This appendix presents SAS programs for the creation of variables related to the respondent's family background, household, marriage/cohabitation, and fertility. Unless otherwise noted, the programs presented are for round 20. Except for minor hand edits to account for inconsistencies in the raw data, variable creation code remains generally constant from round to round. However, users who need code for a specific round not included here may contact NLS User Services.
Click a topic below to view details and programming code:
Variables created
- CV_HH_SIZE (HHSIZE)--Household size
- CV_HH_UNDER_6 (UNDER6)--Number of household members less than 6 years old
- CV_HH_UNDER_18 (UNDER18)--Number of household members less than 18 years old
This program creates several variables describing the composition of the respondent's household: the total number of residents, the number of residents under age 6, and the number of residents under age 18.
Variables created
- CV_MARSTAT (marstat)--marital status as of interview date (10 categories coded)
- CV_MARSTAT_COLLAPSED (cmarstat)--marital status as of interview date (5 categories coded)
- CVC_FIRST_COHAB_DATE~M (cohm), CV_FIRST_COHAB_DATE~Y (cohy)--date of first cohabitation
- CVC_FIRST_MARRY_DATE~M (marm), CV_FIRST_MARRY_DATE~Y (mary)--date of first marriage
- CVC_FIRST_COHAB_MONTH (cohcm)--date of first cohabitation in continuous month format
- CVC_FIRST_MARRY_MONTH (marcm)--date of first marriage in continuous month format
- CVC_FIRST_MARRY_END_DATE~M (divorceM), CVC_FIRST_MARRY_END_DATE~Y (divorceY)--date of end of first marriage
- CVC_FIRST_MARRY_END_MONTH (divor_CM)--date of end of first marriage in continuous month formart
- CVC_FIRST_MARRY_END (end_mar)--reason first marriage ended
- CVC_COHAB_TTL (och_ttl)--total number of cohabitations
- CVC_MARRIAGES_TTL (mar_ttl)--total number of marriages
This program creates two variables that describe marital status/cohabitation status as of the interview date for respondents age 16 and older. Other respondents are valid skips (-4). Note that later partners take precedence over earlier partners.
The program also creates variables that provide the beginning and end dates of the youth's first marriage and/or cohabitation in both a continuous month scheme and as actual dates (for more information on the continuous month scheme, see Appendix 7: Continuous Month Scheme and Crosswalk), as well as the reason the first marriage ended. Summary variables count the total number of marriages and cohabitations for each youth. If a respondent is cohabiting and then marries it is considered both a cohabitation and a marriage. If someone refuses or doesn't know the full date of their marriage or cohabitation, then the spell is counted in the total variables and the date variables are coded -1 or -2 as applicable.
Open the Marital Status and Marital/Cohabitation History program file
Variables created
- CV_CHILD_BIRTH_DATE.xx~M, CV_CHILD_BIRTH_DATE.xx~Y--month and year of birth of youth's children (actual date)
- CV_CHILD_BIRTH_MONTH.xx--month of birth of youth's children (continuous month scheme)
- CV_CHILD_DEATH_DATE.xx~M, CV_CHILD_DEATH_DATE.xx~Y--month and year of death of youth's biological children
- CV_CHILD_DEATH_MONTH.xx--month of death of youth's biological children (continuous month scheme)
- CV_CHILD_STATUS.xx--status of youth's children
- CV_BIO_CHILD_HH--number of children ever born (biological, not adopted) to the youth as of the survey date and residing in the household
- CV_BIO_CHILD_NR--number of children ever born (biological, not adopted) to the youth as of the survey date not residing in the household
- CVC_TTL_BIO_CHILD--total number of biological children (collapsed variable)
This program creates a number of variables describing the youth's fertility and the current status of the youth's children. For more information on the continuous month system, see Appendix 7: Continuous Month Scheme and Crosswalk.
Variables created
- CVC_TTL_RESIDENCES
This program calculates the number of residences in which youth has lived since age 12. In round 1, the variable was created with information from the parent interview. In round 2, information collected from the respondent was combined with the round 1 variable to update the previous information. Subsequent rounds continue to update the variable with respondent-provided data (but do not use data from the Round 6 Childhood Retrospective). This variable has valid data only for respondents whose parents were interviewed in round 1; respondents with no parent interview are assigned a -3 (invalid skip).
