AIFS Research - Research projects
Australian Temperament Project
- Duration: Project commenced in 1983. Project managed by AIFS since 2000.
- Funding source(s): Appropriation; Australian Research Council Discovery Grant
- Partner organisations(s): University of Melbourne; Deakin University; Royal Children’s Hospital
- Related themes: Children, young people and their families**
- Related project(s): Driving Behaviour Study
- ** Indicates theme(s) to which the project is most relevant
* Indicates theme(s) to which the project has some relevance
The Australian Temperament Project (ATP) is an ongoing, longitudinal study following young people’s psychosocial development from infancy into adulthood. It investigates the contribution of personal, family, peer and broader environmental factors to adjustment and wellbeing.
The study began in 1983 with the recruitment of 2,443 families and infants aged between 4 and 8 months from urban and rural areas of Victoria. Fourteen waves of data collection have been completed across the first 24 years of life. The fifteenth data collection wave, at age 27–28 years, will take place in 2010.
At each wave, surveys are used to gather data about the subjects’ temperament style, social skills, family and peer relationships and school adjustment to problems and difficulties such as antisocial behaviour, substance abuse, anxiety and depression.
Recent surveys encompass employment and career development, relationship formation and dissolution, marriage and parenthood aspirations, and social and civic participation.
Publications
Presentations
- Vassallo, S., & Smart, D. (2008, 18 December). Risk-taking and adjustment difficulties among young Australians: Insights from the Australian Temperament Project. Victorian Department of Human Services, Melbourne.
- Smart, D., & Vassallo, S. (2008, 12 August). Pathways to social and emotional wellbeing: Lessons from a 24-year longitudinal study. ACER Research Conference 2008, Brisbane.
- Smart, D., & Sanson, A. (2008, 10 July). Patterns of risk taking and adjustment problems from the mid-teens to the mid-twenties: Trends from the Australian Temperament Project (PDF 5.0 MB). 10th Australian Institute of Family Studies Conference, Melbourne.
- Smart, D. (2008, 11 July). Do Australian children today have more problems than 20 years ago? (PDF 6.7 MB) 10th Australian Institute of Family Studies Conference, Melbourne.
- Smart D., & Sanson A (2007, 4 December). Do today’s Australian children have more problems than they did 20 years ago? (PDF 6.7 MB) Paper presented at the 1st LSAC Conference, Melbourne.
- Smart, D. (2007, 22 October). Children’s development in the context of their families. Parenting and Maternal and Child Health Lines National Meeting, Melbourne.
- Reviewer, Journal of Family Studies (D. Smart, September 2007). Reviewer, Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (D. Smart, September 2007).
- Smart, D. (2006, 26–27 October). Member of concluding discussion panel, ARACY Creating Child Friendly Cities Conference, Sydney, NSW.Member, Brotherhood of St Laurence Life Chances Project Advisory Committee (D. Smart).
- Hayes, A., & Smart, D. (2006, 15 September). Attendance at the COAG Human Capital Working Group, Data Sub-Group Meeting, Adelaide, SA.
- Dussuyer, I., & Smart, D. (2006, 5 September). Linking up research, policy and practice: Lessons from a collaborative crime prevention project. Paper presented at the Australian Evaluation Society’s International Conference, Darwin, NT.
- Smart, D. (2006, 21 August).The Australian Temperament Project. Invited paper presented at the ARACY Workshop: Mature Australasian longitudinal studies of children and youth: Celebrating achievements, making connections, planning for the future, Melbourne, Vic.
- Richardson, N., Smart, D., Sanson, A., & Dussuyer, I. (2006, 4–7 July). The role of environmental characteristics in changing the pathways to adolescent antisocial behaviour of high- and low-risk children. Paper presented at the International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development Conference, Melbourne, Vic.
- Smart, D., Letcher, P., Toumbourou, J. W., Williams, I., & Sanson, A. (2006, 4–7 July). The value of longitudinal studies for identifying and explaining developmental trajectories (PPT 1.5 MB). . Paper presented at the International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development Conference, Melbourne, Vic.
- Sanson, A., & Smart, D. (2006, February). Pathways to antisocial behaviour: Findings from the Australian Temperament Project. Presentation at the Childhood Aggression: Pathways, Polices and Prevention Seminar, Melbourne, Vic.
- Hayes, L., Smart, D., Toumbourou, J., & Sanson, A. (2005, November). Parenting influences on adolescent alcohol use. Paper presented at the Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and Other Drugs Conference, Melbourne, Vic.
- Smart, D., Richardson, N., Sanson, A., Dussuyer, I., Marshall, B., Toumbourou, J., Prior, M., & Oberklaid, F. (2005, November). Patterns and precursors of adolescent antisocial behaviour, outcomes and connections. Presentation at Launch of 3rd Report, Crime Prevention Victoria, Melbourne, Vic.
