Data documentation
See our data documentation resources for Growing Up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) data users.
Data user guide
Our data user guide has information on:
- how to use LSAC data
- survey methodology
- file structure
- variable naming conventions
Issues are highlighted to ensure data analysts use the LSAC data appropriately in their research.
Data dictionary
Our data dictionary has documents that provide information about all variables in LSAC over the course of the study, including:
- variable names and labels
- items
- cohort
- wave
- populations.
Data issues
Our data issues paper contains summaries of data-related issues that have emerged over the life of LSAC including:
- missing data
- cleaning of Time Use Diary data
- cleaning of income data
- issues with height data.
Rationale document
Our rationale document is designed to provide contextual information on the scales and items included in the LSAC datasets – for example, item sources, scoring, and psychometric information.
Study questionnaires
Our study questionnaire documents include the questions used in each of the LSAC waves for which data has been released. The questionnaires are annotated with variable names.
Data frequencies
Our data frequencies contain descriptive information for every variable available in the General Release dataset for Waves 1–10.
Technical papers
Our technical papers provide information on using LSAC data to help users with specific types of data analyses. The papers include weighting and non-response and using Time Use Diary data and My School data.
Methods papers
Our methods papers provide information on study methodology, data management issues and key research questions.
Child Health CheckPoint data
A comprehensive, one-off physical health and biomarker module, known as the Child Health CheckPoint, was added for the B cohort between LSAC waves 6 and 7. In 2015-16, the B cohort child and one of their parents participated in a comprehensive clinic appointment or shorter home visit. A second parent was also invited to provide a genetic sample. The study child was aged 11-12 years at the time of assessment.
Child Health CheckPoint data documents are hosted on the MCRI website.
- Data user guide – This document provides data users with key information about the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children's (LSAC) Child Health CheckPoint study and data.
- Data dictionary – The CheckPoint Data Dictionary describes each variable in the CheckPoint dataset.
- Labelled questionnaire – This annotated version of the questionnaire provides information on branching rules, corresponding variable names, and response type and coding.
- Child
- Parent
- Rationale document – The Child Health CheckPoint Rationale document describes the source of each measure, it's rationale for inclusion in CheckPoint, how it was administered and scored, and any modifications from the original measure or previous LSAC waves.
- Data issues paper – This paper summarises data issues that may impact on the use of particular variables, emphasizes changes to the data, and highlights important information for interpretation of results.
- Technical paper (weights) – This paper details the methods used to develop cross-sectional survey weights for the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children's (LSAC) Child Health CheckPoint study.