2026-04-30T09:11:16Z
https://datacatalogue.cessda.eu/oai-pmh/v0/oai
08822e6e0737edec94f313718392168115a72c29edc16623e5e35635766066df
2025-10-01T03:52:32Z
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DDI2.5 XML CODEBOOK RECORD FOR STUDY NUMBER 3535
1970 British Cohort Study: Age 16, Sweep 4, 1986
353510.5255/UKDA-SN-3535-6
Bynner, J., City University, Social Statistics Research Unit
Butler, N., National Birthday Trust Fund
University of London, Institute of Education, Centre for Longitudinal Studies
Copyright Centre for Longitudinal Studies, UCL Social Research Institute
KelloggsLankelly FoundationChannel 4Daily Star (Newspaper)New Moorgate TrustWestlandHome OfficeBeechamsCancer Research CampaignHayward FoundationHTVSir J. Knott SettlementLaura Ashley TrustAllied LyonsWT Grant Foundation
UK Data Service
14 June 1996
ABILITY EVALUATIONABILITY GROUPINGABORTIONACCIDENTSACUPUNCTUREADOLESCENTSADVANCED LEVEL EXAMINATIONSADVICEAGEAIDS (DISEASE)ALCOHOL USEALCOHOLIC DRINKSALLERGIESANXIETYAPARTMENTSARMS RACEARTIFICIAL SWEETENERSASTHMAATTITUDESAUDIO EQUIPMENTBACTERIAL AND VIRUS DISEASESBATHROOMSBED SHARINGBEVERAGESBLACK PEOPLEANTHROPOMETRIC DATABOOK READERSHIPBRONCHITISBURGLARYCAMERASCANCERCARDIOVASCULAR DISEASESCAREER DEVELOPMENTCEREAL PRODUCTSCEREALSCERTIFICATE OF SECONDARY EDUCATIONCHILD-MINDINGCHILDRENCHILDREN IN CARECLINICAL TESTS AND MEASUREMENTSCLOTHINGCLUBSCOMMUNITY BEHAVIOURCOMMUNITY WORKCOMPUTERSCONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENTCONFECTIONERYCONTACT LENSESCONTRACEPTIVE DEVICESCORPORAL PUNISHMENTCOUGHINGCOURTSCRIME AND SECURITYCRIME VICTIMSCRIMINALSCYCLINGDAIRY PRODUCTSDEATH PENALTYDECISION MAKINGDENTAL EXAMINATIONSDENTAL TREATMENTDEPRESSIONFOOD AND NUTRITIONDIGESTIVE SYSTEM DISORDERSDISABILITIESDISABLED CHILDRENDISCRIMINATIONDISEASESDOMESTIC APPLIANCESDOMESTIC RESPONSIBILITIESDRINKING OFFENCESDRIVINGDRUG ABUSEDRUG TRAFFICKINGDRUG USEEATING DISORDERSECONOMIC ACTIVITYEDIBLE FATSEDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATORSEDUCATIONAL ATTENDANCEEDUCATIONAL BACKGROUNDEDUCATIONAL EXPECTATIONSEDUCATIONAL GROUPINGEDUCATIONAL TESTSEGGS (FOOD)EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCESEMOTIONAL STATESEMPLOYMENTEMPLOYMENT HISTORYENDOCRINE DISORDERSENROLMENTENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATIONEPILEPSYEQUALITY BETWEEN THE SEXESETHNIC GROUPSEXAMINATIONSEXERCISE (PHYSICAL ACTIVITY)EXPECTATIONEXPENDITUREEXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIESEYESIGHT TESTSFAMILIESFAMILY INFLUENCEFAMILY LIFEFAMILY MEMBERSFAMINEFATHERSFATHER'S ECONOMIC ACTIVITYFIELDS OF STUDYFINANCIAL RESOURCESFINANCIAL SUPPORTFIRST AIDFISH (AS FOOD)FOODFRIENDSFRIENDSHIPFULL-TIME EMPLOYMENTFURTHER EDUCATIONGAMBLINGGENDERGROUPSHAEMATOLOGIC DISEASESLATERALITYHANDWRITING SKILLSHEALTHHEALTH PROMOTIONHEALTH SERVICESHEALTH CONSULTATIONSHEARINGHEARING AIDSHEATING EQUIPMENTHEATING SYSTEMSHEIGHT (PHYSIOLOGY)HOLIDAYSHOME OWNERSHIPHOME SHARINGHOMEOPATHYHOMEWORKHOMOSEXUALITYHOSPITALIZED