Longitudinal study for a healthy childhood (ELISA)

Introduction

The ELISA Project (Longitudinal Study for a Healthy Childhood) is a scientific study funded by the Programa Estatal de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación orientado a los Retos de la Sociedad in Spain (Reference: COLEHEM – PID2019-107897RB-I00, and previously PSI2015-65766-R).

The ELISA project focuses on studying the developmental trajectories and etiological mechanisms underlying the heterogeneity of early-onset behavioural problems. The study began in 2016 with the participation of over 2,500 families and 300 teachers from 76 schools in Galicia. Thanks to their involvement, a comprehensive follow-up of children was conducted during Early Childhood Education in the first phase of ELISA (2016–2019) and throughout Primary Education in the ongoing second phase of the project (2020–2024).

Objective

The primary objective of ELISA is to identify the factors influencing children’s well-being as they grow and transition through different educational stages. By doing so, the project aims to design psychoeducational interventions that foster well-being from the early years and contribute to the prevention of early childhood difficulties.

This objective holds significant social relevance in the post-pandemic era, as the emerging surge of behavioural difficulties, particularly emotional issues, has raised concerns within the educational community.

Method

The ELISA longitudinal study consists of annual follow-up assessments of children’s development. The first assessment was conducted in the spring of 2017 at the beginning of Early Childhood Education, and the most recent one took place in the spring of 2024, coinciding with the end of Primary Education. The study aims to continue monitoring participants throughout adolescence, during Secondary Education.

The primary data collection method in the project is the use of questionnaires, which are mainly completed by families (mother, father, or primary caregiver). The use of hetero-reported questionnaires for parents and teachers is essential to assess children’s early behavioural patterns, as well as their psychosocial competencies and emotional regulation skills. However, once children develop the ability to report on their own behaviours and internal states, self-reported questionnaires become a crucial tool in psychological research, allowing for the evaluation of psychological variables from a personal and idiosyncratic perspective. For this reason, the final phase of the project includes direct assessments from the children themselves.

Contributions

During the first phase of the ELISA Project, the study successfully provided a snapshot of children’s behaviour at an early age, and tracked the development of their characteristics, skills, strengths, and difficulties throughout Early Childhood Education.

The continuation of the study into its second phase has allowed for the longitudinal examination of different developmental trajectories, both adaptive and maladaptive, across Primary Education. Additionally, it has facilitated the identification of potential risk and protective factors at the individual, family, and school levels.

Findings from the ELISA study in childhood are expected to serve as a guide for designing effective and cost-efficient interventions that can help redirect developmental trajectories that pose a higher risk to children’s well-being and their immediate environments.

For more information, please contact: proxecto.elisa@usc.es