Participant Information Sheet

The PADS+ research team is pleased to invite you to take part in the next part of the Peterborough Adolescent to Adult Development Study (PADS+), a long-running study you took part in along with many others in your age group when you were a teenager into your mid-20s. PADS+ seeks to understand how people’s social lives and experiences shape their development, relationships, and everyday activities.  

We are now reaching out to everyone who previously took part in the study to invite you to take part in a new round of interviews. Sharing your experiences and perspective would be invaluable as we take the next step forward to explore people’s social lives in adulthood. Your participation is very important so we can link experiences from adolescence to experiences in adulthood. However, it remains up to you to decide whether to take part. The following information will help you understand what the interview involves. Please read it carefully. A researcher can help guide you through it and answer any questions. 

What is PADS+ about and why is it so important? 

The Peterborough Adolescent to Adult Development Study (PADS+) is a long-term research study carried out by researchers from the University of Cambridge. You may remember from previous interviews that we collect information through questionnaires and talking with you about your life, for example your family situation, friendships, education, work, and experiences. You are one of 1000 people your age who were randomly selected from all young people living in Peterborough in 2002 to be part of this unique study. Over 92% of participants (including you!) have continued taking part. Every participant’s involvement is vital to keeping the project going.    

Through PADS+ we can learn how adults’ social lives and experiences change over times. We are interested in how adults spend their time and who they spend it with, and how they think about the lives and activities. This can help us guide services and policy-makers on how to provide better support and valuable services to families, workplaces, communities, etc. Your continued involvement will help us build a full and accurate picture of adult lives. 

Why is PADS+ interested in you? 

People change over time and so do their social groups and activities. We want to have a true representation of how people change and develop from adolescence into adulthood. To do this we need to follow the same group of people for a number of years.  More than 20 years ago you were randomly selected along with many others your age to take part in this study. You’ve been involved for a long time, and we wouldn’t be able to study how experiences change over time without committed participants like you. We hope you will remain committed to the project and to sharing how your life is unfolding. 

What will participation Involve? 

You will be asked to take part in an interview that lasts about two hours. The interview will be scheduled at your convenience and completed remotely with one of our researchers, unless you prefer to be interviewed in person. During the interview you will answer questions about your personal experiences, social life, activities, and how you spend your time. You will also be invited to complete a cognitive task and a time budget that helps us understand your everyday activities and the time you spend in different environments. Your answers are important to the study and will be treated with utmost confidentiality and handled using very strict data security methods. You can choose not to answer any question or withdraw at any time without giving a reason. 

Confidentiality and data security 

All the information you provide will be stored securely and used only for research purposes. Any reports or publications based on this research will not identify any individuals or share any personal data. Reports will be anonymized and presented as a reflection of the hundreds of participants, not individuals. The study has received ethical approval from the University of Cambridge Institute of Criminology Ethics Committee and follows strict ethical guidelines set by the University of Cambridge which are compliant with GDPR. 

What if I have any questions?  

If you have any questions or concerns about the study or your participation, please contact the PADS+ research team at the University of Cambridge email us at pads@pads.ac.uk or call us on 01 223 746 514. You can ask any member of the research team during your interview as well. Alternatively, you may also contact Principal Investigator Dr Kyle Treiber on 01223 762947. It is up to you whether or not you participate. Every precaution will be taken to ensure your data remains anonymous and confidential.