Draft:LifE Study



The LifE study (in German: Lebensverläufe ins frühe Erwachsenenalter or Lebensverläufe ins fortgeschrittene Erwachsenenalter; translated to English: ‘Life Paths into Early Adulthood’ or ‘Life Paths into Later Adulthood’) is a prospective German panel study ongoing since 1979. The study examines the individual development of approximately 1500 participants from Frankfurt (on the Main) and two rural regions in Hesse from the age of 12 onward in the context of familial relationships and various life domains across multiple life stages.

The LifE study contributes to life course research in the scientific fields of psychology, sociology, and the educational and pedagogical sciences. It examines life courses in changing historical and societal contexts in the areas of education and career, personality, and physical and mental health, as well as intergenerational relationships and the transmission of cultural, religious, and political orientations. Features of the LifE study with regard to basic research are the survey of different domains, and the investigation of three intra-family generations in a multi-actor approach.

The study is conducted collaboratively by scientists from the Universities of Potsdam, Innsbruck, and Zurich, including Helmut Fend, who established the study as the "Konstanzer Jugendstudie" (Konstanz Youth Study) at the University of Konstanz. The LifE study is and has been funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), and the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF).

Blue Logo from the LifE Study with big blue letters and three lined circles. The study is ongoing since 1979 and is a study on Life Paths into Early Adulthood.
Logo from the LifE Study
Current Management Fred Berger, Wolfgang Lauterbach
Founder Helmut Fend
Duration Since 1979 (ongoing)
Participating Universities University of Potsdam, University of Innsbruck, University of Zurich, University of Konstanz
Website in German https://life3g.de