CHILDRENHOUSEHOLD BUDGETSHOUSEHOLD HEAD'S OCCUPATIONAL STATUSHOUSEHOLD PETSHOUSEHOLDSHOUSINGHOUSING AGEHOUSING CONDITIONSHOUSING TENUREHUMAN BEHAVIOURHUMAN SETTLEMENTHYPNOTHERAPYIDENTITYIMMUNIZATIONINCOMEINJURIESINTELLIGENCE TESTSINTERPERSONAL ATTRACTIONINTERPERSONAL CONFLICTJOB HUNTINGJOB SECURITYJUVENILE DELINQUENCYKITCHENSKNOWLEDGE (AWARENESS)LANGUAGESLAVATORIESLAW ENFORCEMENTLEARNING DISABILITIESLEAVING HOME (YOUTH)LEISURE TIME ACTIVITIESLESSONSLIFE STYLESRADIO LISTENINGMARRIAGEMATHEMATICSMEALSMEATMEDICAL CAREMEDICAL EXAMINATIONSMEDICAL PRESCRIPTIONSMEMBERSHIPMENSTRUATIONMENTAL DISORDERSMILKMIXED MARRIAGESMOBILE HOMESMONARCHYMOTHERSMOTOR PROCESSESMOTOR VEHICLESMULTIPLE BIRTHSMUSCULOSKELETAL DISEASESMUSICNEIGHBOURHOODSNEWSPAPER READERSHIPNEWSPAPERSNUCLEAR WARFARENUTRITIONAL AND METABOLIC DISEASESOCCUPATIONAL CHOICEOCCUPATIONAL TRAININGOFFENCESOFFENSIVE TELEPHONE CALLSORDINARY LEVEL EXAMINATIONSORGANIZATIONSHOSPITAL OUTPATIENT SERVICESPACKETED FOODSPARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIPPARENT-SCHOOL RELATIONSHIPPARENTAL DEPRIVATIONPARENTAL ENCOURAGEMENTPARENTSPART-TIME EMPLOYMENTPATIENTSPEER-GROUP RELATIONSHIPSPERIODICALSPERIODICALS READERSHIPPERSONAL FASHION GOODSPERSONAL HYGIENEPHYSICAL ACTIVITIESPHYSICAL EDUCATIONPHYSICIANSPHYSIOTHERAPYPLACE OF BIRTHPOCKET MONEYPOLICE SERVICESPOLICE-STUDENT RELATIONSHIPPORNOGRAPHYPREDESTINATIONPREGNANCYPREMARITAL SEXPRIVATE GARDENSPRIVATE SECTORPROBATIONPROBLEM SOLVINGPROMOTION (JOB)PSYCHOTHERAPYPUBLIC HOUSESQUALIFICATIONSRACISMRADIO PROGRAMMESRADIO RECEIVERSREADING SKILLSREADING TESTSRECREATIONAL FACILITIESRELIGIONRELIGIOUS AFFILIATIONRELIGIOUS ATTENDANCERELIGIOUS INSTRUCTIONRENTED ACCOMMODATIONRESIDENTIAL MOBILITYRESPIRATORY TRACT DISEASESROBBERYROOM SHARINGROOMSRUNNINGSALTSATISFACTIONSAVINGSSCHOOL BUILDINGSSCHOOL CLASSESSCHOOL DISCIPLINESCHOOL MEALSSCHOOL PUNISHMENTSSCHOOL-LEAVING GUIDANCESCHOOL-STUDENT RELATIONSHIPSCHOOLCHILDRENSCHOOLSSECONDARY EDUCATIONSECONDARY SCHOOLSSEIZURESSELF-ESTEEMSEXUAL AWARENESSSEXUAL BEHAVIOURSEXUAL OFFENCESSHOPLIFTINGSIBLINGSSIGHTSKIN DISEASESSLEEP DISORDERSSMOKINGSOCIAL ATTITUDESSOCIAL BEHAVIOURSOCIAL ENVIRONMENTSOCIAL HOUSINGSOCIAL SERVICESSOCIAL SUPPORTSOFT DRINKSSOLVENT ABUSESPECIAL EDUCATIONSPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATIONSPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTSSPECTACLESVERBAL SKILLSSPEECH IMPAIRMENTSSPEECH THERAPYSPELLING SKILLSSPIRITUAL HEALINGSPORTSPORT SPECTATORSHIPSTEPCHILDRENSTRIKESSTUDENTSSUGARSURGERYSWIMMINGSYMPTOMSTAKE-AWAY MEALSTATTOOINGSCHOOLTEACHERSTEACHING METHODSTEETHTELEPHONESTELEVISION PROGRAMMESTELEVISION RECEIVERSTELEVISION VIEWINGTERRORISMTESTSTEXTILE MACHINERYTHEFTTHERMAL INSULATIONTIMETOBACCOTRADE UNIONSTRANSITION FROM SCHOOL TO WORKTRUANCYTRUSTUNEMPLOYMENTUROGENITAL DISORDERSVEGETARIANISMVEHICLE RESTRAINT SYSTEMSVIDEO RECORDERSVIDEO RECORDINGSASSAULTVISION IMPAIRMENTSVOCATIONAL EDUCATIONVOCATIONAL EDUCATION CERTIFICATESCAREERS GUIDANCEVOLUNTARY WORKWAGESWALKINGWATCHINGWEIGHT (PHYSIOLOGY)WEIGHT LIFTINGWOMEN'S RIGHTSWORK ATTITUDEHOURS OF WORKYOUTHYOUTH ACTIVITIESYOUTH CLUBSYOUTH ORGANIZATIONSOSTEOPATHYCHIROPRACTIC
