Virginia Twin Study of Adolescent Behavior and Development Study (VTSABD)
The VTSABD study was designed to investigate the genetic and environmental influences on the development and persistence of psychiatric disorders in childhood and adolescence. Participants included 2,775 twin individuals aged 8 to 16 years, recruited from 1987 to 1989, across the state of Virginia, United States of America. The cohort was limited to white families due to sample size constraints for other ethnic groups. Participants were followed up to four times during adolescence at 18-month intervals. In young adulthood, 2,370 of these individuals were assessed in the Young Adult Follow-Up (YAFU) at a median age of 21, and 1,084 individuals participated in the Transition to Substance Abuse (TSA) study around age 25.
Study design
Cohort, Cohort - twin
Number of participants at first data collection
2,775 (twin individuals)
Age at first data collection
8 - 16 years (twin individuals)
Participant year of birth
Varied (twin individuals)
Participant sex
All
Representative sample at baseline?
No
Sample features
Country
Year of first data collection
1987
Primary Institutions
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)
Profile paper DOI
Funders
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Ongoing?
No
Data types collected
- Interview – face-to-face
- Secondary data
- Self-report questionnaire – paper or computer assisted
- None
- None
- Census data
Engagement
Keywords
