National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health)

DESCRIPTION: Add Health is a school-based study of the health-related behaviors of adolescents in grades 7-12. It has been designed to explore the causes of these behaviors, with an emphasis on the influence of social context. That is, Add Health postulates that families, friends, schools and communities play roles in the lives of adolescents that may encourage health choices of activities or may lead to unhealthy, self-destructive behaviors. Data to support or refute this theory were collected in surveys of students, parents, and school administrators (taken from project web site, see link below for more information). The study has collected data of interest to investigators from many disciplines in the social and behavioral sciences and from many theoretical traditions.

ORIGINATING AGENCY / PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR(S):  J. Richard Udry (P.I. - entire research team)- Carolina Population Center (Restricted Disseminator), Sociometrics Corp. (Public Disseminator)

OWNERSHIP/STEWARDSHIP:  Public and Restricted. For public data we have two versions; version one was purchased from Sociometrics (last updated 2/2002) the second was provided by the Add Health Project at the Carolina Population Center (CPC) free of charge - "departmental use" (aka public version - provided 6/2003). We only have waves 1 and 2 of the Sociometrics version (we did not purchase wave 3 due to the availability of the CPC version). The data within the two versions are not interchangeable (different variable names). It is recommended that users consult the CPC version for exploratory analyses (especially if interested in obtaining access to the restricted data) because the variables are the same as those in the restricted data.

PRI FACULTY, AFFILIATES, AND STUDENTS: Please note that you may download all of the Add Health Public Use Data from Sociometrics (remember, this is not the same as the CPC Version) from the Sociometrics Social Science Electronic Data Library (SSEDL). The SSEDL is accessible via the Penn State University Libraries Electronic Resources A-Z List. Add Health Public Use Waves I-III and the Education Data (Wave III) are located in the Data Archive of Adolescent Pregnancy and Pregnancy Prevention. You will need to electronically submit a data use agreement. Please adhere to the terms of this agreement, and be sure to print a copy for your records.

1. PUBLIC DATA - Penn State researchers may contact the Data Archivist, who will first provide you with a copy of the public data use agreement (which you must read and adhere to), and add permission privilege for you to access the data on UNIX or on Paris (Paris has CPC version only). The access path will be given DURING the meeting with the Data Archivist, not before.

2. RESTRICTED DATA - You must meet PRI eligibility requirements in order to obtain access to the Restricted Add Health data. First consideration is given to PRI Faculty Affiliates and Dual-Degree (Demography) Graduate Students. Contact the Data Archivist for more information. Researchers within Penn State who are currently unaffiliated with PRI (faculty and graduate students) may consult with the with the Data Archivist to discuss eligibility, but be aware that the final decision for granting access belongs to the PRI Director.

RELATED WEB SITES:
Add Health Project Web Site (Electronic Versions of the Codebooks can be viewed/downloaded from this site)
Add Health Exploratory Analysis
Adolescent Health and Academic Achievement Study (AHAA)
Sociometrics Add Health Information

PRI Help on Using Add Health

DATA DISSEMINATED BY: Carolina Population Center, Add Health Project