About Us
The Early Growth and Development Study (also known as EGDS) was a nationwide, prospective study of birth parents and adoptive families aimed at investigating how families could help their children develop to their fullest potential. This meant that we collected data from the same families on multiple occasions in order to understand what factors influenced how children grew up. Our study built on emerging evidence about the relationship between heredity and the family environment — that is, what you’re born with and what you’re around – and how the two worked together and separately in child development. This study was the first of its kind to examine such issues and general adoption issues such as openness.
Our results were used to develop programs that assisted parents in learning new strategies to enhance child development. The best clues for these programs came from our participating families.
In addition, we shared our knowledge about the adoption process with the adoption community so that all members of the adoption triad (birth parents, adoptive families, and adopted children) received the best services and support possible. We assisted the adoption community in educating the general public about adoption, especially regarding issues such as openness, birth father relationships, and transracial adoption.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the EGDS?
The Early Growth and Development Study is a longitudinal study made up of many different types of families. We collect information from the same families at multiple time points, from birth until, currently, adolescence. We are interested in finding ways to help children grow and develop to their fullest potential by getting a better understanding of what affects the way that children grow up.
What is ECHO?
ECHO stands for Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes. The ECHO project is a collaboration of 83 existing studies teaming up to collect information from about 50,000 children about the development of children’s physical and mental health. As part of the ECHO project, we will be working with researchers from all over the country in an exciting and unique new approach to collecting more comprehensive information on what affects the way that children grow up.
How do you protect participant information?
One significant way we protect your data is through de-identification. Your survey answers, medical record information, biological samples, etc are connected to an ID number rather than your name or other identifying information (your address, phone numbers, etc). Very few people have access to the list that links your name to your ID number and those that do have that access are trained to be extremely careful to keep names separate from data. Basically, if the information is not absolutely needed for a staff member to do their work they will not be able to see that information.
We also protect information by keeping it on secure servers, keeping paper files locked in cabinets when not being used, and limiting study spaces to people who work for the study and therefore have completed the ethical research practice training.
Who is eligible for the EGDS-ECHO Study?
Only families who are already participants in our study will be eligible to participate. For those families, most children in your family who will be at least age 3 and not older than 18 in 2019 will be eligible to participate. A study recruiter will confirm which children in your family are eligible. All parents are eligible.
Who is eligible for the Adolescence Project?
Children who have been in the EGDS study since infancy and will be at least 11 years old by 2020.