News
Predictors of Health Outcomes
Principal Investigators: Dr. Stephanie Carlson, along with Co-Principal Investigators James J. Heckman of the University of Chicago, Patrick Kyllonen of the Educational Testing Service, and Thomas Dohmen of the University of Bonn
Funding: National Institutes of Health
Childhood personal attributes across a variety of disciplines have been shown to influence adult outcomes. For example, within psychology, measures of executive function skills have been used to predict health outcomes. There are a multitude of personal attributes already apparent in childhood that can predict adult outcomes. In this research study, we aim to determine how personal attributes in the fields of psychology, personality science, and economics (co-)evolve from childhood to adolescence, and what real-world outcomes they predict. For instance, how do personality traits, executive function skills, and economic preferences predict mental and physical health and wellbeing?
In this study, we are following 4th and 8th graders for four years each, capturing the evolution of personal attributes (executive function, personality, economic preferences) and mental and physical wellbeing across late childhood and adolescence. Alongside direct reports from our child participants, we also collect data from parents about their child and parent-child relationships.
What do we mean by “Health Outcomes”?
Mental health has become a weighted phrase due to recent advances to minimize stigmatization of common health disorders. With reduced stigmatization comes an increase in diagnoses, and we would like to investigate how we can predict these outcomes with measures of psychological, personality, and economic preference traits. We include measures of behavioral problems, depression, anxiety, ADHD, impulsivity, eating disorders, and emotional well-being to assess health outcomes.