DOI: 10.3886/icpsr21940.v3
title: NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development: Phase I, 1991-1994 [United States]
title: SECCYD Phase I, 1991-1994
title: Version 3

description: The overall purpose of this study was to examine the influence of
variations in early childcare histories on the psychological
development of infants and toddlers from a variety of family
backgrounds. This general objective was addressed through a
prospective, longitudinal study of the experiences of 1,364 children and
their families, which took into account the
complex interactions among child characteristics and those
of the human and physical environments in which
the children were reared.
Research Goals
The specific research aims were as follows:

Examining the relationship between infants' childcare
arrangements (defined in terms of hours, type, quality, and
stability of care and the age at which the child entered care)
and children's concurrent and long-term development.
Specifically, the study investigated the association between
children's experiences in childcare and their social, emotional,
language, and cognitive development. The social-emotional
assessments included measures of attachment, independence,
compliance, behavior problems, prosocial and antisocial behavior,
and general competence in interacting with peers. Cognitive variables
include general developmental level and problem solving skills. Language
assessments incorporated measures of children's expressive and receptive communicative competence.; 
Examining whether the social ecology of the home
moderates the effects of childcare, i.e., whether children
from different home environments are differentially affected by
similar childcare experiences. The study examined the
moderating effects of parents' values and attitudes,
psychological adjustment and mental health, stress and social
support, child-rearing practices, time use, interactions with the
child, the marital relationship, and family demographics.; 
Examining whether individual differences among children
moderate the effects of infant care on child development. The
study examined the moderating effects of such child
characteristics as age, sex, health, birth order, and
temperament.; 
Identify demographic and family characteristics
associated with families' childcare decisions. The study examined whether
specific childcare arrangements are related to
the parents' social class, marital status, psychological
adjustment and personality, child-rearing values and attitudes,
parenting practices, stress, social support, marital
relationship, and the availability of childcare in the community.; 
Provide a natural history of infant care in the
1990s, and help establish a baseline of data pertaining to the
kinds of care being used by families. Whereas other national
databases, such as those provided by the United States Census Bureau, provide
static estimates of the number of children in different types of
childcare, this network study supplements that knowledge
with longitudinal data on successive enrollments into day care at
various ages, patterns of arrangements used concurrently and over
time, and the stability of arrangements during the first three
years of life. One of the most valuable aspects of the
collaborative study is the opportunity it provides to obtain a
more complete and accurate picture of patterns of infant care
used by families today. Census surveys use only gross categories
of care (e.g., center vs. in-home). In this study, more fine-grained
information regarding the types of centers and home-care
facilities was gathered.; 
Examine the consequences for families of maternal
employment and childcare choices. Family relationships,
parental mental health, family stress, and so on, are not just
inputs to child development or moderators of childcare effects,
they are also outcomes. High-quality childcare may alleviate
family stress and enhance parental adjustment. Low-quality childcare may add to the stress parents experience. Although the main
focus in the study was on the effect of childcare on the child, the
study also examined the effect of childcare on the family.; 
Identify demographic characteristics of childcare
associated with childcare quality. Of interest to policy makers
is another aspect of the study, the investigation of those
regulatory characteristics that predict care of higher quality.
These characteristics included the level and type of caregiver
training, the size of the childcare group, the auspices of the
childcare program (public/private, profit/nonprofit,
independent/chain, employer-sponsored/church-based), whether the
facility was licensed or unlicensed, the level of payment and
fees, and whether the caregiver was a relative of the family.; 
Data File Organization
309 data files were compiled for this study and are organized
into 3 main groups:

Analytical Data Sets (ADS) -- The raw data were examined and
composites defined by small groups of individual principal investigators
according to the demographic, family, childcare, and child outcome content of
the data. The psychometric and distributional qualities of the variables, along
with site differences, were examined. A set of variables that were
psychometrically and distributionally acceptable to be used in analytic
analyses was designed to test the study hypotheses. These data files comprise Parts
1-42 of the study data material.; 
Supplemental Data Sets -- New and revised analysis variables as
well as across-time mean scores and primary composites were produced as a
supplement to the original Analytical Datasets. These data files comprise
Parts 43-55 of the study data material.; 
Raw Data Sets -- The raw data were made available and
comprise Parts 56-309 of the study data material.; 
Training Workshop
A three-day summer training workshop on the SECCYD was put on by NICHD at the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 2010. The binder from that workshop, which includes the Powerpoint slides used during presentations,
are freely available to the public as part of the study documentation.
