The Intergenerational Project (TIP)

The SSDP Intergenerational Project is a five year project designed to study the children of the members of the Seattle Social Development Project (SSDP) panel. The purpose of this study is to learn more about the links between generations and the influence of different parenting practices and family relationships on child development.

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, 808 5th grade students and their parents agreed to be in a longitudinal (long-term) study and became the sample for the Seattle Social Development Project (SSDP). The Intergenerational Project evolved from this and includes the children of the original SSDP study, becoming one of the few intergenerational studies being done today. All SSDP participants who live with or have regular contact with at least one biological child were contacted. Those eligible parents who agree to participate, as well as their eldest biological child, can become a part of the study. When present, a second caregiver is also asked to participate.

We started inviting SSDP parents to be in the study in February of 2002 and have approximately 250 families (or 750 people) participating so far! This number will increase each year as the original SSDP participants continue to have children, and new families join the study.