Children's satisfaction with a comprehensive study program-Results from the LIFE Child cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Research participants' satisfaction is a topic of great interest, especially in the context of longitudinal studies. Evaluation also represents an important component of quality management in the health care system. Adult studies found that personal characteristics, e.g., age, sex, ethnicity, and SES, can influence satisfaction with health care or study participation. Studies on paediatric participants are sparse. OBJECTIVES: To examine how children rated the study day of a cohort study and how these ratings were associated with sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics and retention in the context of a large cohort study. METHODS: Analyses were performed on 4- to 17-year-old participants of the German longitudinal cohort study LIFE Child (n = 2033). To assess the associations between overall satisfaction (high versus low/middle) and age, sex, body-mass index, socioecomonic status, and participation in a follow-up visit, we applied logistic mixed-effects models. RESULTS: Participants' overall satisfaction with the LIFE Child study day was high ("very good": 67.8%). Overall satisfaction was higher in 7-9 years olds (odds ratio [OR] 2.00, 95% confidence interval [CI 1.51, 2.66) and 10-12 years olds (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.16, 1.98) than in 4-6 years olds and 13-17 years olds. Children with obesity were less likely to participate in a follow-up visit (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.39, 0.78). Children reporting high overall satisfaction at the first study visit completed a follow-up visit more frequently (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.05,1.67). CONCLUSIONS: A high level of satisfaction increased participants' attendance at a follow-up visit. Our results might be helpful for adapting the study program to the participants' needs in order to maximise retention and minimise attrition rates.

Sensation seeking in 3- to 6-year-old children: associations with socio-demographic parameters and behavioural difficulties.

BACKGROUND: The present study investigates whether sensation seeking in pre-school-age children is associated with age, gender and socio-economic status, and how sensation seeking relates to behavioural difficulties. METHODS: The study sample consisted of 423 three- to six-year-old children whose parents had completed questionnaires on the children's sensation seeking (Sensation Seeking Scale for Young Children), socio-economic status, and behavioural difficulties (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire). Multiple linear regression models were applied to investigate associations between sensation seeking and age, gender, socio-economic status and behavioural difficulties. RESULTS: Sensation seeking was significantly higher in male vs. female children but not associated with children's socio-economic status. Furthermore, sensation seeking was positively correlated with conduct problems, but negatively with emotional symptoms and peer-relationship problems. CONCLUSION: These results replicate findings in adults and strengthen the assumption that sensation seeking is a personality trait that is already observable in early childhood. Furthermore, our results suggest relationships between higher levels of sensation seeking and externalising behaviour as well as relationships between lower levels of sensation seeking and internalising behaviour. TRIAL REGISTRATION: LIFE Child study: ClinicalTrials.gov, clinical trial number NCT02550236 .