Researching the Family: A Guide to Survey and Statistical Data on U.S. Families.

This guide catalogs and describes over 60 major survey and statistical databases containing useful information about the characteristics, experiences, and behavior of U.S. families and is designed to assist researchers in locating suitable databases. The surveys described deal with substantive issues, including health, education, employment and unemployment, poverty, crime, family formation and dissolution, child development, and substance abuse. Most surveys were federally funded and nearly all were based on large national data collections using true probability samples. For each survey or statistical program, material is presented on the purpose of the effort, the sponsoring agency, and the design of the study, including sample size, how often the survey has been conducted, and completion rate. The content of the survey instrument or data collection form is summarized by listing topics covered. Gaps and biases in the data are identified for each study. The guide lists articles that have made use of major data sets, and gives contact information for persons who can provide additional information on each database. Also included for each study are checklists showing what the survey or data collection form provides in the way of descriptive material about the families covered in the sample, including family-level characteristics, adult family member characteristics, and child characteristics. The guide's introduction describes a family-based approach to social policy, suggests uses for the databases, discusses advantages and drawbacks of using existing databases for research, and suggests improvements in survey data on families. (Author/JC)