Chapter 1: Introduction

• 1.1 The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY97)
• 1.2 The NLS
• 1.3 NLSY97 Sample
• 1.4 Content of the NLSY97
• 1.5 NLSY97 Data Releases
• 1.6 Organization of This Guide

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1.1 The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY97)

The NLSY97 is the newest survey in the National Longitudinal Surveys (NLS) program.  The survey is designed to be representative of people living in the United States in 1997 who were born between 1980 and 1984.  Thus, many of the oldest youths (age 16 as of December 31, 1996) were still in school at the time of the first survey, and the youngest respondents (age 12) had not yet entered the labor market.  The NLSY97 cohort includes 8,984 individuals.

Through the NLSY97, researchers can investigate characteristics defining the transition that today's youths make from school to the labor market and into adulthood.  To facilitate this research, the NLSY97 collects extensive information on youths' labor market behavior and educational experiences.  Data on their family and community backgrounds are included in the survey, and in round 1, information was collected from one of each youth's parents.  Youths also took the computer adaptive form of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (CAT-ASVAB), which measures knowledge and skills in multiple areas including reading and mathematics.  Information has been gathered from high schools in the sample areas where the respondents live, and transcripts are obtained as the youths leave high school.  This information will help researchers assess the impact of schooling and other environmental factors on these newest labor market entrants.  Data from the NLSY97 will also aid in determining how youth experiences relate to establishing a career, participating in government programs, and forming a family.  Over time, information from the NLSY97 will allow researchers to compare the progress of this cohort to that of the earlier NLS cohorts.

This detailed guide is designed for researchers who are either working or planning to work with the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY97). Users who are interested in a general overview of the NLS surveys may visit www.bls.gov/nls.htm. Users may also wish to read recent issues of NLS News, a quarterly newsletter, available on-line at www.bls.gov/nls/nlsnews.htm. For those not familiar with the NLS, a brief overview of the NLSY97 and the other NLS cohorts follows.

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1.2 The NLS

The National Longitudinal Surveys (NLS) are a set of surveys sponsored by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor.  These surveys have gathered information at multiple points in time on the labor market experiences of diverse groups of men and women.  Each of the NLS samples consists of several thousand individuals, some of whom have been surveyed over several decades.  The earliest NLS interviews began in 1966 under the original sponsorship of the Office of Manpower, Automation, and Training (now the Employment and Training Administration).  These cohorts were chosen in an effort to understand specific issues pertaining to the U.S. labor market, such as retirement, the return of housewives to the labor force, and the school-to-work transition.  Since that time, however, the surveys have been expanded to provide useful information on an extremely broad range of topics.

The first four cohorts (Older Men, Mature Women, Young Men, and Young Women) were selected in the mid-1960s because each faced important labor market decisions that were of special concern to policy makers.  Each of these cohorts contained an oversample of black Americans.  Although the initial plan called for only a 5-year period of interviewing, high retention rates and widespread research interest led investigators to continue the surveys.  In 1977, a survey of all known NLS data users and the recommendations of a panel of experts convened by the Department of Labor resulted in two decisions.  The first was to continue the surveys of the four Original Cohorts for at least an additional five years (as long as attrition did not become a problem).  The second decision was to begin a new longitudinal study of a panel of young men and young women.

This new study was initiated to permit a replication of the analysis of the 1960s Young Men and Young Women cohorts and to assist in the evaluation of the expanded employment and training programs for youth legislated by the 1977 amendments to the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA).  To these ends, in 1978 a national probability sample was drawn of young women and young men living in the United States and born between January 1, 1957, and December 31, 1964.  This sample included an overrepresentation of blacks, Hispanics or Latinos, and economically disadvantaged non-black/non-Hispanics.  With funding from the U.S. Department of Defense and the Armed Services, an additional group of young persons serving in the military was selected for interviewing.  This sample of civilian and military youth, called the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 (NLSY79), was first interviewed in 1979 and has been re-interviewed regularly since that date.

The Children of the NLSY79 survey, begun in 1986, further enhanced the NLS.  With funding from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and a number of additional government agencies and organizations, detailed information on the development of children born to NLSY79 women has supplemented the data on mothers and children collected during the regular youth surveys.  During these biennial surveys, a battery of child cognitive, socio-emotional, and physiological assessments has been administered to NLSY79 mothers and their children.  In addition to these assessments, the Children of the NLSY79 are also asked a number of questions in an interview setting.  Since 1994, children age 15 and older, the "Young Adults," have replied to a separate survey with questions similar to those asked of their mothers.

