Oregon Youth Study Three Generational Study, Time 9, 2010-2022 (ICPSR 39048)

A key feature of the OYS-3GS study is that each wave continued over many years (e.g. children were born to the OYS men over a prolonged period and reached age 7 years in over a similarly prolonged period). Early waves had a somewhat tumultuous beginning, resulting in varied patterns of participation and instrument implementation. Some instruments were used initially and then eventually dropped, while other instruments were added after some families had already participated. The waves also had complex, multi-visit assessment schedules that some families had difficulty fulfilling. These complexities resulted in a wide range for the number of participants completing various instruments.

The OYS-3GS included up to two children from each of the G2 men's female partners who were mothers of his biological children. Originally, G3 stepchildren were included; however, recruitment of new stepchildren ended early on to reduce costs.

As the OYS Couples study was ongoing during early 3GS, there were potentially multiple occasions where an adult in the linked studies might be asked the same questions about their own behavior (e.g., their substance use). To reduce participant burden, where possible the data from mothers participating in Couples was matched into the 3GS dataset. Mothers not participating in Couples were assessed through 3GS. Additionally, within 3GS when a parent completed a self-report instrument at one visit and within six months came in for another visit with a sibling of the first child assessed, the parent data from the first assessment was matched with the sibling's data at the later occasion.

When the OYS and Couples studies were completed, additional instruments were added to 3GS assessments to gather data formerly collected via the other grants (substance use, living situations, etc.). These included the father's interview and mother's responses to the father's interview (DINT and DMINT), among others. This explains some of the low Ns. Over time some of the assessments were shortened for budgetary reasons by dropping tasks/instruments, which also explains some of the lower Ns.

In the very early days there was briefly a Wave 3 assessment, which was soon discontinued. To ease confusion in publications, a 'Time' designation for assessments was adopted. In Waves 1 and 2, Wave and Time are equal, but then they diverge, with Time 3 = Wave 4, Time 4 = Wave 5, etc. Therefore, Wave/Time is used in this document so it will conform with later waves when they are archived.