The survey series, produced by the Church Research Institute, studies the religiosity and beliefs of continental Finns, and their relationship to the Evangelical Lutheran Chruch of Finland and other religious communities. Themes studied include supernatural phenomena, spirituality and morality, and the importance of different parish activities. The survey data have been collected as part of a separate, cross-national RISC Monitor study. The surveys are carried out by MDC RISC International and Gallup Finland (TNS Gallup, Kantar). FSD collections cover data for 1999, 2002, 2004 and 2007.
The Childcare series studies childcare subsidies, availability of early childhood education services, and childcare choices made by parents. The series consists of survey and interview data. The target group included parents and guardians of children of different ages residing in specific regions in Finland. The data were collected over a period of time from the same participants, for example so that data were first collected when the child was aged about one year, and then again when the child was aged four years.
The data for the Childcare series were collected as part of the Finnish Childcare Policies: In/Equality in Focus (CHILDCARE) research project conducted by the University of Jyväskylä and Tampere University in collaboration with the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. The research project began in October 2015 and was concluded in September 2021. The first data collection for the Childcare project took place in 2016.
Pension Barometers, launched by the Finnish Centre for Pensions, chart Finnish knowledge and opinions on retirement provision and how these views vary at different times and between demographics. The barometers examine Finns' perceptions of their financial situation when they retire and their trust in the pension system. Surveys are conducted as annual telephone interviews with 1,000 persons aged 15-79 residing in Finland. The first dataset in the series was collected in 2017, and collection rounds aim to continue up until the year 2021. Data collection is conducted by Kantar TNS Finland.
The data in the series were collected in a project entitled The Welfare State: A Resource or a Constraint, which was part of the Academy of Finland programme Economic Crisis of the 1990s: Reasons, Events and Consequences (1998-2001). The data charted the everyday consumer habits and lifestyles of Finns and their attitudes towards different habits and lifestyles as well as their standard of living, income, expenses and savings. Postal surveys collected in 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014 included both changing, topical questions and recurring questions that allow examining changes in attitudes in the longer term. Studies were mainly conducted by the units of sociology and economic sociology at the University of Turku and the Turku School of Economics.
Tampere Praksis is a collaborative project of the City of Tampere, University of Tampere (Faculty of Social Sciences, Degree Programme in Social Work), Tampere University of Applied Sciences, and Pikassos, the Centre of Excellence on Social Welfare in the regions of Kanta-Häme, Pirkanmaa and Satakunta. The main goal of the project has been to establish a cooperative structure for social services development, and social work education and study, thus combining practice, learning and research for the mutual benefit of all. The project has focused, for instance, on modelling learning in practical work, developing social services through research, promoting working life orientation of teaching, and investigating the use of social media in communication. Data has been collected for various purposes and in varied modes.
Health Promotion Barometers, formerly called Health Barometers, chart the views of municipal and organisational decision makers on the present state and the future of health promotion. In addition, the surveys investigate the respondents' attitudes towards current health issues from the administrative point of view. The surveys conducted annually 1992-2011 by the Finnish Centre for Health Promotion (nowadays SOSTE Finnish Society for Social and Health).
Finnish Attitudes towards Alcohol surveys, conducted every two years by SOSTE Finnish Federation for Social Affairs and Health, chart the opinions of Finns aged 15-79 on alcohol use and alcohol policy. Until 2010, the surveys were carried out by the Finnish Centre for Health and Welfare (Tekry ry). The first survey was conducted in 2006. Views have been studied on, among others, Finnish drinking culture, alcohol taxation, drink drive limits, alcohol advertising, and regulation of alcohol purchase and consumption. The data are collected by telephone interviews. The FSD collections cover data for 2006, 2008 and 2012.
The Department for Rescue Services of the Finnish Ministry of the Interior charts Finnish views on and knowledge of rescue and emergency services by regularly conducting the Finnish Attitudes to Rescue Services, Safety and Emergencies survey. The survey aims to collect information on views on safety, level of preparedness and the impact of information provided by rescue services. Data collection is conducted by TNS Gallup Finland (Kantar TNS). The data are collected by face-to-face interviews and are representative of the Finnish population aged 15 or over, excluding citizens living in the Åland Islands. Some thousand persons are interviewed in each survey. The FSD collections cover data for 2005, 2007, 2011 and 2014.
