Midlife in the United States (MIDUS 1), 1995-1996 (ICPSR 2760)

Version Date: Feb 4, 2019

Principal Investigator(s):
Orville Gilbert Brim, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Research Network on Successful Midlife Development; Paul B. Baltes, Max-Planck-Institut für Bildungsforschung.; Larry L. Bumpass, University of Wisconsin; Paul D. Cleary, Harvard Medical School; David L. Featherman, University of Michigan; William R. Hazzard, Wake Forest University; Ronald C. Kessler, Harvard Medical School; Margie E. Lachman, Brandeis University; Hazel Rose Markus, Stanford University; Michael G. Marmot, University College, London. Medical School; Alice S. Rossi, University of Massachusetts at Amherst; Carol D. Ryff, University of Wisconsin; Richard A. Shweder, University of Chicago

Series:

https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR02760.v14

Version V14 ()

  • V19 [2020-09-28]
  • V18 [2019-09-09] unpublished
  • V17 [2019-08-05] unpublished
  • V16 [2019-04-18] unpublished
  • V15 [2019-03-25] unpublished
  • V14 [2019-02-04] unpublished
  • V13 [2018-12-20] unpublished
  • V12 [2017-11-16] unpublished

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Additional information about this collection can be found in Version History.

2019-02-04 The Main, Siblings, and Twin dataset (Dataset 1) and related documentation were updated with resupplied files from the P.I to reflect changes made to age variables. These data are being zipped to facilitate early access to users for research purposes.

2018-12-20 Updated versions of the Main, Siblings, and Twin dataset (Dataset 1) and Twin Screener Data (Dataset 4) were provided by the P.I. An additional dataset, Coded Text Data (Dataset 5) was also added. These data are being zipped to facilitate early access to users for research purposes.

2018-02-15 The citation of this study may have changed due to the new version control system that has been implemented. The previous citation was:

  • Brim, Orville Gilbert, Paul B. Baltes, Larry L. Bumpass, Paul D. Cleary, David L. Featherman, William R. Hazzard, Ronald C. Kessler, Margie E. Lachman, Hazel Rose Markus, Michael G. Marmot, Alice S. Rossi, Carol D. Ryff, and Richard A. Shweder. Midlife in the United States (MIDUS 1), 1995-1996. ICPSR02760-v14. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2019-02-04. http://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR02760.v14

2017-11-16 This collection is being updated, per request from the PI, to reflect a title change; the corresponding downloadable files are only being updated to reflect the title change, where applicable.

2016-04-11 The Technical Report and the Technical Report on Methodology have been updated to correspond with the appropriate datasets.

2016-03-23 The Documentation of Scales and Constructed Variables in MIDUS 1 has been updated to accurately reflect the appropriate wave of the MIDUS study. The version number for this collection has also been updated to correspond with the number of updates to this collection.

2011-10-25 The document titled DDI codebook has been renamed Codebook.

2011-02-18 The study documentation has been updated. The Main, Siblings, and Twin dataset (Dataset 0001) has been updated to include updated and new variables that reflect the MIDUS II data (ICPSR 4652). Additionally, the Twin Screener data (Dataset 0004) has been updated to include missing value assignments. Lastly, a .xml file and corresponding .pdf codebook have been added to the collection.

2010-01-06 Additional documentation, MIDUS Sample Descriptions, has been added.

2009-10-09 Minor editing changes were made to the metadata record.

2009-04-16 Twin Screener Data has been added to this collection as Part 4.

2007-04-16 The three separate subsample datasets (Main, Sibling, Twin) have been joined into one master dataset. The three primary subsamples are identified by a variable called SAMPLMAJ. A new ID system (the variable is called M2ID) has been added to the data which allow the aggregation of the three subsamples. This system also allows longitudinal merging between datasets. A variety of deductive disclosure problems have been fixed. There were also erroneous and empty variables in the datasets, all of which have been fixed. Documentation has been updated to reflect these changes. All MIDUS-related data files are linkable via a variable called M2ID.

2006-03-30 File QU2760.ALL.PDF was removed from any previous datasets and flagged as a study-level file, so that it will accompany all downloads.

2003-06-09 The SAS transport files for Parts 2-6, have been replaced because the original versions contained an illegal file name embedded within them, which prevented the files from being properly read by the SAS system.

2000-02-01 The SAS transport file for Part 1, Main Data, has been replaced because the original version contained an incorrect number of cases.