General health and well-beingYouthLeisure, tourism and sportCompulsory and pre-school educationReligion and valuesSocial and occupational mobilityFamily life and marriageHealthSocial behaviour and attitudesLabour and employment
<P>Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.</P><p>The <span style="font-style:italic">1970 British Cohort Study</span> (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 surveyed 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.<br><br>Since 1970, cohort members have been surveyed at ages 5, 10, 16, 26, 30, 34, 38, 42, 46, and 51. 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.<br><br>BCS70 is run by the <a href="https://cls.ucl.ac.uk/cls-studies/1970-british-cohort-study/" target="_blank">Centre for Longitudinal Studies</a> (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 <a href="https://discovery.closer.ac.uk/item/uk.cls.bcs70/75fe4705-0c94-4f75-b1e6-ad9c61ffde26">CLOSER Discovery</a> website.<br><br><em>How to access genetic and/or bio-medical sample data from a range of longitudinal surveys:</em><br>For information on how to access biomedical data from BCS70 that are not held at the UKDS, see the <a href="https://cls.ucl.ac.uk/data-access-training/genetic-data-and-biological-samples/" target="_blank">CLS Genetic data and biological samples</a> webpage.<br><br><span style="font-style:italic">Secure Access datasets<br></span>Secure Access versions of BCS70 have more restrictive access conditions than versions available under the standard End User Licence (EUL). <br></p><p><span style="font-style: italic;">1970 British Cohort Study: Age 16, Sweep 4, 1986</span><br> 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.<br><br><span style="font-style: italic;">Latest edition information</span><br>For 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. <br></p><B>Main Topics</B>:<BR>Subjects covered include: <ul> <li>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)</li><li>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; behaviour</li><li>medical: 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 circumference</li><li>school: curriculum; teaching methods; special education; teacher's assessment of behaviour; academic achievement; academic potential; absences from school</li></ul> <i>Standard Measures</i><br> 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).
1986 - 198701 January 198601 January 1987
Great Britain
NationalIndividuals
BCS70 cohort members and their immediate family (parents and siblings); schools attended by BCS70 cohort members.
Numeric
Longitudinal/panel/cohort
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 interviewSelf-administered questionnairePsychological measurements and testsClinical measurementsDiariesThe 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.
