ZüLFS - Zurich Longitudinal and Family Study

In the 1990s, with the support of the Department of Education of the Canton of Zurich, we carried out a large questionnaire study on the mental development of young people from adolescence to adulthood (ZAPPS) in selected schools in the Canton of Zurich. Later, we also carried out a similar survey among those seeking advice in the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Service (KJPD) of the Canton of Zurich, the predecessor institution of the Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (KJPP) of the Psychiatric University Clinic (PUK) Zurich.

Focus of the surveys
Our former participants are now adults and many already have children of their own. Our survey focused on the following areas:

• Self-assessment of the mental well-being of adults
• Mental well-being of their own children as seen by their parents and
• Self-assessment of the mental well-being of children who are already in adolescence (aged 11 and over).

Research questions
Our study is one of the very few studies in the world that will provide information on the following questions from a large group of participants:

• How does the mental health of young people in the 1990s develop after 20 years, when they are now adults?
• What changes have occurred in the mental health of the population after two decades?
• What correlations, similarities or differences exist in the mental health of parents and adolescents today?
• What are the connections, similarities or differences between the mental health of young people 20 years ago and young people today?

Data protection
Our evaluations and reports are based on completely anonymized data with findings on the entire group of participants and not on the report on individual participants. All information provided as part of the survey is subject to medical confidentiality. On request, however, we can provide information to individual people seeking advice in personal contact. 

Preliminary condensed final report (2023)(PDF, 600 KB)

First interim report (2017)