This application is for the continuation of a major longitudinal study of problem behavior known as the National Youth Survey (NYS). This survey is based on a national sample of youth, aged 11-17 in 1976, that have been followed for 14 years in eight data collection periods, providing data that covers the full 11-30 age range. This application is to extend this project to a ninth wave of data collection and expand the focus of the study to include the marital partners and children of the original survey respondents.

The original focus of the study was on juvenile delinquency, drug use and victimization and, as the respondents grew older, the study was broadened to focus more evenly upon five domains of problem behavior--violent behavior-including simple and aggravated assault, sexual assault, and marital violence, nonviolent criminal behavior, problem use of alcohol and drugs, deviant/dysfunctional sexual activity, and depression and other mental health problems.

The objectives of the proposed extension are (1) to extend analysis of the longitudinal developmental patterns of specific problem behavior and their interrelationships to age 33; (2) assess the impact of problem behavior and victimization during adolescence on social and psychological adjustment during adulthood; (3) test the generality of an integrated theoretical model to explain various forms of problem behavior during adulthood; and (4) examine the influence of different developmental pathways on parenting practices and the role of parenting in the intergenerational transmission of problem and prosocial behavior.

R01MH041761

1986-06-01

1996-06-30