# Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing - Young Adulthood

> **NIH NIH R01** · PRINCETON UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $1,337,632

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract: FRAGILE FAMILIES AND CHILD WELLBEING – YOUNG ADULTHOOD
The Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS) is a birth cohort study following a stratified,
multistage, population-representative sample of children born in large US cities between 1998 and 2000. This
proposal requests funding to survey the children in young adulthood, around their 27th birthdays.
The study began with interviews conducted with mothers and fathers at birth. Fathers were interviewed again
when young adults were 1, 3, 5, and 9. Mothers were interviewed again when children were 1, 3, 5, and 9.
Primary caregivers were interviewed when the young adults were ages 15 and 22. Young adults were
assessed/interviewed at ages 3, 5, 9, 15, and 22. Saliva samples were collected from mothers at age 9 and
from children at ages 9, 15, and 22.
The original study design called for a large oversample of births to unmarried parents, and the sample is very
diverse (the mothers are 48% Black, 27% Hispanic, and 21% white), making the data a valuable resource for
studying racial and economic disparities in health and wellbeing. The age 22 interviews occurred in the context
of the COVID-19 pandemic and included detailed questions about education, employment, income, health,
housing, and family resource-sharing during the pandemic. To date, more than 8,700 researchers have used
the data, resulting in the publication of more than 1,110 journal articles, 44 books and book chapters, 150
dissertations, and 115 working papers.
Specific aims:
 (1) Collect data on the health and wellbeing of FFCWS young adults at age 27, including data on: a)
 socioeconomic status (education, employment, and income), b) family formation (intimate relationships,
 childbearing), c) health (self-reported physical and mental health), d) program participation (including
 health insurance, social services, cash and near-cash assistance, housing assistance) and e) systems
 involvement (experiences with the police and criminal justice system).
 (2) Collect innovative data on the social, economic, and physical environments of FFCWS young adults at
 age 27, including: a) family relationships and intergenerational support/obligations, and b) local area
 contexts such as policy regimes, neighborhood environments, and labor market conditions.
 (3) Obtain permission to access FFCWS young adults’ education, employment, health, and other
 administrative records (if not obtained at age 22).
To accomplish these aims, we will contact approximately 3,600 young adults through a web-based survey
around their 27th birthdays. Young adults who do not initially complete the web-based survey will receive phone
or in-person follow-up and the interview will be administered by a trained interviewer.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10735693
- **Project number:** 2R01HD036916-21
- **Recipient organization:** PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Kathryn Edin
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $1,337,632
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1999-02-01 → 2029-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10735693

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10735693, Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing - Young Adulthood (2R01HD036916-21). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10735693. Licensed CC0.

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