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Publication - Research and analysis

Life at age 14: initial findings from the Growing Up in Scotland study

Published
15 February 2022
Directorate
Children and Families Directorate
Topic
Arts, culture and sport, Children and families, Education, +2 more … Health and social care, Work and skills
ISBN
9781802018240

Growing Up in Scotland is a longitudinal study following the lives of young people. The report is based on data collected in 2019/20, when participants were 14 years, from 2,943 families. The report presents high level findings relating to young people’s experiences across a range of life domains.

View supporting documents Supporting documents

Annex A: Overview of combined variables

Below are the variables which have been combined in the dataset for analysis. They are separated in the dataset because of methodology change which necessitated amendments to the questions.

Young person variables

Combined variables Description of variable Explanation for splitting of variables
CjSch3 and CjSch3C Whether young person enjoys learning at school. Web: notable changes – slight difference in routing. In face-to-face questionnaire, those who were home schooled were not asked this question.
CSch2 and CjSch2C Whether young person looks forward to going to school. Web: notable changes – slight difference in routing. In face-to-face questionnaire, those who were home schooled were not asked this question.
CSch1 and CjSch1C Whether young person hates school. Web: notable changes – slight difference in routing. In face-to-face questionnaire, those who were home schooled were not asked this question.
CjSch14 and CjSch14C Whether young person thinks their teacher treats them fairly. Web: notable changes – slight difference in routing. In face-to-face questionnaire, those who were home schooled were not asked this question.
CjSch18 and CjSch18C How often young person tries their best at school. Web: notable changes – slight difference in routing. In face-to-face questionnaire, those who were home schooled were not asked this question.
CjSch22 and CjSch22C How often young person misbehaves or causes trouble in class. Web: notable changes – slight difference in routing. In face-to-face questionnaire, those who were home schooled were not asked this question.
CjSchSk and CjSchSkC Whether young person ever skipped school when their parents didn't know in the last 12 months. Web: notable changes – slight difference in routing. In face-to-face questionnaire, those who were home schooled were not asked this question.
CjCasE and CjCasEC Whether young person wants to stay on at school or college full-time when they turn 16. That is, when they have finished S4. Web: notable changes – routing in the web questionnaire is restricted by the cohort member's age at the time of completing the interview. At the time of face-to-face data collection, all respondents were aged under 16 so no such restriction was in place.
CjCasAS and CjCasASC What do you see yourself doing after you leave school? Web: notable changes – slight difference in routing. In face-to-face questionnaire, those who attend school or home schooled were asked this question. In web, those who attend school were asked this question.
CjPar101 and CjPar101C Whether Parent1 listens to what young person has to say. Web: notable changes – identification of 'Parent 1' differs between web and face-to-face.
CjPar102 and CjPar102C Whether young person can count on Parent1 to help them when they have a problem. Web: notable changes – identification of 'Parent 1' differs between web and face-to-face.
CjPar103 and CjPar103C Cj: Parent1: I talk to him/her when I am having a problem. Web: notable changes – identification of 'Parent 1' differs between web and face-to-face.
CjPar104 and CjPar104C Cj: Parent1: If he/she knows something is bothering me, he/she asks me about it. Web: notable changes – identification of 'Parent 1' differs between web and face-to-face.
CjPar105 and CjPar105C Cj: Parent1: I share my thoughts and feelings with him/her. Web: notable changes – identification of 'Parent 1' differs between web and face-to-face.
CjPar106 and CjPar106C Cj: Parent1: he/she pays attention to me. Web: notable changes – identification of 'Parent 1' differs between web and face-to-face.
CjPE1see and CjPE1seeC How often young person usually sees Parent1 at the moment. Web: notable changes – difference in how 'elsewhere' is defined. In the web questionnaire cohort members are only asked about one parent living elsewhere (versus up to two parents living elsewhere in the data collected face-to-face).
CjPE1sem and CjPE1semC How often young person would you like to see Parent1. Web: notable changes – difference in how 'elsewhere' is defined. In the web questionnaire cohort members are only asked about one parent living elsewhere (versus up to two parents living elsewhere in the data collected face-to-face).
CjPE1set and CjPE1setC How often young person has contact with Parent1 by telephone, text or email, or via apps. Web: notable changes – difference in how 'elsewhere' is defined. In the web questionnaire cohort members are only asked about one parent living elsewhere (versus up to two parents living elsewhere in the data collected face-to-face).
CjSexAge and CjSexAgeC Age of young person when first had sexual intercourse. Web: notable changes – added category (16 years old) in the web questionnaire to reflect the fact that some cohort members were aged 16 at the time of the web-based data collection.
CjSm and CjSmC Whether young person ever tried a cigarette. Web: notable changes – routing differs to face-to-face which was routed based on answers provided at sweep 9.
CjBSn and CjBSnC How often young person smokes now. Web: notable changes – routing differs to face-to-face which was routed based on answers provided at sweep 9.
CjBSw and CjBSwC How old young person was when first smoked a whole cigarette. Web: notable changes – routing differs to face-to-face which was routed based on answers provided at sweep 9.