The research programme Finnish Local Government 2004 was a joint programme launched by the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities, universities and research centres. It was funded by Finnish municipalities and the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities. The project engaged in a systematic and comparable analysis of the development of the municipal sector in 1995-2004. The 47 municipalities participating in the programme were representative of the Finnish local government sector.
The study programme comprised of 14 research modules. For most modules, data were collected through mail surveys. The data may be used for cross-sectional or time series analysis.
The Family barometers series was launched by the Population Research Institute, a subdivision of the Finnish Family Federation, in 1996. The annual surveys revolve round family life, but each barometer has also its own theme. These have included assistance between different generations, sufficiency of public support and services, the division of domestic responsibilities, work-life balance, parenting, child-rearing, and children's pastimes and hobbies.
Central Union for Child Welfare has charted corporal punishment against children and the attitudes towards it in Finland since the 1980s. Survey questions in the archived datasets include parents' self-reported use of corporal punishment against children. The FSD collections cover data from 2004.
Sport Surveys study sporting activities and exercise habits and trends in Finland. The surveys were carried out every four years from 1994 to 2010 separately for adult population aged 19 - 65 and for younger persons aged 3 - 18. Topics covered include to what extent and how often Finns take part in sporting or recreational physical activities, what types of sport they do, the role of sports organisations, and willingness to try out new sports. Some questions focus on voluntary work carried out for sports clubs and other organisations, participation in sports events and competitions, and sport spectatorship. In this respect, the scope of the study is extended from exercising habits to citizen participation in sports.
As Finland has four distinct seasons, the data were collected year round to ensure that all types of sport are equally included. Data collection was carried out by Gallup Finland. The surveys were commissioned by,
among others, the Finnish Sports Federation (SLU) and the Young Finland Association in co-operation with the Ministry of Education and Culture. The FSD collections cover data from 2001-2002 to 2005-2006.
Child Victim Surveys chart violent experiences of children in Finland. These experiences have been surveyed since 1988. The surveys extensively study the experiences of sixth and ninth graders (people aged 12 and 15) both as victims and witnesses of violence. FSD collections cover data for 1988, 2008, 2013, and 2022.
The research series, launched by the Finnish Business and Policy Forum (EVA) in 1992, studies Finnish public opinion on EU integration. Views are probed on Finland's EU membership, the future and enlargement of the EU, European economic and fiscal policy, EMU, the European Parliament, Finnish security policy, EU subsidies and European integration as a whole. In addition, the surveys canvass citizen satisfaction with the availability of EU-related information, as well as with the way the Finnish Government and Parliament have handled EU issues.
Starting from 2001, the surveys also cover opinions on international issues in general. The surveys are commissioned by EVA, and usually carried out by Yhdyskuntatutkimus. Since 2013, EVA has not distinguished between national value and attitude surveys and EU attitude surveys. For related studies, see the EVA Surveys on Finnish Values and Attitudes series. More information on the surveys can be found on the EVA Arvopankki website (in Finnish).
Citizen Safety and Security surveys chart the Finnish public opinion on these issues. Funded by the Finnish National Rescue Association (SPEK), the surveys are conducted as telephone interviews for 18-79-year-old persons who speak Finnish as their mother tongue and live in Finland. The surveys collect views on issues such as public and personal preparedness for various threats and disruptions that endanger the functions of society or the respondents' personal safety and livelihood. In addition, views are studied on the fairness of society and which factors and actors decrease or increase their feelings of safety and security. The first data for the series were collected in 2015. Subsequently, the study has been conducted biennially with many questions repeated.
This survey series charts Finnish alcohol consumption, concentrating on consumption not recorded in statistics. The surveys investigate the use of home-made, smuggled, and privately imported alcoholic beverages, and the use of pure alcohol. At first, the surveys were carried out by the Social Research Institute of Alcohol Studies, which was annexed to the National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health (STAKES) (nowadays the National Institute for Health and Welfare ) in 1996. The FSD collections cover data from 1995 to 2002.
The Joint Statistics of Finnish Scientific Libraries data series consists primarily of annual statistics on the activities of the libraries of Finnish higher education institutions from the years 2002-2020. The statistics were collected according to the International Standard ISO 2789 International library statistics.