description: To examine the influence of variations in early childcare histories on the psychological development of infants and toddlers from a variety of family backgrounds.
description: The SECCYD is a multi-site, prospective, longitudinal study of the experiences of 1,364 children and their families. Respondents were sampled from a catchment of some 6,189 children. Children's development was assessed via trained observers, interviewers, questionnaires, and direct testing. Measures were taken on many facets of children's development, such as social, emotional, intellectual, as well as language development, behavioral problems and adjustment, and physical health.
Beginning with the time of enrollment, families were scheduled for extensive periodic data collections. Data from 10 sites were collected at 5 major assessment points: 1 month (enrollment), 6 months, 15 months, 24 months, and 36 months. Month 1 enrollment data were collected in a visit to the children's homes. At six months, data were collected in the children's homes and at the children's primary childcare arrangements. At 15, 24, and 36 months, data were collected in the children's homes, childcare arrangements, and in the laboratory. Phone call data were collected every three months between major assessments.
description: The 42 Analytical Data Sets (ADS) contain composite variables created, from the raw data by Quantitative Systems Laboratory (QSL) at Vanderbilt University, to be psychometrically and distributionally acceptable for analytical analysis of the study hypotheses. The 13 Supplemental Data Sets were produced by Research Triangle Institute (RTI) and contain new and revised analysis variables, across-time mean scores, and primary composites. The 254 Raw Data Sets contain the direct item-level data collected per instrument.
description: ICPSR data undergo a confidentiality review and are altered when necessary to limit the risk of 
				disclosure. ICPSR also routinely creates ready-to-go data files along with setups in the major 
				statistical software formats as well as standard codebooks to accompany the data. In addition to 
				these procedures, ICPSR performed the following processing steps for this data collection:
			   		Performed recodes and/or calculated derived variables.; Checked for undocumented or out-of-range codes..
description: Presence of Common Scales: 
					Bayley Scale of Infant Development
Adaptive Social Behavior Inventor -- Child
Child Behavior Checklist -- Child
MacArthur Communicative Inventory
Adaptive Social Behavior Inventory -- Mother
Child Behavior Checklist -- Mother
Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test
Reynell Developmental Language
Bracken Basic Concept Scale
description: Datasets: 
					
						DS0: Study-Level Files
						DS1: ADS-CARGIV15
						DS2: ADS-CARGIV24
						DS3: ADS-CARGIV36
						DS4: ADS-CARGIV6
						DS5: ADS-CCARE1
						DS6: ADS-CCARE15
						DS7: ADS-CCARE24
						DS8: ADS-CCARE36
						DS9: ADS-CCARE6
						DS10: ADS-COUT1
						DS11: ADS-COUT15
						DS12: ADS-COUT24
						DS13: ADS-COUT36
