This section provides case studies of longitudinal research, covering the research questions asked, what data were used, key findings and implications for policy. Each case study includes potential discussion questions for lecturers who would like to incorporate these examples in their teaching.
Longitudinal data has been used to examine whether a mother’s offending influences her child’s criminal behaviour when controlling for a range of other risk factors known to influence child criminality.
Research using longitudinal data has explored whether the long-term consumption of ultra-processed foods influences the chance of experiencing depressive symptoms in older adults.
What is the impact of going to a private, grammar or faith school? Researchers have used longitudinal data to track the effect on academic achievement over both the short and long term.
Promoting pet ownership for older adults who live alone, could be considered as a public health intervention to mitigate cognitive decline. Longitudinal research enhances our understanding of the temporal dynamics involved.
What impact can an individual’s sexual orientation have on their health and wellbeing? Researchers have used longitudinal data to investigate how health inequality differs between sexual minority groups and heterosexuals.
What impact has the COVID-19 pandemic had on mental health and who is most at risk? With valuable data collected both before and during the pandemic, longitudinal studies are well placed to help us understand the short and long-term impacts of the crisis.
Experiences in our early life can have long-lasting impacts felt throughout the life-course. Researchers can use longitudinal data to track how factors including family stability, parent health and childhood environment can impact adult mental well-being.
Regular heavy drinking in early adolescence has been linked to taking part in other risky behaviours and negative educational outcomes. Longitudinal research can provide valuable insight into the factors linked to alcohol consumption during adolescence.
Do children of immigrants perform better or worse than their peers on cognitive assessments? Longitudinal data is a valuable evidence source for investigating children’s development trajectories.
Is social media use harming young people’s mental health? Researchers have used longitudinal data to track how increases in social media use can affect adolescent well-being.
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