The statistics contain information about the National Library of Finland, Finnish university libraries, and libraries of the universities of applied sciences. Additionally, the statistics of a few special libraries are included in the data for some years. Each library was responsible for collecting their own data. The National Library of Finland was responsible for the maintenance and development of the Research Library Statistics Database, and also instructed the data collection and reviewed the data. The National Library maintained the Research Library Statistics Database 2002-2020 time series online until 2021.
The Department of Social Services and Health Care in the City of Tampere and the UKK Institute launched this joint research project in 1990. Tampere Health and Social Surveys cover the health of the citizens in Tampere and the use of social and health services. The surveys were carried out in a relatively similar manner every three years from 1990 to 2008. The archive contains the surveys from 1996 onwards. Most of the questions are repeated in all surveys, which allows the datasets to be compared over time.
Nyyti ry is a Finnish non-profit organisation supporting student wellbeing. The organisation conducted surveys from 2011 to 2015 among university students, focusing on their experiences and feelings during the first phase of their studies. Questions cover transfer to a new location and place of study, everyday life there, start of studies and support received, student organisation and tutor activities, and the role of alcohol in student life.
Children and Youth Leisure Surveys chart the leisure time of Finns aged 7-29. The series began life as Youth Leisure Surveys, but the target population was later expanded to also include children aged 7 or older.
The surveys primarily focus in life and activities occurring outside of school, work and other institutions. In addition to repeated questions, there is a changing main theme on each collection round.
The Workplace Well-Being in the Public Sector surveys chart working the working conditions and workplace well-being of public sector employees in Finland. The Workplace Well-Being in the Public Sector surveys are a follow-up to the Kuntatyöntekijöiden työhyvinvointi surveys ("Workplace Well-Being of Municipal Employees") which were carried out between 2008 and 2012. The respondents include employees from municipalities, government agencies and churches encompassing various professional fields. The surveys are conducted every other year by Keva, the pension provider for public sector employees in Finland. The first survey was conducted in 2014.
The surveys collect information on the workplace well-being, workload management, managerial work, and work processes of public sector employees. Other areas of interest are the functioning of work communities, positive attitude towards development and perceived violence, inappropriate treatment, and equality. The content of the surveys has mostly remained the same throughout the collection period. The surveys enable the monitoring of changes in the working conditions of the target group.
Finnish Science Barometers study attitudes towards science and research. Topics cover usefulness, quality and ethics of science, benefits and risks of scientific and technological development, and world-view. The first barometer was conducted in 2001, after which data have been collected at three-year intervals. The surveys are commissioned by Tieteen tiedotus ry and carried out by Yhdyskuntatutkimus.
The survey series charts the physical, mental and social health of undergraduate students of higher education institutions in Finland. Other main themes include health-related behaviour and associated attitudes, social relationships, studies and financing studies, opinions on and the use of student health services. In addition to core questions, each survey contains questions on particular themes. The surveys were conducted by the Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS) at four-year intervals between 2000 and 2016. The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare and the Social Insurance Institution of Finland proceeded to conduct the study from 2021 onwards as the University Student Health and Well-being Surveys.
The parish employee surveys study the values, attitudes and opinions of persons employed by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. Themes of the surveys include, among others, parish activities and culture, church services, and the employees' religious beliefs. The surveys also chart opinions on various topical issues, such as equality and climate change. Data collection is organised by the Church Research Institute. FSD collections cover data from 2002 onwards.
The survey series was launched in 1983 at the University of Tampere, and was initially financed by the energy company Imatran Voima (later known as the Fortum Corporation). Finnish public opinion on energy policy issues was studied by annual mail surveys. Comparative data allow detailed empirical analysis and systematic follow-up of citizen perceptions, opinions, beliefs, knowledge, values, and attitudes on these matters.
The surveys were carried out by Yhdyskuntatutkimus and jointly produced by the Fortum Corporation (Imatran Voima until 1998) and Teollisuuden Voima (TVO). The Finnish Energy Industries (ET) was responsible for publishing the results from 2004 onwards. The data collection for this series has been finished, but the same themes are studied in the Finnish Energy Attitudes series.
The Welfare and Inequality in Finland survey series charts Finnish attitudes to and experiences of welfare and inequality. The themes of welfare and inequality are explored with various questions and statements on well-being, the respondents' state of mind, perceived status in society, safety, and financial circumstances. The data archived at FSD include data from 2012, 2016, 2017-2018, and 2020.