						DS14: ADS-COUT6
						DS15: ADS-DEMO0
						DS16: ADS-DEMO1
						DS17: ADS-DEMO15
						DS18: ADS-DEMO24
						DS19: ADS-DEMO36
						DS20: ADS-DEMO6
						DS21: ADS-DROPS
						DS22: ADS-FAM1
						DS23: ADS-FAM15
						DS24: ADS-FAM24
						DS25: ADS-FAM36
						DS26: ADS-FAM6
						DS27: ADS-FCGIV06
						DS28: ADS-FCGIV15
						DS29: ADS-FCGIV24
						DS30: ADS-FCGIV36
						DS31: ADS-FLAGS
						DS32: ADS-HHS
						DS33: ADS-LONG
						DS34: ADS-PHON12
						DS35: ADS-PHON18
						DS36: ADS-PHON21
						DS37: ADS-PHON27
						DS38: ADS-PHON3
						DS39: ADS-PHON30
						DS40: ADS-PHON33
						DS41: ADS-PHON9
						DS42: ADS-TIME7
						DS43: Supplemental-BEHSC636
						DS44: Supplemental-CC_CG01
						DS45: Supplemental-CC_CG06
						DS46: Supplemental-CC_CG15
						DS47: Supplemental-CC_CG24
						DS48: Supplemental-CC_CG36
						DS49: Supplemental-CLNUP24
						DS50: Supplemental-CLNUP36
						DS51: Supplemental-COMBINE3
						DS52: Supplemental-FCI06
						DS53: Supplemental-FCI36
						DS54: Supplemental-HLTFU36
						DS55: Supplemental-MAMED36
						DS56: RAW-DROPS
						DS57: RAW-F01A1BQ
						DS58: RAW-F01C
						DS59: RAW-F02A
						DS60: RAW-F02B
						DS61: RAW-F02C
						DS62: RAW-F02D
						DS63: RAW-F02E
						DS64: RAW-F02F
						DS65: RAW-F03A
						DS66: RAW-F03B
						DS67: RAW-F03C
						DS68: RAW-F03D
						DS69: RAW-F03D36
						DS70: RAW-F03E
						DS71: RAW-F03E36
						DS72: RAW-F03F
						DS73: RAW-F03G
						DS74: RAW-F03H
						DS75: RAW-F03I
						DS76: RAW-F03I36
						DS77: RAW-F03J
						DS78: RAW-F04A03
						DS79: RAW-F04A09
						DS80: RAW-F04A12
						DS81: RAW-F05A
						DS82: RAW-F05B
						DS83: RAW-F06A
						DS84: RAW-F06B
						DS85: RAW-F06C
						DS86: RAW-F06D
						DS87: RAW-F06E
						DS88: RAW-F06F
						DS89: RAW-F06G
						DS90: RAW-F06H
						DS91: RAW-F06I
						DS92: RAW-F06J
						DS93: RAW-F06K
						DS94: RAW-F06L
						DS95: RAW-F06O
						DS96: RAW-F06P
						DS97: RAW-F06Q
						DS98: RAW-F07A
						DS99: RAW-F07B
						DS100: RAW-F07C
						DS101: RAW-F07D
						DS102: RAW-F07E
						DS103: RAW-F07F
						DS104: RAW-F07G
						DS105: RAW-F07H
						DS106: RAW-F07HQL
						DS107: RAW-F07J
						DS108: RAW-F07K
						DS109: RAW-F07Q
						DS110: RAW-F07R
						DS111: RAW-F07S
						DS112: RAW-F07U
						DS113: RAW-F08A
						DS114: RAW-F08B
						DS115: RAW-F08C
						DS116: RAW-F08D
						DS117: RAW-F08E
						DS118: RAW-F08F
						DS119: RAW-F08G
						DS120: RAW-F09A
						DS121: RAW-F09ASUM
						DS122: RAW-F10A13
						DS123: RAW-F10A23
						DS124: RAW-F10A34
						DS125: RAW-F10B13
						DS126: RAW-F10B23
						DS127: RAW-F10B34
						DS128: RAW-F11A15
						DS129: RAW-F11A24
						DS130: RAW-F11A36
						DS131: RAW-F11B15
						DS132: RAW-F11B24
						DS133: RAW-F11C15
						DS134: RAW-F11C24
						DS135: RAW-F11D15
						DS136: RAW-F11D24
						DS137: RAW-F11D36
						DS138: RAW-F11E15
						DS139: RAW-F11E24
						DS140: RAW-F11E36
						DS141: RAW-F11F15
						DS142: RAW-F11F24
						DS143: RAW-F11F36
						DS144: RAW-F11G15
						DS145: RAW-F11G24
						DS146: RAW-F11H15
