CATS: Childhood to Adolescence Transition Study
The CATS study is a unique longitudinal study of children in metropolitan Melbourne as they approach and transition through adolescence. The study began in 2012 and follows over 1200 children from grade 3 (8-9 years of age) through adolescence. The children are assessed once every year. The study also collected information from teachers through primary school, and parents through to Wave 6 (year 8; 13-14 years). The main focus of the study is on the health and emotional development of children during the middle years of school with the aim of improving our understanding of the many influences that effect the health and emotional adjustment of children as they approach their teens. The study looks at the experiences of children and their families, their changing social context as they move into secondary school and their reactions to the biological changes of puberty. The information collected as part of this large study will help us identify when and how to promote the best health and emotional adjustment in pre-teens.
| Year | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wave | W1 | W2 | W3 | W4 | W5 | W6 | W7 | W8 | W9 |
| Age | 8-9 years | 9-10 years | 10-11 years | 11-12 years | 12-13 years | 13-14 years | 14-15 years | 15-16 years | 16-17 years |
| # | 1239 | 1158 | 1119 | 1066 | 1175 | 1177 | TBC | ongoing | planned |
| Allergies | |||||||||
| Anthropometrics | |||||||||
| Behavioural problems | Behavioural problems (TBD) | ||||||||
| Birth | |||||||||
| Demographics | Demographics | ||||||||
| Education | Education | ||||||||
| General health | |||||||||
| Imaging | Imaging | Imaging (TBD) | |||||||
| Media engagement | |||||||||
| Medication | |||||||||
| Mental health | |||||||||
| Nutrition | Nutrition | ||||||||
| Parenting | Parenting | ||||||||
| Physical activity and lifestyle | |||||||||
| Puberty | |||||||||
| Relationships | |||||||||
| Resilience and wellbeing | |||||||||
| Respiratory health | |||||||||
| Sleep | |||||||||
| Substance use | |||||||||
| Linkage to other databases | Linkage to other databases | Linkage to other databases | Linkage to other databases | ||||||
| Biosamples | Biosamples | Biosamples | |||||||
| Study Summary | |
|---|---|
| Study name | Childhood to Adolescence Transition Study |
| Study abbreviation | CATS |
| Current principal investigator/s | Professor George Patton Dr Lisa Mundy |
| Current project manager | Dr Lisa Mundy |
| Primary Institution | Murdoch Children’s Research Institute |
| Collaborating Institution/s | University of Melbourne University of South Australia University of NSW UCL Institute of Child Health, UK La Trobe University, Australia Deakin University University of Washington, Seattle USA University of Oregon, USA |
| Major funding sources | National Health and Medical Research Council |
| Study website | https://cats.mcri.edu.au/ |
| Key reference for study (published study protocol) | Mundy, L.K., Simmons, J.G., Allen, N.B., Viner, R.M., Bayer, J.K., Olds, T., Williams, J., Olsson, C., Romaniuk, H., Mensah, F., Sawyer, S.M., Degenhardt, L., Alati, R., Wake, M., Jacka, F. and Patton, G.C.. Study protocol: the Childhood to Adolescence Transition Study (CATS). BMC Pediatr. 2013 Oct 8;13:160. doi: 10.1186/1471-2431-13-160 |
| Are data available to others outside study team? | Yes, through study publication protocol coordinated by project manager. |
| Study focus (e.g. social development) | The effect of puberty on health and emotional development. |
| Sampling frame | All Grade 3 students (8-9 years of age) from a stratified cluster sample of schools in Melbourne, Australia were invited to take part. |
| Study type (e.g. randomised control trial, cohort, case-control) | Longitudinal cohort |
| Year commenced | 2012 |
| Ongoing recruitment? | No |
| Commencement sample (N) | 1239 |
| Intergenerational (e.g. offspring)? | No |
| Imaging (e.g. fMRI, ultrasound, retinal photograph)? | MRI, fMRI on iCATS nested study (n=128) |
| Linkage (e.g. BioGrid, VPDC, NAPLAN, Medicare)? | NAPLAN (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority) |
| Biosamples (e.g. buccal, blood, hair)? | Saliva |
| Ethics approvals or requirements (e.g. specific, extended, unspecified, other)? | This project only (Specific consent) Future research related to this project (Extended consent) |
| Year | Age (mean, range) | Eligible sample (not deceased, not withdrawn) |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 8.5 (8 – 11) years | 1239 CATS 128 iCATS |
| 2013 | 9.9 (8.8 – 11.5) years | 1158 CATS |
| 2014 | 10.9 (9.8 – 12.7) years | 1119 CATS |
| 2015 | 11.9 (10.7 – 13.5) years | 1066 CATS |
| 2016 | 13.0 (11.6 – 14.6) years | 1175 CATS 110 iCATS |
| 2017 | 13 – 14 years | 1177 CATS |
| 2018 | 14 – 15 years | TBC |
| 2019 | 15 – 16 years | Ongoing |
| 2020 | 16 – 17 years | Planned |