of children, akin to the age-based sections of the Home used in the Mother Supplement.

In 2008, some new questions about parenting behaviors, such as how often the respondent bathes or dresses the child and how often the respondent plays with the child, adapted from the NLSY97, were added to improve the detail we have about parenting coresidential children as well as to provide a comparison to parenting of noncoresidential children. Questions about nocoresidential children are found in the Fertility section. In 2012, the Behavior Problems Index (BPI) from the Mother Supplement was added and an upper child age limit of 14 was put in place for all questions on child care and parenting behavior. As part of the 2018 redesign, respondents complete the BPI only for children ages 6/7 or 10/11.

From 1994 to 2012, the Young Adult survey also included questions about total child care expenses for all children associated with the respondent, as well as whether child care difficulties affect employment.

Users should note that while specifics on parenting behavior and child care arrangements are only asked about the youngest child in 2000 and 2002, a roster of all children in the household who are tied to the Young Adult is available.

Comparison to Other NLS Cohorts: A range of both retrospective and cross-sectional (past four weeks) childcare information is available in the NLSY79. The mother-report child care sections from the NLSY79 provide the types of current childcare arrangements used for each child in the household, a retrospective of childcare experiences during the first three years of life for all children (of at least 1 year of age) born to the respondent, and in some survey years, the overall family expenditure for current care. Childcare history in the first three years of life is on the NLSY79 Child Data File. 

The NLSY97 Parent Questionnaire collected information from one of the youth's biological parents or another household adult on background information including childcare. An expanded set of child care questions was asked in round 5 and again in round 9. In some years the Young Women and Mature Women answered questions concerning types and locations of childcare arrangements and the extent of childcare responsibility. 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.