Welcome to the Bergen Child Study

The Bergen Child Study (BCS) is a longitudinal cohort study that started in 2002 with the aim to follow children born in Bergen 1993 – 95 from early school age to college.The aim of the study is to gain knowledge that can contribute to better mental healthcare for children and adolescentsThe Bergen Child Study is internationally among the most substantial research studies on children’s mental health and their development. Questions relating to the lifestyle of the participants, such as school functioning, family situation and social life are also included in the study.

The Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare (RKBU West), Uni Research is responsible for the study and it is approved by the Regional Committee for Medical Research Ethics, West-Norway, and the Norwegian Data Inspectorate.

 

The data collection waves

The study consists of four data collection waves, and the first three of them, at ages 7-9, 11-13 and 14-16 years, were carried out in 2002/03, 2006 and 2009. The final data collection wave, at the age of 17 -19, was carried out in the spring 2012 and work on this dataset is still ongoing.

We have asked the children themselves, their parents/legal guardians and their teachers to answer our questionnaires and some of the children have in addition to this been involved in more detailed assessments including clinical interviews and tests.

 

 History of the Bergen Child Study

In the 1990s the Norwegian government decided on an expanded plan for mental healthcare, where one aim was to provide increased resources for children and youth. At that time there was little knowledge of the extent of mental healthcare needed for this group, and this was the main reason for establishing the Bergen Child Study.

 

More information?

Please direct any queries you may have about the BCS to Hilde Sakariassen on +47 55 58 86 95 or send an e-mail to bib@uib.no