						DS147: RAW-F11H15QL
						DS148: RAW-F11I15
						DS149: RAW-F11I24
						DS150: RAW-F11I36
						DS151: RAW-F11J15
						DS152: RAW-F11J24
						DS153: RAW-F11J36
						DS154: RAW-F11K15
						DS155: RAW-F11K24
						DS156: RAW-F11K36
						DS157: RAW-F11Q15
						DS158: RAW-F11R15
						DS159: RAW-F11S15
						DS160: RAW-F11T15
						DS161: RAW-F11T24
						DS162: RAW-F11T36
						DS163: RAW-F11U15
						DS164: RAW-F11U24
						DS165: RAW-F11U36
						DS166: RAW-F11W15
						DS167: RAW-F11W24
						DS168: RAW-F11W36
						DS169: RAW-F11X15
						DS170: RAW-F11X24
						DS171: RAW-F12A15
						DS172: RAW-F12A24
						DS173: RAW-F12A36
						DS174: RAW-F12B15
						DS175: RAW-F12B24
						DS176: RAW-F12B36
						DS177: RAW-F12C15
						DS178: RAW-F12C24
						DS179: RAW-F12C36
						DS180: RAW-F12D15
						DS181: RAW-F12D24
						DS182: RAW-F12D36
						DS183: RAW-F12E15
						DS184: RAW-F12E24
						DS185: RAW-F12E36
						DS186: RAW-F12F15
						DS187: RAW-F12F24
						DS188: RAW-F12F36
						DS189: RAW-F12G15
						DS190: RAW-F12G24
						DS191: RAW-F12G36
						DS192: RAW-F12J24
						DS193: RAW-F12J36
						DS194: RAW-F12K15
						DS195: RAW-F12K24
						DS196: RAW-F12K24V1
						DS197: RAW-F12L36
						DS198: RAW-F12M24
						DS199: RAW-F12M36
						DS200: RAW-F12N36
						DS201: RAW-F12O36
						DS202: RAW-F12P24
						DS203: RAW-F14B15SM
						DS204: RAW-F14B24SM
						DS205: RAW-F14B36
						DS206: RAW-F14C15
						DS207: RAW-F14C24
						DS208: RAW-F14C36
						DS209: RAW-F14E15
						DS210: RAW-F14E36
						DS211: RAW-F14G15
						DS212: RAW-F14I15
						DS213: RAW-F15A15
						DS214: RAW-F15A24
						DS215: RAW-F15A36
						DS216: RAW-F15B15
						DS217: RAW-F15B24
						DS218: RAW-F15B36
						DS219: RAW-F15D15
						DS220: RAW-F15D24
						DS221: RAW-F15D36
						DS222: RAW-F15E15
						DS223: RAW-F15E24
						DS224: RAW-F15F15
						DS225: RAW-F15F24
						DS226: RAW-F15F36
						DS227: RAW-F15G15
						DS228: RAW-F15G36
						DS229: RAW-F15H15
						DS230: RAW-F15H24
						DS231: RAW-F15H36
						DS232: RAW-F15I06
						DS233: RAW-F15I15
						DS234: RAW-F15I24
						DS235: RAW-F15I36
						DS236: RAW-F15J15
						DS237: RAW-F15J24
						DS238: RAW-F15K15
						DS239: RAW-F15K24
						DS240: RAW-F15L15E
						DS241: RAW-F15L15H
						DS242: RAW-F15M15
						DS243: RAW-F15M24
						DS244: RAW-F15P15
						DS245: RAW-F15Q15
						DS246: RAW-F15Q24
						DS247: RAW-F15Q36
						DS248: RAW-F15R15
						DS249: RAW-F15R36
						DS250: RAW-F15S15
						DS251: RAW-F15V15
						DS252: RAW-F15X15
						DS253: RAW-F18A18
						DS254: RAW-F18A21
						DS255: RAW-F18A27
						DS256: RAW-F18A30
						DS257: RAW-F18A33
						DS258: RAW-F19J24
						DS259: RAW-F19J36
						DS260: RAW-F19M24
						DS261: RAW-F19M36
						DS262: RAW-F24C24
						DS263: RAW-F24G24
						DS264: RAW-F24G36
						DS265: RAW-F24H24
						DS266: RAW-F24H24QL
						DS267: RAW-F24H36
						DS268: RAW-F24H36QL
						DS269: RAW-F24N24
						DS270: RAW-F24P24
						DS271: RAW-F24R24
						DS272: RAW-F24S24
						DS273: RAW-F24Y24
						DS274: RAW-F25I24
