a view from overseas, national longitudinal survey of children and youth (canada)

A view from overseas, National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth

(Canada)Stephanie Lalonde, Statistics Canada

April 20, 2011

Key issues for longitudinal research

Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada2

Today’s presentation

Survey Overview History of NLSCY Survey Design Survey Content Direct Assessments School Collection Research Lessons Learned


What is the NLSCY?

A long-term study of Canadian children that follows their development and well-being from birth to early

adulthood. Conducted by Statistics Canada and funded by Human

Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC). Development began in 1992 and data from the final

collection were released in 2010.


Objectives of the NLSCY

To determine the prevalence of risk and protective factors for children and youth.

To understand how these factors, as well as life events, influence children’s development.

To make this information available for developing policies and programs that help children and youth.

To collect information about a wide variety of topics – biological, social, economic.

To collect information about the environment in which a child is growing up – family, peers, school, community.


History of NLSCY

Planning report May 1993 First data collection 1994-95 Data collection every two years Last data collection 2008-09


Origins of NLSCY

May 1992, the Canadian government announced “Brighter Futures” initiative.

“What works for children – Information Development Program” is a component of initiative

Mandate to develop the first multi-disciplinary national longitudinal and cross-sectional database on children.


Implications on survey design

Need to provide longitudinal and cross-sectional information

The ecological or holistic approach to the measurement of risk and outcomes

The need to provide children and family information The need to gather and integrate community information The need to collect information on selected children from

teachers


SURVEY DESIGN


NLSCY overview

2 132 13

0 10 1

0 10 1

0 10 1

2 32 3

2 32 3

2 32 3

4 54 5

4 54 5

44 15 15

8 198 19

6 176 17

2 32 34 4 55

8 98 94 54 566 7722 33

0 10 1

0 original cohort 110 original cohort 11

10 2110 21

12 2312 23

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

0 10 1

0 10 1

Cohort 3 Cohort 4 Cohort 5 Cohort 6 Cohort 7 Cohort 1 Cohort 2

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 110 1

Cohort 8

14 2514 25


Longitudinal sample size and response rates

Surveycycle Age Response

hh child hh child %1 0-11 12,818 19,487 11,141 16,903 86.7 2 2-13 12,863 19,481 10,220 15,403 79.1 3 4-15 12,818 19,435 9,810 14,796 76.0 4 6-17 12,912 19,481 8,839 13,168 67.8 5 8-19 13,134 19,474 8,592 12,300 63.1 6 10-21 13,532 19,474 8,222 11,210 57.6 7 12-23 14,409 19,474 8,597 11,016 56.6 8 14-25 14,690 19,474 8,510 10,268 52.7

Sample size Respondents


Cycle 8 sample and response rates

Number of sampled children and response rate, by age at Cycle 8

Age as ofDecember 31, 2008 Sampled In-scope Respondents

Cycle 8 responserate

Years Number %

0-1 5,482 5,463 4,106 75.2

2-3 5,580 5,555 4,372 78.7

4-5 5,404 5,372 4,130 76.9

6-7 4,271 4,256 3,450 81.1

14-15 3,134 3,129 2,501 79.9

16-17 2,238 2,235 1,770 79.2

18-19 2,523 2,515 1,635 65.0

20-21 2,361 2,354 1,366 58.0

22-23 2,418 2,406 1,470 61.1

24-25 2,382 2,368 1,466 61.9

Total 35,793 35,653 26,266 73.7


Collection strategy

Every 2 years - Mixed mode of collection• Lasts 9 months (Sept – June)

• Multi level data: Household, Child, Parent (PMK),

Schools

• Direct measures

• Community surveys


SURVEY CONTENT

Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada14Time

Social

Space

Resources Family Community School WorkPublic

Programs

Outcomes

Social

Cognitive/Learning Language/

Communication

Emotional

Physical Health

Context

Transitions:Illness/InjuryAccidentsDivorce/separationDeath of Family MemberSpell of PovertyPubertySchool EntryGraduationFirst JobMarriageFirst Child


