Harmonising Variables on Child Wellbeing

Abstract

This paper addresses the challenges and considerations involved in harmonising variables on child wellbeing across diverse international surveys. As part of the EU-funded COORDINATE project (No. 101008589), this research examines existing European social survey data to inform the development of a cross-European child wellbeing cohort survey. The study focuses on key areas of child wellbeing, including material wellbeing, education, health, family and environment, risk behaviour, and subjective wellbeing. We discuss response formats, scales, and the selection of key measures, providing insights into cross-national comparability issues. The paper offers recommendations for ex-ante harmonisation in questionnaire design, emphasising the importance of closed questions, appropriate scaling, age-specific phrasing, and the use of standardised coding frames for socio-demographic variables for comparability. We also highlight the need for cultural sensitivity in measure selection and adaptation. This paper contributes to the broader field of cross-national survey research by discussing strategies to enhance data comparability and quality in child wellbeing studies.