Questions about SSDP in general.
These are frequently asked questions (FAQ) that commonly arise about the SSDP study in general. Our answers follow each question. In addition, websites, names and phone numbers are provided if you have questions not answered by this FAQ. Questions about the current phase of SSDP are answered in the SSDP – Health in Adulthood FAQ
Why was I selected for the study?
Who is responsible for the study?
What results have you found from the study? / Can I get a copy of the results?
What are you doing with my information? / What have you done with the information I've already given?
How many people are participating in the study?
I don't live in the Seattle (Washington State) area anymore. Why am I still involved in the study?
How much longer will this study last?
Why should I participate? / How will this study benefit me?
Is this confidential? / What does it mean that this is confidential?
Why do you keep asking me the same questions every year?
Who is sponsoring the study? / How is the study funded?
What is the Social Development Research Group (SDRG)?
Has the project received any outside ethicial review and approval to protect my rights as a participant in the study?
What if I have questions?
What is the purpose of the study?
The overall purpose of the Seattle Social Development Project is to understand and promote healthy behaviors and positive social development among children, adolescents and young adults. With this information, we can inform and train teachers, parents and other community members to better raise competent, healthy children, and we can help young adults manage their transition to adulthood.
Why was I selected for the study?
During the early 1980’s we worked with elementary schools in the Seattle Public School District in a study on child development. At that time, parents of all fifth graders in eighteen elementary schools were contacted. We asked for your and your parents’ help with this study, and all of the families who volunteered and consented to be involved became a part of the study. Since there are very few long-term studies that have continued for this length of time, you are very special to us.
Who is responsible for the study?
Dr. J. David Hawkins founded the study in the 1980s. Currently, Dr. Karl Hill is the principal investigator of the study. Dr. Jennifer Bailey is the Project Director who is responsible for the Seattle Social Development Project. Dr. Hill can be reached at (206) 685-3859, or toll free at 1-866-820-3163
What results have you found from the study? / Can I get a copy of the results?
As a result of your help, we have learned a lot. For example, we have learned that the way your teachers taught back in elementary school affected how well you did in school, how much you liked school all the way through high school, as well as your life experiences and mental health in adulthood. Also, we have found some answers to some important questions, such as what helps people succeed as parents; what different pathways do people follow into adulthood (and why?); does depression cause alcohol use (or vice versa?); what factors in adulthood help people become and stay healthy adults?; what is the effect of marriage on people’s lives? what are the effects of having kids on mental and physical health in adulthood?
In addition to sharing our results with policymakers and organizations, as discussed below, our results are published regularly in many different scientific journals, including journals by the American Medical Association.
Perhaps the easiest way you can find more about our work and findings is through our web page: http://www.ssdp-tip.org
We assure you that all of your personal information is kept completely confidential. Identifying information, like names and addresses, are removed and stored separately from all of your answers so that no one may identify any single study participant. From the information that you have shared with us, we are learning answers to some very important questions that today are helping families and communities address adolescent problems before they begin. The researchers are committed to sharing this information with the general public, through articles and publications, as discussed above.
As a result of your continued participation in SSDP, a program was developed that helps parents of children just starting elementary school to get their children off to a successful start. Called Preparing for School Success, the program is now offered in 14 elementary schools in the Seattle/King County area.
In collaboration with KING 5 Television, a program was developed that assists parents in helping their children make the transition from childhood to adolescence. That program has been used by over 100,000 families across the country!
In addition to school programs, new programs for parents have been developed from the SSDP study, including Preparing for School Success; Guiding Good Choices; Preparing for the Drug-Free Years; Raising Healthy Children; and Staying Connected with Your Teen.
In addition to publishing our results in scientific journals, we often meet with community groups and policy makers to share our results. These groups have included the Boys and Girls Clubs of America (National Meeting), to help in their ability to mentor children who participate in their clubs; the National Governor’s Association, to share what we have been learning about what helps young people get through the teen years successfully; the Seattle City Council, to share our findings on the importance of schools in youth development; the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction; and the US Senate: Public Health and Safety Subcommittee, to share information about the factors influencing youth development.
Furthermore, results from SSDP have also been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, and other television shows, and in magazine articles including: Parents Magazine, KUOW Public Radio, PBS Frontline, USA Today, Seattle Times, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, King TV, Boston Globe, Washington Post, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal.
How many people are participating in the study?
There are almost 800 people like you who have consistently participated in this study.
I don't live in the Seattle (Washington State) area anymore. Why am I still involved in the study?
Because this is a long-term study of people’s lives through time. Thus, with your permission, we will continue to interview you even if you move away from the area. We are interested in your experiences, where you happen to be living and what you are doing. Even if you move out of the area, we would still like to know how you are doing. Many of our respondents keep in touch with us, even overseas!
How much longer will this study last?
The Seattle Social Development Project currently has funding through 2011. After that, we will be applying for more funding so that we can continue the interview in regular updates. The fact that we will be able to follow the same group of people over such a long period of time is one of the really unique and important features of this project. There are very few studies like this in the world.
Why should I participate? / How will this study benefit me?
Your participation in this study is extremely important to understanding how people develop over the life span in today’s society. Now that you have moved into adulthood, we are interested in how things are going, the experiences you are having and your opinions on a variety of topics. There will be no direct benefit to you from being in this study.
Is this confidential? / What does it mean that this is confidential?
Your information is most definitely confidential. Your interview may be audio-taped to help us make sure that the interview is being conducted in a standard manner, however, all of the information you provide will be kept strictly confidential.
By this, we mean that all of the data are stored without names, addresses or any other personal identification in the computer or audio tape. All the findings are tallied and presented in such a way that no individual response can be traced. Your responses are protected from being released with identifying information to anyone by a federal certificate of confidentiality. Your protection is extremely important to us; therefore, we are very careful to protect your privacy.
Why do you keep asking me the same questions every year?
We ask the same questions year after year so we can look at all of the changes that occur in a person’s life and see how they influence things like depression, alcohol and tobacco use and other behaviors.
Who is sponsoring the study? / How is the study funded?
The study is conducted by the University of Washington, Social Development Research Group. The study is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
What is the Social Development Research Group (SDRG)?
SDRG is a nationally recognized team of researchers whose mission is to understand and promote positive social development among children, adolescents and young adults. We are affiliated with the School of Social Work at the University of Washington in Seattle. Since 1979, co-founders J David Hawkins and Richard F. Catalano have worked with more than 50 researchers and staff. The group is responsible for the publication of more than 200 research articles and books.
Yes. The SSDP study received full approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at the University of Washington Human Subjects Division on February 18th, 2010. The IRB operates in compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and ethical standards necessary for research involving human participants.
Please call us toll free (1-866-820-3163) at SDRG with any questions you may have. Holly Santos (the SSDP Field Director), Dr. Karl Hill (the Principal Investigator), or Dr. Jennifer Bailey (the Project Director) can answer specific questions about the SSDP study.
