The first round of SPOR was conducted in 2017/2018. Statistics Denmark drew a sample of 90,387 children who had turned 9 months, 2 years or 3 years in the previous month, and the parents of those children were invited to participate in the study via the secure electronic mailbox e-Boks. A translation of the first round of the questionnaire is available here.
The second round of SPOR was carried out two years after the first round, from October 2019 and a year forward. The parents from the first round received a new survey, this time the month after their child turned 3, 4 or 5 years. In addition, a new group of parents with children who turned 9 months the previous month was invited to participate.
It takes about half an hour to fill out the survey. It is possible to take a break while filling it out and continue later if necessary.
The questions are about both the child’s and the family’s wellbeing. For instance, the parents answer questions about the child’s social and emotional development, the child’s language and communication, the parents’ wellbeing and the parents’ relationship. The questionnaires are adapted to the child’s age. This means that parents of 9-month-old child and parents of a 5-year-old answer slightly different questions.
As we wish to investigate the children’s development over time, we expect to send out a new survey to the parents in three to four years’ time. The questions will change over time, as the children grow older. We hope to be able to follow the children until they turn 18.