National child development study

de K. R. Fogelman, John Fox, P. M. Shepard, Radcliffe College. Henry A. Murray Research Center

The National Child Development Study (NCDS) emerged as a longitudinal follow-up study of all of the approximately 17,000 children initially identified through the Perinatal Mortality Survey of all births in England, Scotland and Wales during the week of March 3rd to March 9th, 1958. The aim of the NCDS was to gather normative data on educational, behavioral, emotional, social, and physical development of children living in Great Britain and to determine some of the contributing factors for development of and minimization of handicaps. Other long-term aims included the exploration of the "constancy and change in the pattern of children's developmnent longitudinally"; evaluation of the "efficacy of medical and educational provision for handicapped, deviant and exceptional children"; and identification of "groups of children of special interest for intensive study to generate more detailed and comprehensive investigations of the factors involved in the development of special conditions." Study participants consisted of 16,994 predominantly white males and females living in Great Britain. Participants originated from all social classes ranging from "unskilled workers" to "professional and managerial", with most participants originating from the "skilled worker" class. Data collection was initiated at birth, and included follow-ups in 1965, 1969, 1974, and 1981. At each follow-up, information was principally obtained from the parents, the schools, Local Authority Medical Officers, and the children themselves. General topics assessed included employment & income, education, marriage & family, health, housing, leisure & voluntary activities, childhood memories, depressive symptoms, attitudes about marriage & women's roles, social support, social and political values. The Murray Center has computer data from waves one to four. Follow-up of study participants is prohibited.