						DS275: RAW-F25P24
						DS276: RAW-F25Q24
						DS277: RAW-F26P24
						DS278: RAW-F26P36
						DS279: RAW-F36B36
						DS280: RAW-F36C36
						DS281: RAW-F36G36
						DS282: RAW-F36N36
						DS283: RAW-F36P36
						DS284: RAW-F36Q36
						DS285: RAW-F36R36
						DS286: RAW-F36S36
						DS287: RAW-F36T36
						DS288: RAW-F36W36
						DS289: RAW-F36X36
						DS290: RAW-F37A36
						DS291: RAW-F37C36
						DS292: RAW-F37F36
						DS293: RAW-F38C36
						DS294: RAW-F38I36
						DS295: RAW-F38P36
						DS296: RAW-F38S36
						DS297: RAW-F38V36
						DS298: RAW-F38W36
						DS299: RAW-F39C36
						DS300: RAW-F39LJ36
						DS301: RAW-F39P36
						DS302: RAW-F39Q36
						DS303: RAW-F39X36
						DS304: RAW-HHS3A
						DS305: RAW-HHS3F
						DS306: RAW-HHS3H
						DS307: RAW-HHS3I
						DS308: RAW-HHS3J
						DS309: RAW-PREDROP
description: NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD) Series
description: computer-assisted personal interview (CAPI)
description: computer-assisted self interview (CASI)
description: computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI)
description: coded on-site observation
description: cognitive assessment test
description: face-to-face interview
description: mail questionnaire
description: paper and pencil interview (PAPI)
description: self-enumerated questionnaire
description: on-site questionnaire
description: telephone interview
description: Full-term, healthy newborns of mothers giving birth in hospitals at 10 locations throughout the United States during designated 24-hour periods between January and November 1991.
description: Participants were selected in accordance with a conditionally random sampling plan, designed to ensure that the recruited families (a) included mothers who planned to work or to go to school full-time (60 percent) or part-time (20 percent) in the child's first year, as well as some who planned to stay at home with the child (20 percent), and (b) reflected the demographic diversity (economic, educational, and ethnic) of the sites. Both two-parent and single-parent families were included. The major exclusionary criteria used were (a) mothers younger than 18 years of age at the time of the child's birth, (b) families who did not anticipate remaining in the catchment area for at least 3 years, (c) children with obvious disabilities at birth or who remained in the hospital more than 7 days postpartum, and (d) mothers not sufficiently conversant in English. Analyses have indicated that the data do reflect the natural distributions of these factors in the catchment. Therefore, inferences from this data can be made directly to the catchment without back-weighting for the sampling factors. In addition, analyses have shown that the NICHD data reflect to large degree the natural distributions of certain factors measured in the 1990 Census data. However, the NICHD data are not representative in the statistical sense, and therefore inference to the nation as a whole is not possible. Comparisons to other databases, national or otherwise, should be made with extreme caution.