The series contains data suitable for qualitative and quantitative research. Data were collected from staff and clients at A-clinics and other institutions treating people with substance abuse problems.
Main topics included substance use background of clients and their experiences of substance abuse treatment, staff background, their career choice, treatment methods used etc.
Police Barometers are conducted by the Police Department of the Finnish Ministry of the Interior and since 2016 by the Police University College. The surveys chart Finnish respondents' (aged over 15) attitudes towards the role, activities, and services of the police. Citizens' fears, crime risk, and opinions on national security are also covered. FSD collections cover data from 1999 onwards.
The joint research project of the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (KELA) and the Department of Social Policy at the University of Turku focuses on Finnish experiences and opinions on welfare, social policy and social security. The survey series studies respondents' (aged between 18 and 74) main economic activity, employment status, health, housing, experiences of unemployment, social benefits and income transfers received, financial circumstances, and standard of living on the whole.
Themes covered also include social relations, life events and life control. The surveys are comparable to a large extent. The FSD collections cover data for 1995, 1996, 1998 and 2000.
The survey series charts the extent and type of voluntary activities of Finnish residents aged 15 and over. Taloustutkimus collected the data via face-to-face interviews in 2010, 2015 and 2018. The studies have been commissioned by Citizen Forum as well as the National Church Council, HelsinkiMissio and Sivis Study Centre.
The survey series contains data on substance use related cases in different social and health services as well as in prisons and community sanctions offices. Data collection is conducted every four years on the second Tuesday of October. The survey has been conducted since 1987 and the data have been archived at FSD from the 2003 survey onwards. The survey questionnaire charts, among other topics, the substance use of the social and health service clients, their reasons for using social and health services and the services they received on the day of the survey. Data collection is conducted by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare.
The National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health (STAKES), nowadays called the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) , has been conducting surveys on attitudes towards alcohol control policies in Finland. Survey questions have explored opinons on alcohol retail outlets, alcohol marketing and advertising and age limits for alcohol purchase, etc. Data collection has been carried out by Gallup Finland (currently TSN Gallup Finland). The FSD collections cover data from 1996 to 2004.
This survey series forms part of the Infocity programme, which itself was a sub-programme of the eTampere programme (2001-2005). The Infocity programme aimed at promoting and developing online services for the citizens of Tampere (Finland). The surveys chart respondents' (aged between 15 and 74) use of information technology, the Internet and online services in Tampere. The surveys were carried out every year from 2000 to 2005 by Taloustutkimus.
The national user surveys of Finnish libraries collect information on the use of library services, customer satisfaction and the effectiveness of services. The surveys are aimed at the end users of public, university and special libraries and have been conducted as online surveys. The identical questionnaires used in the surveys enable the comparison within and between the library sectors, as well as the examination of trends. FSD collections cover data for 2008, 2010, 2013 and 2018.
The Decision-Making Laboratory Experiments and Surveys series consists of data that have been collected in decision-making laboratory experiments and with varying surveys. The experiments and surveys have charted the decision-making of individuals and small groups in, for example, experimental game situations.
Participants for the experiments and surveys have been selected from various respondent panels, such as the volunteer participant databases of the PCRC Decision Laboratory of the University of Turku (PCRClab) and the Experimental Laboratory of Tampere University (DMLab). PCRClab and DMLab are part of the national research infrastructure 'The Finnish Research Infrastructure for Public Opinion' (FIRIPO), which is funded by the Research Council of Finland (former Academy of Finland). This series contains data collected from 2016 onwards.
European Values Systems Study Group (EVSSG) carried out the first EVS surveys in several Western European countries in 1981. The World Values Surveys series was started when the original EVS study evoked such interest that it was replicated in 14 additional countries. EVS and WVS surveys have been carried out in several waves.
Structurally, the international surveys of the World Values Survey (WVS) series resemble the Eurobarometers and the ISSP surveys. Citizen activities, attitudes, and basic values in different countries are studied with integrated, structured surveys.
European Values Study group is responsible for the EVS data collection. The planning of the WVS has been carried out by the World Values Survey network. FSD collections cover Finnish data from 1996 onwards.
The data in the series studied the adoption and use of mobile phones in the lives of Finnish children, young people and families. There are over ten thousand pages of interview transcriptions. Interviewees were families, teenagers, young people, courting couples and teachers. In addition to mobile phone use, the interviews hold information about the everyday lives of Finns at the time.
