| Research Design: |
Project on Human Development in Chicago
Neighborhoods
The city of Chicago was selected as the
research site for the PHDCN because of its extensive racial, ethnic,
and social-class diversity. The project collapsed 847 census tracts in
the city of Chicago into 343 neighborhood clusters (NCs) based upon
seven groupings of racial/ethnic composition and three levels of
socioeconomic status. The NCs were designed to be ecologically
meaningful. They were composed of geographically contiguous census
tracts and geographic boundaries, and knowledge of Chicago's
neighborhoods were considered in the definition of the NCs. Each NC
was comprised of approximately 8,000 people. Longitudinal
Cohort Study
For the Longitudinal Cohort Study, a
stratified probability sample of 80 neighborhoods was selected. The 80
NCs were sampled from the 21 strata (seven racial/ethnic groups by
three socioeconomic levels) with the goal of representing the 21 cells
as equally as possible to eliminate the confounding between
racial/ethnic mix and socioeconomic status. Once the 80 NCs were
chosen, then block groups were selected at random within each of the
sample neighborhoods. A complete listing of dwelling units was
collected for all sampled block groups. Pregnant women, children, and
young adults in seven age cohorts (birth, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18
years) were identified through in-person screening of approximately
40,000 dwelling units within the 80 NCs. The screening response rate
was 80 percent. Children within six months of the birthday that
qualified them for the sample were selected for inclusion in the
Longitudinal Cohort Study. A total of 8,347 participants were
identified through the screening. Of the eligible study participants,
6,228 were interviewed. For all cohorts except 0 and 18,
primary caregivers as well as the child were interviewed. The primary
caregiver was the person found to spend the most time taking care of
the child. Separate research assistants administered the primary
caregiver interviews and the child interviews. The primary method of
data collection was face-to-face interviewing, although participants
who refused to complete the personal interview were administered a
phone interview. Interviews were conducted in Spanish, English, and
Polish. In Wave 1 the complete protocol was translated into Spanish
and Polish. An interpreter was hired for participants who spoke a
language other than English, Spanish, or Polish. Depending on the age
and wave of data collection, participants were paid between $5 and $20
per interview. Other incentives, such as free passes to museums, the
aquarium, and monthly drawing prizes were also included.
Interview protocols included a wide range of questions. For
example, some questions assessed impulse control and sensation-seeking
traits, cognitive and language development, leisure activities,
delinquency and substance abuse, friends' activities, and
self-perception, attitudes, and values. Caregivers were also
interviewed about family structure, parent characteristics,
parent-child relationships, parent discipline styles, family mental
health, and family history of criminal behavior and drug use.
Deviance of Peers
The full version of Deviance of
Peers was a 36-item self-report interview that obtained information
about peer involvement in conventional and delinquent activities and
was administered to participants in Cohorts 9 to 18. Information about
peer pressure to use drugs and/or alcohol was also collected. |
