International Youth Development Study
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About the International Youth Development Study
What is IYDS?
The International Youth Development Study (IYDS) is...
- A research study aimed at understanding the healthy development of young people.
- A joint project between the Social Development Research Group, located in the School of Social Work at the University of Washington, in Seattle, USA and the Centre for Adolescent Health, part of the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute at the Royal Children's Hospital, University of Melbourne, in Melbourne, Australia.
Project Description
The International Youth Development Study (IYDS) is a long-term study that looks at the development of healthy and problem behaviours among young people in the state of Victoria, Australia and the state of Washington, United States.
IYDS is one of the first studies designed to examine whether or not differences in Australian and American cultures and schools affect youth development.
Between 2002 and 2004 students from across Victoria and Washington took part in a survey every year to provide information about the types of things that affect their lives. The surveys ask about students’ social lives, their feelings, and their experiences at school, as well as their experiences with and beliefs about drugs and alcohol. We also look at the effect of school drug policies on students by asking their opinions about their school’s policies. In addition, we have asked school principals about the types of alcohol and drug use policies at each school and what happens to students who break the rules.
In 2006, the Victorian arm of the study received funding to continue surveying the youngest cohort of students in the study for another 2 years (2006 and 2007). In 2008, the Victorian arm of the project was awarded additional funds to survey the youngest cohort of students in 2008 and 2010 (post high school).
In 2009, the Victorian arm of the study received funding to re-contact participants from the middle and oldest cohorts in Victoria. The age of these participants will be 19 – 22 years and they will be asked to complete a brief questionnaire about their work and study since completing school.
The project has also received additional funding from both the Australian and U.S. governments to further analyse the existing survey data. Funding from the U.S. will support further investigation about what factors influence alcohol use in young people and the consequences of early alcohol use. While funding from the Australian government will support investigation of the factors that influence tobacco and marijuana use and the short and long-term consequences of using these substances.
Aims and Objectives
The International Youth Development Study aims to improve the lives of young people by:
- Understanding how families, schools, communities and peer groups influence young people's behaviour in terms of school performance, mental health and substance use.
- Determining whether or not students in Victoria and Washington State report similar healthy and problem behaviours.
- Investigating the effects of different school substance use policies on student behaviour. This will allow us to help schools develop guidelines that will best support students’ health.
Procedures
To create a detailed picture of youth development in Victoria and Washington State, the IYDS:
- Surveyed over 150 randomly selected public and private schools from Victoria and Washington State in 2002.
- One class per school was invited to take part in the study. Selected classes were from three year levels: Grade 5 (age 10), Year 7 (age 12) and Year 9 (age 14).
Approximately 1000 students at each of the three year levels in both Victoria and Washington took part in the study, giving a total of nearly 6000 students.
Information is collected from three main sources:
- Student Surveys. Students completed a questionnaire at school in 2002, 2003 and 2004, telling us about their lives and experiences. The youngest students in the Victorian arm of our study were also surveyed again in 2006 and 2007 and will be surveyed again in 2008 and 2010. We hope to continue to follow all of the students in our study in the future. Also in 2008, some students will be involved in a more detailed interview which will provide a richer understanding of the school environment.
- School Administrator Surveys. An administrator at each school completed a mail survey in 2002, 2003 and 2004, providing information about their school’s substance use policies and practices.
- Parent Telephone Interviews. Parents completed a brief telephone interview in 2002, providing details on family background and parental awareness of school policies.