Description

The Parental Supervision—Seattle Social Development Project (PSSSDP) is a longitudinal research project aimed at understanding the influence of parental supervision and social development on various child and adolescent outcomes. The project started in the 1980s and has tracked participants into adulthood, collecting data on family relationships, parenting practices, child behavior, social influences, and later-life outcomes.

The study specifically focuses on the role of parental supervision, which includes monitoring, discipline, and communication between parents and their children, in shaping social behaviors, mental health, academic achievement, and the prevention of problem behaviors such as delinquency, substance use, and violence.

Analysis and Use of Data

The PSSSDP data includes comprehensive information on:

Parental monitoring: How closely parents supervise their children’s activities, friends, and whereabouts.

Parental discipline: Methods of discipline used by parents, including consistency, fairness, and harshness.

Family relationships: Quality of relationships between parents and children, including emotional support, warmth, and conflict.

Social influences: The impact of peers, schools, and neighborhood environments on children’s development.

Child/adolescent behavior: Data on participants’ academic performance, social skills, and engagement in problem behaviors like substance use, aggression, and criminal activities.

Researchers can use this data to:

Study longitudinal effects: Analyze how early parental supervision and social development practices influence later-life outcomes such as employment, mental health, and relationships.

Identify risk factors: Identify specific parental behaviors or family dynamics that are associated with a higher risk of negative outcomes like delinquency or substance abuse.

Develop interventions: Design parenting programs and interventions based on the findings to improve parental supervision techniques and reduce the likelihood of problem behaviors in children.

Objective

The primary objective of analyzing the PSSSDP data is to understand how parental supervision and other aspects of social development contribute to both positive and negative outcomes in children as they grow into adulthood. The ultimate goal is to inform policies and interventions that can improve child development, prevent problem behaviors, and enhance social well-being.

Calibration

To ensure accurate and reliable analysis, the data should be calibrated using appropriate statistical methods:

Missing data imputation: Handling any missing data in the longitudinal dataset to ensure completeness.

Control for confounding variables: Adjusting for variables such as socioeconomic status, education, and neighborhood conditions that could influence outcomes.

Model validation: Using techniques like cross-validation or bootstrap methods to confirm the reliability of the models being used for predictions.

Bibliography

For further reading and detailed studies conducted using the PSSSDP dataset, refer to:

Hawkins, J.D., Catalano, R.F., Kosterman, R., Abbott, R., & Hill, K.G. (1999). Preventing Adolescent Health-Risk Behaviors by Strengthening Protection During Childhood. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 153(3), 226-234.

Kosterman, R., Hawkins, J.D., Haggerty, K.P., Spoth, R., & Redmond, C. (2001). Preparing for the Drug-Free Years: Early findings from a parent training prevention program in rural America. Journal of Primary Prevention, 22(1), 75-96.

Hill, K.G., Hawkins, J.D., & Catalano, R.F. (2005). Long-Term Effects of Social Development Intervention in Childhood. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 159(12), 1106-1113.