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Alternate Title

MIDUS 1

Summary

These data are being distributed as they were received from the data depositor to facilitate early access to the study for research purposes. This collection has not been fully processed by NACDA or ICPSR at this time. The files have been zipped by ICPSR for release (listed as "Other" download option), but not checked or processed except for the removal of direct identifiers. As the study is processed and given enhanced features by ICPSR, users will be able to access the updated versions of the study. Please report any data errors or problems to user support and we will work with you to resolve any data-related issues.

The Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) is a collaborative, interdisciplinary investigation of patterns, predictors, and consequences of midlife development in the areas of physical health, psychological well-being, and social responsibility. A description of the study and findings from it are available at http://www.midus.wisc.edu. The MIDUS 1 data collection is comprised of four parts.

Part 1, Main, Sibling and Twin Data, contains responses from the main survey of 7,108 respondents. Respondents were asked to provide extensive information on their physical and mental health throughout their adult lives, and to assess the ways in which their lifestyles, including relationships and work-related demands, contributed to the conditions experienced. Those queried were asked to describe their histories of physical ailments, including heart-related conditions and cancer, as well as the treatment and/or lifestyle changes they went through as a result. A series of questions addressed alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drug use, and focused on history of use, regularity of use, attempts to quit, and how the use of those substances affected respondents' physical and mental well-being. Additional questions addressed respondents' sense of control over their health, their awareness of changes in their medical conditions, commitment to regular exercise and a healthy diet, experience with menopause, the decision-making process used to deal with health concerns, experiences with nontraditional remedies or therapies, and history of attending support groups. Respondents were asked to compare their overall well-being with that of their peers and to describe social, physical, and emotional characteristics typical of adults in their 20s, 40s, and 60s. Information on the work histories of respondents and their significant others was also elicited, with items covering the nature of their occupations, work-related physical and emotional demands, and how their personal health had correlated to their jobs. An additional series of questions focusing on childhood queried respondents regarding the presence/absence of their parents, religion, rules/punishments, love/affection, physical/verbal abuse, and the quality of their relationships with their parents and siblings. Respondents were also asked to consider their personal feelings of accomplishment, desire to learn, sense of control over their lives, interests, and hopes for the future.

Part 2, Main Sample: Weights for Respondents Completing Both the Telephone Survey and Mail Questionnaire, contains respondent weights for those who completed both the initial telephone survey and the mail questionnaire. There are 3,032 respondents in this dataset. Part 3, Main Sample: Weights for Respondents Completing at least the Telephone Survey, contains respondent weights for those who completed at least the telephone survey. There are 3,485 respondents in this dataset. Part 4, Twin Screener Data, provides the first national sample of twin pairs ascertained randomly via the telephone.

Additionally included as part of this collection is a fifth dataset, Coded Text Responses, which describes how open-ended textual responses in the MIDUS 1 Computer-Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI) and Self-Administered Questionnaire (SAQ) were transformed into categorical numeric codes. These codes are included in a stand-alone dataset containing only those cases (N=3,950) that contained text data in their responses.

MIDUS also maintains a Colectica portal, which allows users to interact with variables across waves and create customized subsets. Registration is required.

Citation

Brim, Orville Gilbert, Baltes, Paul B., Bumpass, Larry L., Cleary, Paul D., Featherman, David L., Hazzard, William R., … Shweder, Richard A. Midlife in the United States (MIDUS 1), 1995-1996. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2019-02-04. https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR02760.v14

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Funding

John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Research Network on Successful Midlife Development

Subject Terms

Geographic Coverage

Smallest Geographic Unit

None

Distributor(s)

Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research
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Time Period(s)

1995-01 -- 1996-01

Date of Collection

1995-01 -- 1996-01

Data Collection Notes

  1. These data are being distributed as they were received from the data depositor to facilitate early access to the study for research purposes. This collection has not been fully processed by NACDA or ICPSR at this time. The files have been zipped by ICPSR for release (listed as "Other" download option), but not checked or processed except for the removal of direct identifiers. As the study is processed and given enhanced features by ICPSR, users will be able to access the updated versions of the study. Please report any data errors or problems to user support and we will work with you to resolve any data-related issues.

  2. MIDUS is the main research activity of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Successful Midlife Development (MIDMAC). Additional information on MIDMAC research projects is provided on the MacArthur Foundation Web site. Additional information about the Midlife Development in the United States study can be found at the MIDUS Web site.
  3. All data files in the MIDUS study (both longitudinal and cross-sectional) can be linked using a key variable called M2ID.

