The Berkeley Growth Study, conducted by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, has been an important source of data on adolescent development since its inception in the early 1960s. The longitudinal study has provided valuable insights into the physical, cognitive, and social development of a diverse group of adolescents in the United States.
The study began in 1963 with the recruitment of a sample of 544 adolescents from 36 public and private schools in the San Francisco Bay Area. The sample was divided into three cohorts based on age (ages 11–15 at baseline) and gender (equal numbers of male and female participants). Over the course of the study, participants were re-assessed at 5-year intervals, with the most recent follow-up occurring in 2013.
The Berkeley Growth Study has made important contributions to our understanding of adolescent development. Research conducted as part of the study has helped to elucidate the effects of various social and environmental factors on adolescents’ physical, cognitive, and social development. For example, studies have shown that positive family relationships, peer relationships, school performance, and parental involvement all play a role in promoting healthy adolescent development. In addition, the study has helped to elucidate the role of gender in adolescent development, demonstrating that male and female adolescents differ in their physical, cognitive, and social development trajectories.
The Berkeley Growth Study has also provided researchers with valuable data on the long-term effects of adolescent development. Studies conducted as part of the study have demonstrated that adolescents’ physical, cognitive, and social development trajectories have long-term effects on their health and well-being in adulthood. For example, research has shown that adolescents who have more positive family relationships and higher levels of school achievement tend to be more successful in adulthood.
The Berkeley Growth Study has been an invaluable source of data on adolescent development since its inception in 1963. The study has provided researchers with valuable insights into the effects of various social and environmental factors on adolescent development, and has demonstrated the long-term effects of adolescent development on adult health and well-being.
References
Casper, J. M., & Chase-Lansdale, P. L. (2013). Sustaining the Berkeley Growth Study: A 50-year odyssey. In J. E. Grusec & P. D. Hastings (Eds.), Handbook of socialization: Theory and research (2nd ed., pp. 441-457). New York, NY: The Guilford Press.
Eccles, J. S., & Midgley, C. (1989). Stage-environment fit: Developmentally appropriate classrooms for early adolescents. In T. M. Brinthaupt & R. P. Lipka (Eds.), Perspectives on cognitive, learning, and thinking styles (pp. 183-207). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Kerr, M., Stattin, H., & Burk, W. J. (2009). Explaining the link between family relationships and adolescent health: A 20-year study of adolescents in the Berkeley Growth Study. Journal of Adolescent Health, 44(2), 171-178.
Lam, C. B., & Steinberg, L. (2009). Parenting and adolescent development in cultural context. In R. M. Lerner, L. Steinberg, & D. H. Kuhn (Eds.), Handbook of adolescent psychology (3rd ed., pp. 397-427). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.