Data collection started in 1997 and continued in three different projects, funded by Nokia Mobile Phones, Telecom Finland and the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation. In 2001, Information Society Research Centre (INSOC), Sonera Mobile Operations and Nokia Mobile Phone carried out a research project called 'Wireless Kids - International Research on Mobile Cultures of Adolescents'. The project explored the mobile communication of children aged under 13 and of teenagers aged 13 to 18, using media ethnographic methodology.
Religion and religiousness in Russia is a research series carried out by the Academy of Finland and the Russian Academy of Sciences. In Russia, the data were collected by Institut sravnitel'nyh social'nyh issledovanij (Institute for Comparative Social Research), and in Finland by the Research Institute of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. The surveys were carried out in 1991, 1993, 1996 and 1999, and are included in the FSD collections.
Children's Media Barometers collect nationally comprehensive data on children's media use and their relationship to media. The survey has been conducted from 2010 to 2013. Ages of the children in the target group have varied annually and included, for example, 0 - 8-year-olds, 7 - 11-year-olds, and 10 - 12-year-olds. Depending on the children's age group, the survey respondents have been either the children themselves or their parents. The survey has had different themes on different years, charting things such as significance of gender in media use and formation of media use in family interaction. The barometer has surveyed the use of various media, such as audiovisual programmes, Internet, digital games, radio and music as well as books, comics and magazines. The Barometers have been funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture.
The Union of Freethinkers of Finland collects opinions of parliamentary elections candidates through its online candidate selector. Data collection started in 2007. The selector is made available every four years during parliamentary elections campaigning and voting. Candidates answer questions which focus on the status and teaching of religion in primary and lower secondary schools, and the status of the church in Finnish society, including taxation rights and the right to organise burial services and weddings. Other users can answer the same questions in the selector interface, and can search and filter candidate responses.
Datasets in the series consist of reasons stated by Finnish citizens in the Eroakirkosta.fi web service for resigning from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland or the Finnish Orthodox Church. After filing the resignation, the service allows users to write down their reasons for leaving the Church.
The first dataset in the series covers years 2010-2017. Starting from 2018, annual datasets supplement the data series.
Nowadays, it is also possible to resign from the church via the online service of Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV). The eroakirkosta.fi website now directs people who want to resign from the church to use the service of DVV in the first instance. As a result, the total number of divorces reported on the eroakirkosta.fi website has decreased significantly each year since the early 2020s. The data set does not include the reasons for the resignations reported on the DVV website.
The Finnish Opinions on Security Policy and National Defence series includes all surveys conducted by the Advisory Board for Defence Information (ABDI). Their focus is on security policy, foreign policy and national defence. The FSD collections cover data from 1992 onwards. The surveys contain a set of core questions repeated over the years.
The gambling surveys, commissioned by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, chart Finnish gambling behaviour, attitudes to gambling and problem gambling. The surveys use a South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS). Data are collected every four years.
The Finnish Voter Barometer surveys are commissioned by the major parties in the Parliament. In election years, other sponsors have also been involved. Up till 1988, the surveys were planned by Gallup Finland (TNS Gallup Ltd, Kantar) and the Department of Political and Economic Studies at the University of Helsinki in collaboration with the political parties. After 1988, the planning has been in the hands of Gallup Finland and the parties.
From 1973 to 1990, the annual voter barometers were collected mainly with face-to-face interviews using structured questionnaires, 1000-2000 interviews/barometer. Since 1991, the data have been collected with GallupChannel (PC's installed in respondents' homes). No surveys were conducted in 1985 and 1989.
Survey themes include voting behaviour, opinions on the government and the parties, and attitudes towards national political issues. In addition, respondents' economic expectations and political participation have often been studied, as well as their opinions on local politics, and the significance of the party leader to a party. Background variables have often included the social class of the respondent and the household head, economic activity of the household head, respondent's education, age, mother tongue, gender, party membership, political views, trade union membership, and family's annual income. There are also regional variables. Even though the variables are not always fully comparable from one survey to another, all kinds of comparisons over time are possible. The FSD collections cover data from 1973-2005.