  4. The DDI codebook (PDF file) and the XML file (contained in a .zip package) released by ICPSR were provided by MIDUS and were not changed in any way by ICPSR. These original files do not reflect any of the processing done by ICPSR.

  5. The title of this study was changed from National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS), 1995-1996, to Midlife in the United States (MIDUS 1), 1995-1996, on May 9, 2017.

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Sample

Respondents were drawn from a nationally representative random-digit-dial sample of non-institutionalized, English-speaking adults, aged 25-74, selected from working telephone banks in the coterminous United States. Those queried participated in an initial telephone interview and responded to a mail questionnaire. Please see the Descriptions of MIDUS Samples documentation provided by ICPSR for more detailed information.

Time Method

Longitudinal

Universe

Respondents were drawn from a nationally representative random-digit-dial sample of non-institutionalized, English-speaking adults, aged 25-74, selected from working telephone banks in the coterminous United States. Those queried participated in an initial telephone interview and responded to a mail questionnaire.

Unit(s) of Observation

Individual

Data Type(s)

Mode of Data Collection

Response Rates

The response rate for the national Random-Digit Dialing (RDD) sample was 70 percent. The Self-Administered Questionnaire (SAQ) follow-up response rate was 89 percent.

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Original Release Date

1999-12-29

Version History

2019-02-04 The Main, Siblings, and Twin dataset (Dataset 1) and related documentation were updated with resupplied files from the P.I to reflect changes made to age variables. These data are being zipped to facilitate early access to users for research purposes.

2018-12-20 Updated versions of the Main, Siblings, and Twin dataset (Dataset 1) and Twin Screener Data (Dataset 4) were provided by the P.I. An additional dataset, Coded Text Data (Dataset 5) was also added. These data are being zipped to facilitate early access to users for research purposes.

2018-02-15 The citation of this study may have changed due to the new version control system that has been implemented. The previous citation was:
  • Brim, Orville Gilbert, Paul B. Baltes, Larry L. Bumpass, Paul D. Cleary, David L. Featherman, William R. Hazzard, Ronald C. Kessler, Margie E. Lachman, Hazel Rose Markus, Michael G. Marmot, Alice S. Rossi, Carol D. Ryff, and Richard A. Shweder. Midlife in the United States (MIDUS 1), 1995-1996. ICPSR02760-v14. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2019-02-04. http://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR02760.v14

2017-11-16 This collection is being updated, per request from the PI, to reflect a title change; the corresponding downloadable files are only being updated to reflect the title change, where applicable.

2016-04-11 The Technical Report and the Technical Report on Methodology have been updated to correspond with the appropriate datasets.

2016-03-23 The Documentation of Scales and Constructed Variables in MIDUS 1 has been updated to accurately reflect the appropriate wave of the MIDUS study. The version number for this collection has also been updated to correspond with the number of updates to this collection.

2011-10-25 The document titled DDI codebook has been renamed Codebook.

2011-02-18 The study documentation has been updated. The Main, Siblings, and Twin dataset (Dataset 0001) has been updated to include updated and new variables that reflect the MIDUS II data (ICPSR 4652). Additionally, the Twin Screener data (Dataset 0004) has been updated to include missing value assignments. Lastly, a .xml file and corresponding .pdf codebook have been added to the collection.

2010-01-06 Additional documentation, MIDUS Sample Descriptions, has been added.

2009-10-09 Minor editing changes were made to the metadata record.

2009-04-16 Twin Screener Data has been added to this collection as Part 4.

2007-04-16 The three separate subsample datasets (Main, Sibling, Twin) have been joined into one master dataset. The three primary subsamples are identified by a variable called SAMPLMAJ. A new ID system (the variable is called M2ID) has been added to the data which allow the aggregation of the three subsamples. This system also allows longitudinal merging between datasets. A variety of deductive disclosure problems have been fixed. There were also erroneous and empty variables in the datasets, all of which have been fixed. Documentation has been updated to reflect these changes. All MIDUS-related data files are linkable via a variable called M2ID.

2006-03-30 File QU2760.ALL.PDF was removed from any previous datasets and flagged as a study-level file, so that it will accompany all downloads.

2003-06-09 The SAS transport files for Parts 2-6, have been replaced because the original versions contained an illegal file name embedded within them, which prevented the files from being properly read by the SAS system.

2000-02-01 The SAS transport file for Part 1, Main Data, has been replaced because the original version contained an incorrect number of cases.

Hide

Weight

A series of sampling and post-stratification weights were created for the national Random-Digit Dialing (RDD) sample. For additional information, please refer to the weighting documentation provided for the data collection.

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