Ukrainian Longitudinal Study (ULS)

ULS is a monitoring of the impact of various factors on the health of Ukrainian children throughout life (in the basic research module starting from the sixth grade) with a special focus on risky behavior in relation to their own health (primarily risk factors for addictive behavior). The project has been implemented since 2019 and is a continuation of the Ukrainian-American project on the development of infrastructure for dependent behavior research Capacity Building for Lifespan Focused Substance Use Disorder Research in Ukraine.

Objective: to study changes in the behavior and health of individual participants over a long period of time with special attention to harmful forms of behavior - alcohol abuse, drugs, deviant behavior, etc. (starting from sixth grade, 11-12 years).

Procedure: ULS – is a longitudinal study, i.e., every year we interview the same children and their parents and plan to continue it as long as possible (5, 10, 15 years, as long as we can keep in touch with them).

Research design: The study is modeled after the Michigan Longitudinal Study, which has been running for 33 years. Its authors from the University of Michigan Addiction Center have endorsed our methodology and are assisting in conducting surveys and publishing its results in the world's best journals included in the world's scientometric databases Scopus and Web of Science. The Kostyuk National Institute of Psychology and has approved the study’s methods and recommended them for use in the psychological practice in Ukraine.

Geographical coverage: the study was launched throughout Ukraine with a special focus on 4 regions: East, South, Center and West.

Method: ULS tools are based on the most cited in the world of science multidimensional methods of analyzing the behavior of the child - we use multi-informant approach and interview both children and their parents. This approach allows to build an better picture of intrafamilial processes and dynamics . The data are also collected on bullying, addictive and suicidal behaviors, mental and physical health, and more.

Instruction for researchers: ULS 2021 Instruction (web-based survey)

Publication with a description of diagnostic tools of the first wave of research:

Ukrainian Longitudinal Study (ULS): Methodical recommendations for the use of psychodiagnostic instruments of the first wave of research / [Maksymenko S.D., Danylenko G.M., Linsky I.V. and others]; NAPS of Ukraine, G.S. Kostyuk Institute of Psychology; NAMS of Ukraine, SI Institute of Child and Adolescent Health, SI Institute of Neurology, Psychiatry and Addiction; Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs; Wayne State University. - Kyiv: G.S. Kostyuk Institute of Psychology, National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine, 2019. - 68 p. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.33825.35683

https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.33825.35683

Research partner institutions and principal investigators:

  • G.S. Kostyuk Institute of Psychology of the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine, Director of the Institute, full member of the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine, Doctor of Psychological Sciences, Professor Serhiy Dmytrovych Maksymenko;
  • Ukrainian Scientific and Methodological Center for Practical Psychology and Social Work (psychological service), Director of the Center, Doctor of Psychological Sciences, Professor, Vitaliy Hryhorovych Panok;
  • State Institution "Institute of Child and Adolescent Health of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine", Director of the Institute Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Danylenko Heorhii Mykolayovych;
  • State Institution "Institute of Neurology, Psychiatry and Narcology of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine", Director of the Institute, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Igor Volodymyrovych Linsky;
  • Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs, Deputy Head of the Research Laboratory on Crime Enforcement, Ph.D. in Sociology, Associate Professor Serdiuk Oleksii Oleksandrovych;
  • Wayne University School of Social Work (USA), Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work and Psychology Viktor V. Burlaka.
  • University of Michigan Addiction Center (USA), Center Directors Robert Zucker and Maureen Walton.

Press conference 2019: https://youtu.be/GOsDspKBng0

Press conference 2020: https://youtu.be/pATQObWLIps

The press conferences present data on drug use research conducted by Kharkiv scientists, including the Ukrainian Longitudinal Research and Youth and Drugs studies, and provide an overview of prevention programs and new studies on addictive behavior. Specialists of KhNUIA, IOZDP and INPN NAMS of Ukraine answer questions about the factors that lead to drug use, the dynamics of their distribution among young people, the peculiarities of combating the spread of drugs, and provide an overview of prevention.

Speakers:

State Institution "Institute of Health Care of Children and Adolescents of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine", Director of the Institute Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Danylenko Heorhiiy Mykolayovych.

State Institution "Institute of Neurology, Psychiatry and Narcology of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine", Director of the Institute, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Igor Volodymyrovych Linsky.

Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs, Deputy Head of the Research Laboratory on Crime Enforcement, Ph.D. in Sociology, Associate Professor Oleksii Oleksandrovych Serdyuk.