- Smart, D., & Sanson, A. (2005, August). The collaboration between the Australian Institute of Family Studies and Crime Prevention Victoria: Linking up research, policy and practice. Paper presented at the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth Conference, Sydney, NSW.
- Two sides of the coin: Growing up in Australia
today. Paper presented at the Childhoods 2005: Children and Youth in
Emerging and Transforming Societies Conference, Oslo, Norway, 29 June -
3 July 2005 (A. Sanson and D. Smart).
- Why early in life is not enough: Timing and sustainability in early intervention and prevention. Presentation to Royal Children’s Hospital EXPO 2005, Melbourne, 10-11 March 2005 (A. Hayes).
- Precursors and correlates of differing patterns of anxiety from late childhood to late adolescence. Paper presented at the 9th Australian Institute of Family Studies Conference, Melbourne, 9-11 February 2005 (P. Letcher, A. Sanson and D. Smart).
- What is life like for young Australians today, and how well are they faring?. Paper presented at the 9th Australian Institute of Family Studies Conference, Melbourne, 9-11 February 2005 (D. Smart and A. Sanson).
- Social and emotional wellbeing in early adulthood: A report from the Australian Temperament Project, Presentation to the 2nd A21 Human Potential Project meeting, Melbourne, 4-5 November 2004 (M. Prior, A. Sanson and D. Smart).
- Pathways to social and emotional wellbeing: Lessons from a 20-year longitudinal study, Paper presented at the Australian Council for Educational Research Supporting Student Wellbeing Conference, Adelaide, 24-26 October 2004 (A. Sanson and D. Smart).
- Invited participant, Under-age Drinking Forum conducted by the Department of Health and Ageing, Melbourne, 7 October 2004 (D. Smart).
- Children’s temperament: Insights from the Australian Temperament Project, Presentation to the Western Community Child Welfare Branch, Bacchus Marsh, 30 September 2004 (D. Smart).
- Advisor, Measuring the Costs and Benefits of Adult Literacy and Numeracy Project, Australian Council for Adult Literacy (D. Smart).
- Pathways to antisocial behaviour: Findings from an Australian longitudinal study, Keynote address at the Parent Child 2004: Family Futures – Changing Families, Changing Work conference, London, 17-18 June 2004 (A. Sanson, D. Smart and ATP Team).
- An overview of the Australian Temperament Project, Presentation at the A21 Human Potential Project Meeting, Melbourne, 25-26 May 2004 (D. Smart).
- External reviewer, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology(D. Smart).
- Aspirations for relationships, marriage and parenthood: Views of young people and their parents, Paper presented at the 8th Australian Institute of Family Studies Conference, Melbourne, 12-14 February 2003 (D. Smart).
- Connections between child temperament, couple relationship quality and adolescent well-being: Reciprocity or independence?, Paper presented at the 8th Australian Institute of Family Studies Conference, Melbourne, 12-14 February 2003 (R. Parker and D. Smart).
- Social competence in young adulthood: Development and antecedents, Paper presented at the 8th Australian Institute of Family Studies Conference, Melbourne, 12-14 February 2003 (D. Smart and A. Sanson).
- Parent-child relationships and their connections to adolescent wellbeing, Paper presented at the 8th Australian Institute of Family Studies Conference, Melbourne, 12-14 February 2003 (A. Sanson, P. Letcher and D. Smart).
- Risk and protection factors for adolescent substance use: When does the prevention paradox apply?, Paper presented at the Kettil Bruun Society Thematic Meeting, Fremantle, 24-27 February 2003 (T. Stockwell, J. Toumbourou, P. Letcher, D.
- Introduction to the Australian Temperament Project, Presentation at the launch of the First report on patterns and precursors of adolescent anti-social behaviour from the collaborative project between the Australian Institute of Family Studies and Crime Prevention Victoria, Melbourne Convention Centre, Melbourne, 31 October 2002 (A. Sanson).
- Children’s development and adjustment: Some lessons from longitudinal research, Presentation at the launch of the Report, Boys aged 9-12 in the services of Anglicare Victoria: A three month population study, Anglicare Victoria, St James’ Conference Centre, Melbourne, 21 October 2002 (A. Sanson).
- Adolescent antisocial behaviour and depression: An examination of competing models, Poster paper presented at the XVIIth Biennial Meeting of the International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development Conference, Ottawa, 2- 6 August 2002 (D. Smart, A. Sanson, P. Letcher and J. Toumbourou).
- Prediction of adolescent depression from childhood internalising behaviour: An analysis from the Australian Temperament Project, Paper presented at the Queensland University of Technology’s Seventh International Health Summer School Life-Course Perspectives on Health and Wellbeing Conference, 19-21 November 2001 (co-authors: I. Williams, J. Toumbourou and D. Smart).
- "Predictors of adolescent drug use: Data from the Australian Temperament Project. Presentation to the Centre for Youth Drug Studies, Australian Drug Foundation, Melbourne, 23 October 2001.