Support #1424
Stability of resp ethnicity over time
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Description
Hi,
I'm investigating the degree to which individuals retain or change their ethnicity over time, particularly from childhood (where their ethnicity is likely reported on their behalf by a parent) to adulthood (where they probably self-identify their ethnicity). I've been trying to work out whether the Understanding Society main survey data is viable for exploring these questions.
I've been able to work out from the really excellent documentation on the main website that adults are not asked for their ethnicity in each wave of the survey (which might have allowed me to see whether their ethnicity remains the same across waves or changes). They are instead asked once in the first wave they take part in. I have not so far been able to answer a handful of other questions I have, which I wondered if you might be able to help me with.
- I'm aware that the household reference person will answer questions about children under the age of 10 in the household on their behalf. Is there a question which is asked to ascertain the child's ethnicity? If so, I take it that this only asked in one wave?
- I'm aware that children between the age of 10 and 15 self-complete the youth questionnaire, and that this youth questionnaire asks these children to self-identify their ethnicity. Is the ethnicity question only asked in one wave, in the same way as the main adult questionnaire?
- If a child completes the youth questionnaire and is asked their ethnicity in one wave, and then in a subsequent wave becomes old enough to complete the main survey themselves, would they be asked their ethnicity again in the main survey or would the ethnicity recorded from the earlier youth questionnaire be carried over? Likewise, if the answer to my first question is yes, would a respondent whose ethnicity is defined for them as a <10 year old child then be asked for their ethnicity in the youth questionnaire and main questionnaire when they become old enough to complete them?
I suppose these questions can be summed up in one question, which is: are respondents, at any point in their life and involvement with the survey, asked about their ethnicity (either by proxy of self-identified) on more than one occasion (so that a comparison and measure of stability could be made)?
Thank you very much for everything you do!
Updated by Alita Nandi over 3 years ago
- Status changed from New to Feedback
- Assignee set to Alex Mathers
- % Done changed from 0 to 80
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Hello,
You are right. Here is a summary:
Those who enter the survey as adults (16+) are asked the question once, the first time they were interviewed: RACEL (or the version for telephone)
Those you complete a youth questionnaire (10-15 year olds) are asked the ethnic group question every other year: YPRACE (in Waves 1 3 5 7 9)
When sample members turn 16 and are eligible for an adult interview, they get asked the ethnic group question RACE.
So, those who were interviewed when they were 10-15 year olds in at least one of the Waves 1-3-5-7-9 and then as adults would have at least two measures of ethnic group: YPRACE and RACEL
Best wishes,
Understanding Society User Support Team
Updated by Alex Mathers over 3 years ago
Alita Nandi wrote:
Hello,
You are right. Here is a summary:
Those who enter the survey as adults (16+) are asked the question once, the first time they were interviewed: RACEL (or the version for telephone)
Those you complete a youth questionnaire (10-15 year olds) are asked the ethnic group question every other year: YPRACE (in Waves 1 3 5 7 9)
When sample members turn 16 and are eligible for an adult interview, they get asked the ethnic group question RACE.
So, those who were interviewed when they were 10-15 year olds in at least one of the Waves 1-3-5-7-9 and then as adults would have at least two measures of ethnic group: YPRACE and RACEL
Best wishes,
Understanding Society User Support Team
Thank you Alita, that's really useful.
Can I take it from your reply then that the ethnicities of children under 10 are not recorded in the main survey (via proxy reporting from the household reference person)?
Many thanks again!
Alex
Updated by Alita Nandi over 3 years ago
Yes, but there is one exception: When the Immigrant and Ethnic Minority Boost sample was added in Wave 6, ethnic group was asked about everyone in the household including children and non-respondents - an adult who completed the household grid answered these questions. You will find these variables, f_indethg1-f_indethg96 in f_indall. These variables take a value of 1 if that ethnic group is mentioned and 0 otherwise. The values of these variables are only available for those in IEMB samples (f_hhorig = 8)
Updated by Understanding Society User Support Team about 3 years ago
- Status changed from Feedback to Resolved
- Assignee deleted (
Alex Mathers) - % Done changed from 80 to 100