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Measuring life events in an adolescent population: methodological issues and related findings

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Elizabeth Monck  and
Rebecca Dobbs
Elizabeth Monck*
Affiliation:
Department of Child Psychiatry, Institute of Child Health, University of London
Rebecca Dobbs
Affiliation:
Department of Child Psychiatry, Institute of Child Health, University of London
*
1Address for correspondence: Mrs Elizabeth Monck, Department of Psychological Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street, London WC1 3JH.
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Synopsis

Issues surrounding the collection of accurate information about the life events of girls aged 15–20 were tested on 67 mother/daughter pairs in a community sample. The Bedford system of classifying and rating the events was modified to accommodate the perspective of an adolescent. Mothers recalled fewer events than their daughters, but the difference was most marked for the ‘severe’ events of girls aged over 17. There was a marked fall-off in the reporting of severe and non-severe events after the 30th week, and a significant difference between the rate of events in the furthest 6 months, compared with the proximal 6 months.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 15 , Issue 4 , November 1985 , pp. 841 - 850
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1985

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