Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The 1970 British Cohort Study (BCS70) is a longitudinal birth cohort study, following a nationally representative sample of over 17,000 people born in England, Scotland and Wales in a single week of 1970. Cohort members have been sureveyed throughout their childhood and adult lives, mapping their individual trajectories and creating a unique resource for researchers. It is one of very few longitudinal studies following people of this generation anywhere in the world.Since 1970, cohort members have been surveyed at ages 5, 10, 16, 26, 30, 34, 38, 42 and 46. Featuring a range of objective measures and rich self-reported data, BCS70 covers an incredible amount of ground and can be used in research on many topics Evidence from BCS70 has illuminated important issues for our society across five decades. Key findings include how reading for pleasure matters for children's cognitive development, why grammar schools have not reduced social inequalities, and how childhood experiences can impact on mental health in mid-life. Every day researchers from across the scientific community are using this important study to make new connections and discoveries.BCS70 is run by the Centre for Longitudinal Studies (CLS), a research centre in the UCL Institute of Education, which is part of University College London. The content of BCS70 studies, including questions, topics and variables can be explored via the CLOSER Discovery website.How to access genetic and/or bio-medical sample data from a range of longitudinal surveys:For information on how to access biomedical data from BCS70 that are not held at the UKDS, see the CLS Genetic data and biological samples webpage.Secure Access datasetsSecure Access versions of BCS70 have more restrictive access conditions than versions available under the standard End User Licence (EUL).
1970 British Cohort Study: Age 16, Sweep 4, 1986 The purpose of the 16-year follow-up was to review and evaluate adolescent (mid-teenage) health, care, education, social and family environment throughout Great Britain, as experienced by the BCS70 cohort. At the same time, a parallel survey was also conducted with head teachers of schools likely to be attended by cohort members. The main impetus behind this was to find out more about these schools, especially as many of the cohort members were about to leave full-time education. The head teacher questionnaires were not able to be keyed, documented and deposited at the time of the survey due to lack of resources, but funding finally became available in 2004/5 to complete this task at CLS. The resulting dataset is archived under SN 5225.Latest edition informationFor the ninth edition (September 2022), a derived dataset (bcs70_age16_school_type) has been added, which includes age 16 school type data for the entire BCS cohort. This is derived from STYPE (BCS4), B9SC16TP (BCS9) and the 1986 School Census. A user guide describing this variable in full has also been added. In addition, the derived variable BD4STYPE has been removed from the data file bcs4derived.
Main Topics:
Subjects covered include: cohort members: exercise and sport; hygiene; diet (including 4-day diary); activity diary (4-day); leisure activities; family life; religion; leaving home; money; smoking; alcohol; laterality; television, video and radio; friends and social behaviour; law and order; sexual behaviour; self-esteem; health status; medical history; attitudes to health and emotions; drug use; school; occupational interests; reading, spelling and vocabulary tests; mathematics tests; life-skills test (education, training and employment)parents: health status; family health; chronic illness and disability; medication; accidents and injuries; use of health services; social experience; father's occupation; mother's occupation; parental situation; family finances; household amenities; accommodation type; number of rooms; neighbourhood; alcohol consumption; smoking; performance at school; life skills; behaviourmedical: special requirements; chronic illness and disability; psychological/psychiatric problems; medical examination; blood pressure; distant and near vision tests; motor co-ordination tests; audiometry; height and weight; head circumferenceschool: curriculum; teaching methods; special education; teacher's assessment of behaviour; academic achievement; academic potential; absences from school Standard Measures The data includes the following scales administered to the BCS70 cohort members: Rutter A Scale of Behavioural Deviance and the Malaise Inventory (Rutter, M. et al., 1970); Hyperactivity/Behavioural Scale (Connors, 1964); 12 item General Health Questionnaire (Goldberg, 1978); Lawseq (Self-esteem Scale); Caraloc (Locus of Control Scale); 21 general and specific attitudinal scales; Index of Mental Health (Rosenberg, 1965).
No sampling (total universe)
An attempt was made to trace all the BCS70 cohort members through the cooperation of Local Education Authorities and Family Practitioner Committees (RCs and HBs in Scotland). Some 70% of the 1970 Cohort were traced and completed one or more survey documents.
Face-to-face interview
Self-administered questionnaire
Psychological measurements and tests
Clinical measurements
Diaries
The health visitor and parent were interviewed face-to-face. The child, parent and teacher were given self-completion questionnaires. The child psychological measurements were collected by self-completion. The school doctor conducted the child's medical examination. The child was asked to complete a four-day diet diary.
