# Fragile Families and the Transition to Adulthood

> **NIH NIH R01** · PRINCETON UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $1,904,349

## Abstract

Fragile Families and the Transition to Adulthood – HD036916
Project Summary/Abstract
The Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Birth Cohort Study (FFCWS) is following a stratified, multistage,
probability sample of nearly 5,000 children born in large US cities between 1998 and 2000. Interviews were
conducted with mothers and fathers at birth and again when children were 1, 3, 5, 9, and 15 years old.
Children were assessed/interviewed at ages 3, 5, 9, and 15. Saliva samples were collected from mothers at
year 9 and children at both age 9 and 15. The original study design called for a large oversample of births to
unmarried parents, making the data a valuable resource for studying racial and economic disparities in health
and wellbeing. To date, more than 7,000 researchers have accessed the data, resulting in the publication of
more than 720 journal articles, 40 books and book chapters, 100 dissertations, and 110 working papers. We
seek funding to conduct another round of interviews with the FFCWS children at age 22. Our specific aims are
to:
 (1) Collect new data on the health and wellbeing of FFCWS young adults, including data on: 1) socio-
 economic status (education, employment, and income), 2) family formation (intimate relationships,
 childbearing), 3) health (self-reports of physical and mental health, health related biological markers),
 and 4) cognitive and non-cognitive skills (e.g., memory, verbal reasoning, social and emotional factors,
 pro- and anti-social behavior). Obtain permission to access respondents’ health, education,
 employment, and other administrative records.
 (2) Collect new data on the social, economic, and physical environments of FFCWS young adults,
 including data on: 1) family relationships and social support, 2) local area contexts such as policy
 regimes, neighborhood environments, and labor market conditions, and 3) access to and participation
 in health care, higher education, housing, and other government programs including the criminal justice
system.
 (3) Collect saliva samples from FFCWS young adults to be used to measure DNA methylation and
 telomere length (TL).
To do this, we will contact approximately 4,600 young adults through a web-based survey around their 22nd
birthdays. Young adults who do not initially complete the web-based survey will receive phone follow-up and
be administered the interview via Computer-Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI) technology. The year 15
primary caregiver (typically the mothers) will also be contacted for a short interview. Saliva samples will be
collected from young adults by mail.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10249280
- **Project number:** 5R01HD036916-18
- **Recipient organization:** PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Kathryn Edin
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $1,904,349
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1999-02-01 → 2024-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10249280

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10249280, Fragile Families and the Transition to Adulthood (5R01HD036916-18). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10249280. Licensed CC0.

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