Person most knowledgeable (PMK)

Person Most Knowledgeable (PMK)• Person who answers question about the child• Usually the biological mother, but not always

Age PMK – biological mother

PMK – biological father

0-7 88.4% 9.6%

14-17 83.5% 11%


Questionnaires

PMK Child/Youth Teacher/Principal

(cycles 1-5)

Household

Adult

Child

Self-completes

Youth

Kindergarten

Elementary

Direct Assessments


Survey Overview


Adult component

List of subjects covered Education Labour force Income Health Family functioning Neighbourhood safety Social support Socio-demographic characteristics


Subjects Covered by Child Component

Behaviour Sleep habits Motor/Social/Cognitive

Development Relationships Parenting Custody Expectations (Aspirations) Socio-demographic

characteristics

Education Health Medical/Biological Mother’s work after child’s birth Temperament Literacy Communication Activities Developmental Milestones Childcare


Subjects Covered by Youth Component

Criminal behaviour Relationships Sexual Health Activities Self-esteem Emotional Quotient Social Support Family formation and

fertility

Moving out of parental home Health Education Labour Force Career Aspiration Income Suicide Political engagement Self-assessment of abilities


Self-completed questionnaires

Family and friends• School• Self-Esteem• Emotional Intelligence• Puberty• Dating• Smoking, Drinking and Drugs• Activities• Health • Work• Feelings and Behaviours (suicide)


DIRECT ASSESSMENTS


Direct Assessments

Age Assessment Measures

Grades 2 to 10 (usually 7 to 15 years)

Math tests Achievement of basic academic skills

16-17 Problem solving exercise

Reading comprehension, problem solving decision making

18-19 Literacy assessment Prose literacy

Document literacy

20-21 Numeracy assessment

Numeracy


Direct Assessments 4-5 year olds

PPVT-R

• Measure of receptive vocabulary

Who Am I?

• Measure of level of development

Number Knowledge

• Measures understanding of numbers


Choosing direct assessments

Increase focus on early childhood development

Review of framework

Selection of direct measures based on literature review and

review of other surveys

16 measures selected for more detailed review

11 measures informally tested

5 measures field tested


Choosing direct assessment - criteria

Available in English and French (or easily adaptable)

Appropriate for administration in the child’s home

Easy to administer by lay interviewers

Easy to score


Assessments tested

Who Am I?

Number Knowledge

Weschler Preschool and Primary Scales of

Intelligence (WPPSI-R)

Early Screening Inventory

Raven’s Coloured Progressive Matrices


Field test of assessments – Who Am I?

Measures developmental level and acquired knowledge and skills

Developed by Dr. Molly de Lemos at the Australian Council of Educational Research

(ACER)

Can be used for children aged 3 to 7

General development assessed using a copying shapes task and drawing picture of

onself

Acquired knowledge and skills assessed through writing symbols such as numbers, letters,

words and sentences

Field test found that the assessment was relatively easy to administer and enjoyed by

children

The assessment is inexpensive

Dropped the drawing task to save time

Added to the NLSCY in Cycle 4


Field test of assessments – Number Knowledge

Assesses children’s understanding of quantity and the system of

whole numbers Developed by Dr. Robbie Case and colleagues at the Institute of

Child Study - University of Toronto Four developmental levels (pre-dimensional, uni-dimensional, bi-

dimensional, and integrated bi-dimensional) Levels are attained at approximately 4, 6, 8 and 10 years of age. Only first three levels used in test The assessment included counting to 10, concepts of quantity,

number line, simple additions and subtractions and some problem solving.

Added to Cycle 4 of the NLSCY with some modifications.


Field test of assessments – Block Design

Sub-test of the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scales of

Intelligence-Revised (WPPSI-R)

WPPSI-R can be used as an intelligence test. Block design is one

of the performance sub-tests and examines logical reasoning.

