British Cohort Studies Teaching Dataset for Higher Education, 1958-2000

In December 2007 the Centre for Longitudinal Studies (CLS) completed a two year project which aimed to create a set of teaching datasets and associated resources for lecturers in higher education. These are based on the 1958 National Child Development Study and the 1970 British Cohort Study (BCS70). The project was funded under the ESRC Researcher Development Initiative.<br><br>The first set of resource documents is based on 'key variables' or rather many of the most commonly used variables from the two studies, such as data on qualifications, social class, marital status, income, number and ages of children etc. The second is based on the Malaise Inventory, an established scale to measure signs of psychological distress or depression in teenagers or adults. Cohort members in both NCDS and BCS70 have completed the Malaise Inventory at various ages from age 16. A supplementary resource based on BCS70 cohort members' mothers' responses to the Malaise Inventory is also available. The third set of resources is based on the Rutter Behaviour Scale, again, an established scale to measure signs of behaviour disorders in children that cohort members' parents in both NCDS and BCS70 have completed at various ages in childhood. The final set of resources is based on cognitive development through childhood. This includes variables based on maths and reading assessments completed by children at different ages and from different cohorts.<br><br>A good starting point for using this teaching resource is guide to the datasets and resources (British_Cohort_Studies_Teaching_Dataset_2ndEd.pdf) which summarise the documents available and how to use them.<br><br>For the second edition (August 2008), a set of resources based on the assessment of cognitive development in children (namely reading and mathematics) have been added. This comprises three datasets and additional documentation.<br><br>