The Childhood to Adolescence Transition Study (CATS)

CATS is a unique longitudinal study following over 1200 children as they transition through adolescence. The study began in 2012 when the children were in Grade 3 (8-9 years old) and attending primary schools in metropolitan Melbourne.

Why is CATS important?

Adolescence is a phase of life that has been traditionally neglected in research and policy. CATS has the potential to identify young people who are most at risk as they pass through puberty, the middle years and into older adolescence. We also hope to identify factors that may improve health and academic outcomes during this time. The middle years are a time in which young people need strong social and educational support systems. These systems are particularly important for young people with vulnerabilities.

CATS is a unique study. No previous study in the world has tracked such a large cohort of young people from primary school right through puberty. This is important because we now understand that early puberty is linked to adolescent wellbeing.

CATS will help determine how to best help young people manage the transition through puberty and the middle years of school. This will set them on a healthy course into adulthood.

CATS 10 years celebration

In 2022, CATS is proudly celebrating its 10th anniversary and recently the CATS team caught up with some of its participants to celebrate 10 years of CATS. Check out the video!

What’s next for CATS?

The information collected in the first 10 years of CATS (Years 3 – 12) has told us a lot about how students cope with moving from primary to high school and through their high school years. We now have a much better understanding of how life and school outcomes change during this time. These outcomes include their health, emotional wellbeing, school engagement and academic achievement. Check out the News page to find out what the CATS team have learnt so far.

In 2022 we’re catching up with all our participants again, who are now 18 -19 years old, as they head into higher education or take other exciting career paths!

Visit the CATS website for additional information: https://cats.mcri.edu.au.