The Child to Adult Transition Study (CATS)
CATS is a unique longitudinal study of children in metropolitan Melbourne as they transition through adolescence and into adulthood.
The study began in 2012 and follows over 1200 children from grade 3 (8-9 years of age) through adolescence and into adulthood. The young people are assessed once every year. The study also collected information from teachers through primary school, and parents through to year 8 (13-14 years) then again in year 11 (16-17 years). The main focus of the study is on the health and emotional development of young people during the middle years (8-14 years) and through the primary to secondary transition. The study aims to improve our understanding of the many influences that the effect the health and emotional adjustment of children as they traverse late childhood and adolescence. The study looks at the experiences of children and their families, their changing social context as they move through secondary school and beyond, 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 young people.
The CATS cohort are currently transitioning out of high school after completing their final two years of schooling during the COVID 19 pandemic. CATS plans to follow this important group of young people as they enter the workforce or begin further education in a COVID-19 world. With eight waves of data collection pre-pandemic, the study is ideally placed to investigate the impact of the pandemic on this new generation of young Australians.
| Year | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wave | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 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 | 17-18 years |
| N | Total: 1239 Substudy: 128 |
1158 | 1119 | 1066 | Total: 1175 Substudy: 110 |
1177 | 1137 | 1102 | 1084 | |
| RELEVANT LIFECOURSE DOMAINS | Allergies | |||||||||
| Anthropometrics | ||||||||||
| Biosamples | Biosamples | Biosamples | ||||||||
| Community environment | ||||||||||
| Demographics | ||||||||||
| Education and childcare | ||||||||||
| Family environment | ||||||||||
| Health services | ||||||||||
| Imaging | Imaging | |||||||||
| Medications and supplements | ||||||||||
| Mental health and behaviour problems | ||||||||||
| Miscellaneous | ||||||||||
| Neurocognitive development | Neurocognitive development | |||||||||
| Nutrition | ||||||||||
| Other health information | ||||||||||
| Peer relationships | ||||||||||
| Physical activity | ||||||||||
| Pregnancy and birth | Pregnancy and birth | |||||||||
| Psychosocial wellbeing | ||||||||||
| Puberty | ||||||||||
| Respiratory health | ||||||||||
| Romantic relationships | ||||||||||
| Screen and technology use | ||||||||||
| Sexual health and activity | ||||||||||
| Sleep | ||||||||||
| Speech and language | Speech and language | |||||||||
| Substance use | ||||||||||
| Study Summary | |
|---|---|
| Study name | Child to Adult Transition Study |
| Study abbreviation | CATS |
| Current principal investigator/s |
George Patton |
| Current project manager |
Paul Hockey |
| Primary Institution/s |
Murdoch Children’s Research Institute - MCRI |
| Collaborating Institution/s |
The University of Melbourne - UoM University of South Australia University of New South Wales University College London Institute of Child Health, UK - UCL La Trobe University |
| Major funding source/s |
National Health and Medical Research Council - NHMRC |
| Study website | https://cats.mcri.edu.au/ |
| Key reference for study | 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 |
| Study focus |
The health and emotional development of children as they pass through puberty and the middle years of school, to improve the understanding of the many influences that effect the health and emotional adjustment during these transition years |
| 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. |
| Primary study type | Longitudinal cohort |
| Primary participant (at recruitment) | Index child |
| Year commenced |
2012 |
| Is this study ongoing? | Yes - the study is ongoing |
| Ongoing recruitment? | No |
| Sample size (N) |
1239 |
| Survey data available? | Yes |
| Imaging data available? | Yes |
| Linkage to administrative dataset/s? | Yes, linkage to (at least one) administrative dataset completed |
| Biosamples available? | Yes |
| Are data available to others outside study team, with appropriate safeguards and structures in line with the cohort’s ethics and governance processes? | Yes |
| Are there any costs associated with data/sample access for approved requests? | There are usually no costs associated with access |
| Broadest type of participant consent available |
Extended consent (can be used for future ethically approved research related to this project) |
| Wave | Year | Age | Sample size (N) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2012 | 8-9 years | N(Total)=1239 N(Substudy)=128 |
| 2 | 2013 | 9-10 years | N(Total)=1158 |
| 3 | 2014 | 10-11 years | N(Total)=1119 |
| 4 | 2015 | 11-12 years | N(Total)=1066 |
| 5 | 2016 | 12-13 years | N(Total)=1175 N(Substudy)=110 |
| 6 | 2017 | 13-14 years | N(Total)=1177 |
| 7 | 2018 | 14-15 years | N(Total)=1137 |
| 8 | 2019 | 15-16 years | N(Total)=1102 |
| 9 | 2020 | 16-17 years | N(Total)=1084 |
| 10 | 2021 | 17-18 years |
| Study Contacts | |
|---|---|
| Principal investigator/s |
George Patton |
| Project manager |
Paul Hockey |
| Study Contact |
Email: cats@mcri.edu.au |