With the aging of the NLSY79 cohort, another longitudinal cohort was started.  The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY97)  collects information on the circumstances that influence or are influenced by the labor market behaviors of youth ages 12-16 as of December 31, 1996.  Data on the youth's educational experiences, along with his or her family and community backgrounds, are also included in the survey.  Documenting the transition from school to work, this survey is designed to be representative of the 1997 U.S. population born during between 1980 and 1984.

Information on sample sizes, interview years, and the current survey status of each NLS respondent group is presented in Table 1 below.

1.2 Table 1. The NLS: Survey Groups, Sample Sizes, Interview Years & Status

Round 10 of the NLSY97 is in the field from October 2006 to June 2007. The fielding period for round 11 is scheduled to begin in October 2007. Since only nine rounds of data are available to the public, this guide discusses only those rounds.  Information on the content of the round 10 survey is available at http://www.bls.gov/nls/nlsdoc.htm (click on NLSY97 Questionnaires).

Administration of the NLS:  Responsibility for the administration of the NLS resides with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Labor.  These surveys are part of a longitudinal research program that includes in-house analyses and other special projects.  The NLS program is housed within the Office of Employment and Unemployment Statistics at BLS.

BLS contracts with the Center for Human Resource Research (CHRR) at The Ohio State University and the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago to manage the NLS program, share in the design of the survey instruments, disseminate the data, and interview respondents.

The project is assisted in its efforts by the NLS Technical Review Committee.  Meeting twice each year, committee members provide recommendations regarding questionnaire design, additional survey topics, potential research uses, methodological issues, data distribution, and user services.  The committee is multidisciplinary, reflecting the wide range of social scientists utilizing NLS data.

Ultimate responsibility rests with BLS for overseeing all aspects of the work undertaken by other organizations.  For more information about the administration of the NLS program, contact:

The National Longitudinal Surveys
Bureau of Labor Statistics
fax:  (202) 691-7425
e-mail:  NLS_Info (at) bls.gov
Web site:  www.bls.gov/nls

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1.3 NLSY97 Sample

The design of the NLSY97 sample allows researchers to analyze the experiences both of the population as a whole and also of groups such as Hispanics or Latinos and blacks.  Chapter 2 of this guide details the NLSY97 sample design and fielding procedures; a brief overview of the sample composition is provided here.  Two subsamples comprise the NLSY97 cohort:

1. a cross-sectional sample of 6,748 respondents, which is designed to be representative of people living in the United States during the initial survey round and born between January 1, 1980, and December 31, 1984; and

2. a supplemental sample of 2,236 respondents, which is designed to oversample Hispanic or Latino and black people living in the United States during the initial survey round and born during the same period as the cross-sectional sample.

Table 1 lists the sample size in rounds 1-9 by the subsample, race/ethnicity, and gender of respondents.

1.3 Table 1. NLSY97 Sample Sizes by Subsample, Race/Ethnicity & Gender

Data hint

The sample type (i.e., cross-sectional or oversample) of a respondent is identified in variable CV_SAMPLE_TYPE (R12358.).

Multiple Respondent Households

In the NLSY97 cohort, 8,984 respondents originated from 6,819 unique households.  Because the sample design selected all household residents in the appropriate age range, 1,862 households included more than one NLSY97 respondent.  Table 2 lists the numbers of respondents living in multiple respondent households during the initial survey round.  The most common relationship between multiple respondents living in the same household during the first round was that of siblings. 

1.3 Table 2. Round 1 Distribution
of NLSY97 Respondents by Household Type

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1.4 Content of the NLSY97

The primary purpose of the NLSY97 is to collect data on youth labor force experiences and investments in education.  However, the actual content of the NLSY97 is much broader due to the interests of other governmental agencies besides BLS.  The following special sets of questions have been funded as indicated:

1. Various questions in the self-administered portion of the Youth Questionnaire, including questions on health, fertility, and social relationships, have been funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).

2. The 1996 and 2000 school surveys, which collected information from all high schools with a 12^th grade in the 147 NLSY97 primary sampling units as well as the collection and coding of high school transcripts, were funded by the Department of Education.  See section 4.2.5, "School & Transcript Surveys," for details and availability information.

3. Questions on crime and criminal activities found in the self-administered portion of the Youth Questionnaire were sponsored by the Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.  These questions are described in section 4.5.5, "Crime, Delinquency & Arrest."

4. The round 1 administration of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB), a military enlistment test which was given to NLSY97 respondents, was jointly sponsored by the Departments of Defense and Labor.  See section 4.1.2, "Administration of the CAT-ASVAB," for further details. 