The child must design with blocks a shape copying either one the

interviewer constructs or from a booklet.

The task proved too difficult for the interviewers to administer

consistently so was not added to the NLSCY.


Field test of assessments – Early Screening Inventory

A brief developmental screening instrument that is individually administered to children from 3 to 6 years of age.

Developed by Dr. Samuel Meisels and colleagues at the University of Michigan.

Designed to identify children who may need special educational services to participate successfully in school.

Provides an overview of the child’s development in three major areas: Visual-Motor/Adaptive (fine motor skills, eye-hand co-ordination and short-term memory skills), Language (not used in test) and Cognition and Gross Motor.

Some difficulties in administration but recommended for inclusion in NLSCY

Final decision was not to use the ESI


Field test of assessments - Raven’s Coloured Progressive Matrices

Assesses child’s capacity for analogical reasoning as one aspect

of intelligence.

Child must select the missing element to complete a pattern

Test is non-verbal

Well liked by parents, children and interviewers

Not added to the NLSCY


SCHOOL COLLECTION


School collection

Changes cycle to cycle• Dropped from Cycle 6 (2004) on

Requires signed parental permission Requires co-operation from all ten provinces Relatively low response rates Logistically complex


Survey content teachers

Child/student’s education Child/student’s behaviour and attendance Involvement of parent and guardian Teaching practices Teacher’s perceptions of the school Personal information


Survey content - Principals

Students in the school Involvement of parent(s) and guardian(s) Characteristics of school Principal’s perceptions of the school Personal information


COMMUNITY SURVEYS


Community surveys

Part of Understanding the Early Years initiative

Designed to give communities information to enhance community

resources and services

Worked with community groups

Includes a mapping project to map community resources and services

Goal is to allow each community to use information to improve early

childhood development


Collection for CommunitiesVocabulary Test

PPVT

Who Am I

Tests Paper QuestionnaireQuestionnaireCAI

Household Contact Parent Questionnaire Child Questionnaire

Number Knowledge

Community Resource

Use

EDITeacher completed

Phone interview

Collected in the school


SELECTED FINDINGS FROM NLSCY


Growing Up in Canada

Hyperactivity biggest risk factor in slowing math skills

Aggressive behaviour tended to decrease as children

grew up

Positive parenting can make a difference in

disadvantaged families


Vulnerable children

Edited by J. Douglas Willms

Development of Vulnerability Index

Childhood vulnerability only weakly linked to income

Effects of good parenting outweigh effects of income

Vulnerability varies amongst communities


Parenting style and children's aggressive behaviour

Change in parenting environment predicts

change in child's behaviour

Aggressive behaviour linked to parenting style,

regardless of sex or income


Other examples

Relationship between youth depression and changes

in relations with parents and peers.

Description of Child care in Canada

Description of Readiness to Learn of Five Year Olds

Canadian Nine Year Olds at School

Successful Transitions conference


LESSONS LEARNED


Challenges

Breadth of content Large number of age groups Mixed requirements

• Longitudinal • Cross-sectional

Changes from cycle to cycle


Example of changes

Age – age at time of collection vs. reference age

Most questions asked based on reference age but norms based on actual age

Change of PMK over time


Lessons Learned

Keep it simple wherever possible Have adequate resources from the start to design the best survey vehicle Think longitudinally Re-evaluate decisions made at previous cycles to determine if they are still

appropriate Do research and analysis to develop new methods Ensure that there is good documentation

• That explain the ‘why’ and allow others to replicate the work Have clear long-term objectives

• NLSCY is trying to please everyone: focus on a few things and do them well


Contact Information

Stephanie Lalonde [email protected] General NLSCY inquiries [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

a view from overseas, national longitudinal survey of children and youth (canada)

Documents

original cohort

selected children

statistics canadaapril

yearslast data collection

information available

final collection

community informationthe

family informationthe