- CVC_TTL_RESIDENCES_EDT
This program calculates a number of residences since age 12 variable only for respondents who answered the Round 6, 7 or 8 Childhood Retrospective section. This variable is then updated with information provided in each subsequent round. This variable has valid data only for respondents who went through the Childhood Retrospective section; respondents with no Childhood Retrospective data are assigned a -4 (valid skip).
Open the Total Residences since Age 12 program file
Open the Total Residences since Age 12 - Childhood Retrospective program file
Variable created
- CV_CITIZEN_CURRENT
This program creates a variable summarizing the respondent's citizenship status as of the survey date. Status is coded as citizen, born in the U.S.; citizen, naturalized; applicant for naturalization; permanent resident; applicant for residence; or other. This variable was last created in Round 15.
Note that a similar Round 1 variable, CV_CITIZENSHIP, was created using data from the Parent Questionnaire. Users who need more information on the creation of this variable should contact NLS User Services.
These variables were only created in Round 1.
Variables created
- CV_BIO_MOM_AGE_CHILD1
- CV_BIO_MOM_AGE_YOUTH
This program creates two variables which identify the age of the youth's biological mother when she gave birth to her first child and when the youth was born. Note that this program uses data from the Round 1 Parent Questionnaire, so it is only available for respondents who have a completed parent interview.
Open the Mother's Age at First Birth/Respondent's Birth program file
- At age 2, 6, and 12 from round 1 parent interview
- At age 2, 6, and 12 from rounds 7-9 childhood retrospective section (collapsed)
- At interview date - rounds 1-7
At age 2, 6, and 12 from round 1 parent interview
Variables created
- CV_YTH_REL_HH_AGE_2
- CV_YTH_REL_HH_AGE_6
- CV_YTH_REL_HH_AGE_12
This program creates variables indicating the relationship of the youth to the primary adults in the household when the youth was age 2, 6, and 12. Note that this program uses data from the Round 1 Parent Questionnaire, so it is only available for respondents who have a completed parent interview.
Open the Relationship to Household Parent Figures (Round 1 Parent Interview) program file
At age 2, 6, and 12 from rounds 7-9 childhood retrospective section (collapsed)
Variables created
- CVC_YTH_REL_HH_AGE2_YCHR
- CVC_YTH_REL_HH_AGE6_YCHR
- CVC_YTH_REL_HH_AGE12_YCHR
This program creates variables indicating the relationship of the youth to the primary adults in the household when the youth was age 2, 6, and 12. Note that this program uses data from a special "Childhood Retrospective" section included in rounds 7-9. This section, which attempted to retrieve some of the information that would have been collected in the parent questionnaire, was administered once to each respondent interviewed in any of those three rounds who did not have a round 1 parent interview. A small number of respondents with a parent interview also went through this section as a control group, so some respondents will have data for both sets of Household Parent Figure variables, but most will not.
Open the Relationship to Household Parent Figures (Rounds 7-9 Childhood Retrospective) program file
At interview date - rounds 1-7
Variable created
- CV_YTH_REL_HH_CURRENT
Available for rounds 1-7, this variable indicates the relationship of the respondent to the primary adults in the household at the time of the interview. The round 7 program is included below; previous rounds are very similar. In rounds 2-7 there was no information collected on the legal guardian of the youth, so it is not possible to determine whether respondents are living with non-parent relatives because they are guardians or because the living situation is better (e.g., closer to school, no rent). For this reason, youths above the age 18 and above are considered independent and, if they are not living with an identified parent or parent-figure (legal guardian), are put into the anything else category. Youths below the age of 18 who are not living with an identified parent or parent-figure are put into the category that most closely matches their household situation.
In some cases respondents did not report a relationship code for one or more household members (coded as -3). In such cases, if a parent/parent figure was reported in the household, the respondent received the correct code for that relationship. If no parent figure was reported and the respondent was over 18, a code of "10" was assigned. If no parent figure was reported and the respondent was under 18, a code of "-3" (invalid skip) was assigned.
Open the Relationship to Household Parent Figures (Interview Date)program file