The wide range of employment, education, and background information in the NLSY97 has been gathered in several different survey instruments.  Briefly, the Screener, Household Roster, and Nonresident Roster Questionnaire identified youths eligible for the survey and collected demographic information on household occupants and key nonresident relatives during the initial survey round.  The Youth Questionnaire, administered each round, asks the youth about a number of topics, including employment, schooling, family background, health, and attitudes and behaviors.  The round 1 Parent Questionnaire interviewed one of the youth's parents about the youth's history and status and about key aspects of the parent's own life.  School and transcript surveys collected information in several rounds about schools in the NLSY97 sample areas and the academic records of NLSY97 respondents.  The administration of the computer adaptive form of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery during round 1 to most NLSY97 respondents will provide researchers with a common aptitude score when the data are available publicly.  Finally, in rounds 2-5, data about family income were collected from one of the respondent's parents using the Household Income Update.  The contents of these survey instruments are described in the following paragraphs.

Screener, Household Roster, and Nonresident Roster Questionnaire (round 1)

This instrument was initially administered to a member of each household selected for sampling in the NLSY97 survey areas.  It was completed by a household resident age 18 or older, referred to as the household informant.  This questionnaire was used to identify youths potentially eligible for the NLSY97 survey and/or the administration of the computer adaptive version of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (CAT-ASVAB), a military enlistment test (see section 4.1.2 for more information).  In general, eligibility for either group was dependent on the youth's age and, in some sample areas, on the youth's race or ethnicity.  Section 2.1, "Sample Design & Screening Process," provides more detailed information about the precise age and race/ethnicity requirements.  This instrument comprised four sections:  the simple screener, extended screener, household roster, and nonresident roster, administered in that order and described below. Question names for the simple and extended screeners begin with "SE," household roster questions begin with "SH," and nonresident roster questions begin with "SN."

The simple screener section was first administered at each household in the sample areas to identify potentially eligible sample members.  The simple screener collected the name and birth date or age of each person who could be linked to the household (see section 2.1, "Sample Design & Screening Process," for more information).  If the household contained a youth potentially eligible for the NLSY97 or the administration of the CAT-ASVAB, the household informant completed the extended screener.  This section collected the gender and race/ethnicity of each person in the household and the year in school the potentially eligible youth was currently attending, if any.  Race and ethnicity were used in supplemental sample areas as further criteria for NLSY97 eligibility; in certain cases grade in school affected eligibility for the administration of the CAT-ASVAB.  If the household contained a youth eligible only for the administration of the CAT-ASVAB, the interviewer solicited his or her participation.  If the household included one or more youths potentially eligible for the NLSY97, the interview continued with an extensive two-part roster.

The household informant first answered the questions in the household roster section of the Screener, Household Roster, and Nonresident Roster Questionnaire.  This section established the relationships between household occupants and collected basic demographic information (e.g., marital status, highest grade of schooling completed, employment status) for all household members, including any NLSY97-eligible youths.  After the roster was created, one parent of the sample youth was chosen from the list of household occupants and asked to participate in the Parent Questionnaire (see "Choice of Parent" in section 2.2, "Interview Methods," for a description of this process).  Finally, the household informant was administered the nonresident roster section, which gathered data on members of the youth's immediate family (e.g., biological, adoptive, or stepparents; biological or adoptive siblings; spouse; biological children; parent of the youth's biological children) who lived elsewhere at the survey date.

Youth Questionnaire

In each survey round, the Youth Questionnaire is administered to every respondent.  This instrument focuses on the youth's schooling and employment activities; the hour-long interview also collects extensive data on the respondent's family background, social behavior, and health status.  Table 1 lists the name given to each of the major sections included in the Youth Questionnaire and provides a brief, general description of the kinds of information collected in each section.  The abbreviations for each section are incorporated into the question names for this survey; they are included here for reference.

1.4 Table 1. Content of the Youth Questionnaire

Parent Questionnaire (round 1)

The Parent Questionnaire collected extensive background information from one of the youth's biological parents.  If no biological parent lived in the respondent's primary household, another adult household member was selected for the Parent Questionnaire according to predetermined criteria (see "Choice of Parent" in section 2.2, "Interview Methods," for a detailed description of this process).  In the Parent Questionnaire, the resident adult was asked to provide information about his or her activities and the activities of the NLSY97 youth.  General questions also determined the family's nationality, religious orientation, and community environment.  The names and abbreviations given in Table 2 refer to the major sections included in the round 1 Parent Questionnaire.  This table also includes a brief, general description of the subsets of questions asked within each major section.

