How childhood, teen, and COVID experiences shape early-adult wellbeing worldwide
Childhood, Adolescence, and Covid-Related Risk and Protective Factors in the Development of Adjustment in Early Adulthood Across Cultures
This project follows people from childhood into their mid-20s to learn how childhood, teen, family, and COVID-era experiences shape young adults' mental health, substance use, and life choices across nine countries.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11380389 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would join a long-term international group first enrolled at age 8 in 2008 and now followed into early adulthood. Researchers interview young adults and their parents yearly about family relationships, mental health, substance use, cultural values, and decisions about work, education, and relationships. The team has kept about 90% of the original 1,417 participants from China, Colombia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, the Philippines, Sweden, Thailand, and the U.S., which lets them compare experiences across cultures and examine COVID-related effects. Data are collected through interviews and questionnaires, done in person or remotely depending on local arrangements.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are young adults in their early 20s who can describe their childhood and teen experiences and who live in or were originally enrolled in one of the nine participating countries.
Not a fit: People outside early adulthood, those without relevant childhood or adolescent experiences to report, or those living outside the participating countries are unlikely to benefit directly from this specific project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could guide better ways to prevent mental health problems, reduce risky behavior, and support healthier transitions to adulthood across diverse cultures.
How similar studies have performed: Long-term cohort studies have successfully linked childhood experiences to adult health, but this project's unusually wide cross-cultural scope and focus on COVID-era influences are relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Durham, United States
- Duke University — Durham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lansford, Jennifer E — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Lansford, Jennifer E
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.