CjBSe and CjBSeC Whether young person ever tried e‐cigarette or vaping device. Web: notable changes – routing differs to face-to-face which was routed based on answers provided at sweep 9.
CjBSa and CjBSaC Whether young person ever had alcoholic drink. Web: notable changes – routing differs to face-to-face which was routed based on answers provided at sweep 9.
CjBSd and CjBSdC How old young person when first had an alcoholic drink. Web: notable changes – routing differs to face-to-face which was routed based on answers provided at sweep 9.
CjBal and CjBalC How often young person drank alcohol in the last 30 days. Web: notable changes – routing differs to face-to-face which was routed based on answers provided at sweep 9.
CjBDr and CjBDrC Whether young person has ever been drunk. Web: notable changes – routing differs to face-to-face which was routed based on answers provided at sweep 9.
CjASBsy and CjASBsyC In last year: how many times young person has taken something from a shop or a store. Web: notable changes – routing differs to face-to-face which was routed based on answers provided at sweep 9.
CjASBry and CjASBryC In last year: how many times young person has been rowdy or rude in a public. Web: notable changes – routing differs to face-to-face which was routed based on answers provided at sweep 9.
CjASBmy and CjASBmyC In last year: how many times young person has stolen money or other things. Web: notable changes – routing differs to face-to-face which was routed based on answers provided at sweep 9.
CjASBky and CjASBkyC In last year: how many times young person has carried a knife or weapon. Web: notable changes – routing differs to face-to-face which was routed based on answers provided at sweep 9.
CjASBpy and CjASBpyC In last year: how many times young person has deliberately damaged or destroyed property. Web: notable changes – routing differs to face-to-face which was routed based on answers provided at sweep 9.
CjASBby and CjASBbyC In last year: how many times young person has broken into a locked place to steal something. Web: notable changes – routing differs to face-to-face which was routed based on answers provided at sweep 9.
CjASBgy and CjASBgyC In last year: how many times young person has written things or sprayed paint on property. Web: notable changes – routing differs to face-to-face which was routed based on answers provided at sweep 9.
CjASBwy and CjASBwyC In last year: how many times young person has used force, threats or a weapon etc. Web: notable changes – routing differs to face-to-face which was routed based on answers provided at sweep 9.
CjASBhy and CjASBhyC In last year: how many times young person has hit, kicked or punched someone. Web: notable changes – routing differs to face-to-face which was routed based on answers provided at sweep 9.
CjASBsy and CjASBsyC In last year: how many times young person has taken something from a shop or a store. Web: notable changes – routing differs to face-to-face which was routed based on answers provided at sweep 9.
CjMalDV and CjMalDVC Whether young person noticed a deepening of their voice. Web: notable changes – routing for this question in the web questionnaire was derived from sample details collected at an earlier sweep, rather than from details collected as part of the sweep 10 interview (household grid).
CjMalFH and CjMalFHC Whether hair has begun to grow on the face of the young person. Web: notable changes – routing for this question in the web questionnaire was derived from sample details collected at an earlier sweep, rather than from details collected as part of the sweep 10 interview (household grid).
CjMalIFA and CjMalIFAC How old young person was when they first noticed facial hair growing on your face. Web: notable changes – routing for this question in the web questionnaire was derived from sample details collected at an earlier sweep, rather than from details collected as part of the sweep 10 interview (household grid).
CjFemEM and CjFemEMC Whether young person has ever menstruated. Web: notable changes – routing for this question in the web questionnaire was derived from sample details collected at an earlier sweep, rather than from details collected as part of the sweep 10 interview (household grid).
CjFemMA and CjFemMAC How old young person was when they first had their period. Web: notable changes – routing for this question in the web questionnaire was derived from sample details collected at an earlier sweep, rather than from details collected as part of the sweep 10 interview (household grid).

Parent variables

Combined variables Description of variable Explanation for splitting of variables
MjSexInt and MjSexIntC How often parent has spoken to child about sex. Web: notable changes – in face-to-face f/w 'or your partner' was only shown where there was a partner in the household. In the web version, this was shown to everyone.
MjSexBeh and MjSexBehC How often parent has spoken to child about sexual attraction, and/or how to respond to sexual advances. Web: notable changes – in face-to-face f/w 'or your partner' was only shown where there was a partner in the household. In the web version, this was shown to everyone.
MjSexCont and MjSexContC How often parent has spoken to child about contraception. Web: notable changes – in face-to-face f/w 'or your partner' was only shown where there was a partner in the household. In the web version, this was shown to everyone.
MjSexSafe and MjSexSafeC How often parent has spoken to child about safe sex or sexually transmitted Infections. Web: notable changes – in face-to-face f/w 'or your partner' was only shown where there was a partner in the household. In the web version, this was shown to everyone.
MjSexOri and MjSexOriC How often parent has spoken to child about sexual orientation. Web: notable changes – in face-to-face f/w 'or your partner' was only shown where there was a partner in the household. In the web version, this was shown to everyone.

Contact

Email: GUS@gov.scot

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