This data series contains the results of the development and research project 'Good Leisure Time' by Helsinki City Youth Department. 'Good Leisure Time' is one of the priority projects funded by Helsinki City Council to battle the marginalisation of youth. Twelve lower secondary school classes with an approximate total of 170 pupils aged 13-16 participated in the study in 2013-2017. The classes were divided into six target and six control group classes. The target classes had an assigned youth worker whose role was to support the pupils in finding a hobby or a leisure time activity. The pupils from the control group classes could take part in all activities offered by Helsinki City Youth Department but did not have an assigned youth worker. The project was carried out by Helsinki City Youth Department in collaboration with the Education Division Administration and the Urban Research and Statistics Unit of the City of Helsinki. The same participants were studied in the project from the beginning of the seventh grade until the autumn after finishing lower secondary school at the end of May.
Surveys charted the youth's own perceptions, wishes and experiences relating to their leisure time, well-being, and relationships. Hobbies that they had or would like to try were also examined.
Data collection began in September 2013 when the participants had attended lower secondary school for one month. Starting from the seventh grade, the participating pupils and pupils from control group classes responded to six internet surveys in total, one for each term. The survey was conducted both during the autumn and spring terms so that information could be obtained regarding the youth's summer and winter hobbies. In addition, the series comprise diaries of youth workers and interviews of youth workers and teachers conducted as part of a research project.
In this survey series, well-being at school is under observation. The respondents belong to four target groups: primary schools (grades 4-6), lower secondary schools (grades 7-9), upper secondary institutions, and personnel. The data are collected during each school year, and schools can independently decide in what time of the year they respond to the survey. The first datasets archived at the FSD are from the school year 2004-2005.
The School Well-being Profile is based on Anne Konu's doctoral dissertation, in which well-being at school is divided into four categories: school conditions, social relationships in school, means for self-fulfilment in school, and health status. The quantitative datasets in the series examine these categories with the help of statements and multiple choice questions. The topics in the survey are the same to all respondents, but the wording of the questions has been specifically adjusted for each target group. The data are collected through an Internet survey on the web page of the Finnish National Board of Education.
The National Research Institute of Legal Policy, now called the Institute of Criminology and Legal Policy, launched a long-term research project in spring 1995 to study young people's criminal and forbidden activities. In the FSRD surveys, information has been gathered with the self-report method: the participants, 9th grade students from different parts of Finland, have answered anonymously to questions about their own criminal or forbidden activities.
Child Barometers study the everyday lives of 6-year-old Finnish children. The surveys are conducted by the Office of Ombudsman for Children. The objective of the barometers is to investigate the children's own experiences on topics that are relevant to them. Depending on the target population of each survey, the respondents have been either the children themselves or both the children and their parents. The first barometer was conducted in 2016, after which data have been collected every other year.
Jyväskylä Longitudinal Study of Personality and Social Development was initiated as Lea Pulkkinen's doctoral dissertation in 1968. Since then, the study has continued to follow the same individuals for over 40 years. When the project was launched, 369 eight-year-old children participated in the research. They were randomly selected among second-graders in primary school. After the first research, data have been collected when the respondents have been 14, 20, 27, 33, 36, 42, 50, and 60 years old. The latest data collection started in 2020.
When the respondents were still in school, the principal methods of data collection were teacher ratings and peer nominations on the pupils' social behaviour. In adulthood, the data collection methods have mostly been interviews and questionnaires. At the ages of 42 and 50, the respondents also participated in medical examinations and laboratory tests. The research themes have included socioemotional development and personality, education and career, family of origin and one's own family, health behaviour and health, and social adjustment. The measures used in the JYLS studies are presented in the methods table.
The number of participants has been high during the whole project: each round of data collection has yielded a response rate of 70% or more among the original sample. The sample has been proven to be representative of its age group in terms of family relations, education, occupational status, and unemployment.
The Academy of Finland has been the main source of funding since 1986. In addition, the Finnish Cultural Foundation funded the project in 1986. The research was conducted by university students and officials at the University of Jyväskylä up to 1986. The Jyväskylä Longitudinal Study of Personality and Social Development (JYLS) was one of the three major longitudinal studies included in the Human Development and Its Risk Factors Programme, which was approved as the Centre of Excellence for the years 1997-1999 and 2000-2005 by the Academy of Finland and the Ministry of Education. In 2009, the data collection was financed by the Academy of Finland's funding granted to Lea Pulkkinen (decision no. 127125) and Katja Kokko (decision no. 118316). The project is located at the Gerontology Research Center at the University of Jyväskylä and led by Docent and Research Director Katja Kokko.