Sloan Study of Youth and Social Development, 1992-1997 [United States]

The Alfred P. Sloan Study of Youth and Social Development was designed to gather a holistic picture of the adolescent experience. To understand how young people form ideas about their future, the study considered not only what adolescents' aspirations are, but also how they may be influenced by family, peer groups, schools, and their communities. Data were collected within adolescents' three major social environments: schools, families, and peer groups. The study gathered information from 12 sites over five years, to examining such research questions as: (1) how young people of various ages and family backgrounds differ in their conceptions of work, (2) what learning opportunities families with different economic circumstances provide for their children with respect to work and careers, and (3) how schools influence educational expectations and career formation. Data were collected from focal students using the experience sampling method (ESM), an in-depth interview, and a battery of questionnaires. The questionnaires included: (1) the Teenage Life Questionnaire, a modification of instruments used in the National Educational Longitudinal Study (NELS:1988-94), (2) a Friends Sociometric form, which provided detailed information about the respondents' peer groups and social ties, and (3) the Career Orientation Survey (COS), which measures respondents' knowledge about jobs and occupational expectations. Cohort students were also administered the questionnaires but did not participate in the ESM or in-depth interviews. All instruments were administered to focal students in Years 1, 3, and 5. In addition, in Year 2, in-depth interviews alone were administered to focal students. In years 1, 3, and 5, a separate group of cohort students were administered the questionnaires. Parts 1, 2, 6, 7, 11, and 12 consist of the Teenage Life Questionnaire data. Parts 3, 4, 8, 9, 13, and 14 consist of the Career Orientation Survey data. Parts 5, 10, and 15 consist of the Experience Sampling Method data. The in-depth interview component will be released by ICPSR as restricted data at a later time.