<p>The Data Collection is available to UK Data Service registered users subject to the <a href="https://ukdataservice.ac.uk/app/uploads/cd137-enduserlicence.pdf" target="_blank">End User Licence Agreement</a>.</p><p>Commercial use of the data requires approval from the data owner or their nominee. The UK Data Service will contact you.</p><p>Personal/genealogical use of these data is not permitted.</p><p>Additional conditions of use apply:</p><p>I agree not to use nor attempt to use the Data Collections to identify the individuals from which the study sample was selected, nor to claim to have done so; and</p><p>I agree not to link between the research identifiers supplied by the UK Data Service [BCSID] and any other identifiers previously issued.</p>
See <restrctn>
https://cls.ucl.ac.uk/cls-studies/1970-british-cohort-study/
https://bcs70.info/home/about/
https://cls.ucl.ac.uk/publications-and-resources/
https://www.bibliography.cls.ucl.ac.uk/
https://discovery.closer.ac.uk/?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=www.ukdataservice.ac.uk&utm_campaign=UK%20Data%20Service:%20BCS70%20resources
https://beta.ukdataservice.ac.uk/datacatalogue/studies/study?id=4126
https://beta.ukdataservice.ac.uk/datacatalogue/studies/study?id=853526
https://beta.ukdataservice.ac.uk/datacatalogue/studies/study?id=7023
https://beta.ukdataservice.ac.uk/datacatalogue/studies/study?id=8053
https://beta.ukdataservice.ac.uk/datacatalogue/studies/study?id=8127
https://beta.ukdataservice.ac.uk/datacatalogue/studies/study?id=854277
https://ukdataservice.ac.uk/case-study/do-smarter-children-avoid-drug-use-later-in-life/
https://beta.ukdataservice.ac.uk/datacatalogue/studies/study?id=855087
https://discovery.closer.ac.uk/item/uk.cls.bcs70/75fe4705-0c94-4f75-b1e6-ad9c61ffde26
https://www.ukdataservice.ac.uk/bounce?type=case-study&id=111
https://www.ukdataservice.ac.uk/bounce?type=case-study&id=61
https://www.ukdataservice.ac.uk/bounce?type=case-study&id=114
Verkroost, F.C.J. (2022) 'A Bayesian multivariate hierarchical growth curve model to examine cumulative socio-economic (dis)advantage among childless adults and parents, Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series A (Statistics in Society). doi:10.1111/rssa.129
https://doi.org/10.1111/rssa.129
Stannard, S., Berrington, A. and Alwan, N. (2019) 'Associations between birth order with mental wellbeing and psychological distress in midlife: findings from the 1970 British Cohort Study (BCS70)', Plos One. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0222184
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0222184
Stannard, S., Berrington, A. and Alwan, N. (2022) 'Understanding the early life mediators behind the intergenerational transmission of partnership dissolution', Advances in Life course Research, doi:10.1016/j.alcr.2022.100468
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.alcr.2022.100468
Stannard, S., Berrington, A. and Alwan, N. (2022) 'The mediating pathways between parental separation in childhood and offspring hypertension at midlife', Scientific Reports. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-11007-z
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-11007-z
Boero, G., Nathwani, T., Naylor, R. and Smith, J. (2021) 'Graduate earnings premia in the UK: decline and fall [online]', Cheltenham: Higher Education Statistics Agency.
https://www.hesa.ac.uk/files/Graduate-Earnings-Premia-UK-20211123.pdf
Cortes, R.A., Barr, R., Ryan, R.M. and Green, A.E. (2022) 'Fine motor skills during early childhood predict visuospatial deductive reasoning in adolescence', Developmental Psychology, 58(7), pp.1264–1276. doi:10.1037/dev0001354
https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001354
Bernardi, L., Bridger, E. and Mattila, M. (2024) 'Voting propensity and parental depression', Electoral Studies, 89, 102800. doi:10.1016/j.electstud.2024.102800
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electstud.2024.102800
Boero, G., Nathwani, T., Naylor, R. and Smith, J. (2024) 'The college wage premium in the UK: Decline and fall?', Oxford Economic Papers. doi:10.1093/oep/gpae014
https://doi.org/10.1093/oep/gpae014
Boero, G., Cook, D., Nathwani, T., Naylor, R. and Smith, J. (2019) 'The return to a degree: new evidence based on the birth cohort studies and the Labour Force Survey', HESA.
https://www.hesa.ac.uk/files/Return_to_a_degree_main_report.pdf
Boero, G., Cook, D., Nathwani, T., Naylor, R. and Smith, J. (2020) 'How does the return to a degree vary by class of award?', HESA
https://www.hesa.ac.uk/files/Return-to-degree-by-class-20200310.pdf
Boero, G., Nathwani, T., Naylor, R. and Smith, J. (2021). Graduate earnings premia in the UK: Decline and fall?, HESA
https://www.hesa.ac.uk/files/Graduate-Earnings-Premia-UK-20211123.pdf
Wehner, C. and Schils, T. (2019) <i>Educational achievement and gender differences: the role of the interaction between emotional stability and conscientiousness: ROA Research Memoranda, no.005</i>: Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market.
Educational achievement and gender differences: the role of the interaction between emotional stability and conscientiousness
Wehner, C. (2018) Too scared to achieve: the relation between neuroticism, conscientiousness and socioeconomic outcomes [Doctoral Thesis]
https://doi.org/10.26481/dis.20180525cw
https://oai.ukdataservice.ac.uk:8443/oai/provider
3535
2025-03-07T07:47:40Z
ddi:codebook:2_5