Dunedin Study Member with a Teenager

The Next Generation Study data collection has now ended due to the COVID-19 pandemic causing significant delays, in addition to lack of funding. 

If your teenager is between 15 and 17 next year, you may receive a phone call from one of our researchers to talk to you about the Next Generation Study. In this phone call we will also ask your permission to contact your teenager.

If you live with your teenager and would like to come with them to their assessment day, you will be asked to bring them in for an assessment very similar to your own at age 15. We will also do a brief interview with you, asking about your teenager, your relationship with them, their characteristics, skills, and personality, and talk about various events that have occurred over their life. This usually takes around an hour and a half, and then your part of the assessment is complete.

While you're having your interview, the young person will also be answering some questions. They will have a break at about the same time you finish your interview, and you are welcome to join them for morning tea. Then they will carry on with their assessment day, and we ask that you return around 3pm to pick them up. If you would like to stay at the Unit during the rest of the day, there is a space available for you to use.

If someone else is your child’s year-old's primary caregiver (for example your ex-partner, a foster parent, a grandparent, or your spouse or partner), we will ask your permission to contact them and your teenager. If you're happy with this, we will make contact with them and invite them to come to Dunedin for the assessment day described above. We will contact you again to take part in a brief phone interview where we talk about your teenager and your relationship with them. We will arrange this at a time convenient to you.

Meals will be provided, and we will discuss transport and accommodation requirements with you when we initially contact you.

As with the Dunedin Study, any information you give us will be entirely confidential, and we will not share it with anyone else - including your family members.

If you have any questions, or would like to know more about the Next Generation Study, please contact the Manager, Helena McAnally, by email or phone 03 479 5553.