1.4 Table 2. Content of the Parent Questionnaire

Household Income Update (Rounds 2-5)

In rounds 2-5, the Household Income Update gathered basic income information concerning the respondent's parent and his or her spouse/partner in the absence of a detailed parent questionnaire.  If the youth respondent lived with a parent, this questionnaire collected the parent's total pre-tax income from wages, salaries, commissions, and tips during the past calendar year; the same data for the parent's spouse or partner; and the total pre-tax amount of any other income (i.e., farm or business income, inheritances, child support, government programs) received by the parent and spouse/partner together.  These data were collected for the respondent's current household regardless of his or her residence during the past calendar year.  Question names for the variables based on the Household Income Update begin with "HIU." Beginning with round 6, no Household Income Update was conducted because all respondents were at least 18.

School and Transcript Surveys

Designed with an emphasis on the school-to-work transition, the NLSY97 also gathered information from two school surveys conducted by mail with telephone follow-up.  In the winters of 1996-97 and 2000-01, all high schools with a 12^th grade in the 147 NLSY97 primary sampling units were asked to participate.  The 2000 sample also included vocational schools.  Participating school administrators provided detailed data on the characteristics of the school, the staff, and the student body.  Additional information included the school's general practices, graduation policies, and school-to-work programs.  Due to confidentiality restrictions, access to these data is limited; interested researchers should email BLS at NLS_Info (at) bls.gov for more information.

At two separate points in time, the NLSY97 program also collected educational information about respondents directly from their high schools.  The NLSY97 transcript survey sought high school transcripts in 1999-2000 (Wave 1) and in 2004 (Wave 2) for respondents who either had graduated from high school or were age 18 or older and no longer enrolled in high school.  Transcript data was received for 1,417 respondents in Wave 1 and 4,815 respondents in Wave 2 for a combined total of 6,232 respondents.  Based on these transcripts, survey staff constructed a series of variables describing each respondent's high school experience.

Administration of the CAT-ASVAB

The Department of Defense (DOD) used the NLSY97 sample as part of a larger effort to establish new norms for the computer adaptive form of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (CAT-ASVAB), a military enlistment test.  Administered from summer 1997 to spring 1998, the CAT-ASVAB collected baseline information on the aptitudes and vocational interests of NLSY97 respondents.  Additionally, the CAT-ASVAB was administered to a group of participants age 17-23 who were sampled at the same time as NLSY97 respondents (see section 4.1.2, "Administration of the CAT-ASVAB," for more information).  A number of ASVAB variables are included in the round 4 data; section 4.1.2 contains details the types of information currently available and the additional variables planned for future release.

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1.5 NLSY97 Data Releases

NLSY97 data are available to the public via download from www.bls.gov/nls (no charge).  Geocode files containing detailed geographic information are also available; this restricted-use data is only available on CD.  Table 1 presents brief descriptions of these NLSY97 data files.  Subsequent data releases will be announced in NLS News, the quarterly NLS newsletter.

1.5 Table 1. Data Releases

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1.6 Organization of This Guide

The NLSY97 User's Guide is designed for researchers who are either working or planning to work with the NLSY97 data.  Users interested in a general overview of NLS cohorts can go to www.bls.gov/nls.  The remainder of this guide is organized as follows:

Chapter 2 presents a description of the procedures used to select the cohort members and the interview methods used during each survey round. This chapter also provides information about the size and composition of the sample, attrition after round 1, and the creation and use of sampling weights.

Chapter 3 describes the various survey instruments, types of variables, and available documentation, as well as the search options included in the data set.

Chapter 4, the topical portion of this guide, presents summary discussions of sets of variables. Each section details the NLSY97 variables and refers the user to the portion of the survey containing questions in the topical area, as well as to other related supporting documentation. The user is also directed to related sections within this guide and to the relevant areas of interest in the data set. The table of contents lists the topics and corresponding subtopics found in this chapter. The topical discussions are arranged alphabetically by topic (e.g., "Employment," then "Event History"); the subtopics are also in alphabetical order (e.g., "Fringe Benefits," then "Gaps in Employment") within each topic. Persons interested in reviewing, for example, variables containing data on a respondent's rate of pay should turn to the "Employment" section and examine the subtopic "Wages."

Chapter 5 discusses methodological issues, including item nonresponse, interview validation, and interviewer remarks.

Throughout the guide, the sections may include "user notes," which contain important information about some characteristic of the surveys or data file, and "data hints," which direct researchers to a particular variable or variables that should be used for a specific function. These boxed paragraphs are valuable sources of advice about idiosyncratic aspects of the data set.

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