The National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH), Wave 2 1992-1994, a longitudinal population-based survey of families and households in the United States, investigates the causes and consequences of changes in American family and household structure. This is the second wave of a three part survey. The current study, NSFH Wave 2, is the second follow up and was conducted in 1992-1994. The sample included all NSFH Wave 1 main respondents and spouse/partner with focal children and all other NSFH Wave 1 main respondents ages 45 and over in 2000, as well as their NSFH Wave 1 spouse/partner. The Wave 2 survey included the following components: (1) an interview of all surviving members of the original sample via face-to-face personal interview, (2) a personal interview with the current spouse or cohabiting partner almost identical to the interview with the main respondent, (3) a personal interview with the original spouse or partner of the primary respondent in cases where this relationship had ended, (4) a telephone interview with "focal children" who were originally aged 13-18 in Wave 1, (5) a short telephone interview with "focal children" who were originally aged 5-12 in Wave 1, (6) short proxy interviews with a surviving spouse or other relative in cases where the original respondent had died or was too ill to interview, and (7) a telephone interview with a randomly-selected parent of the main respondent. Demographic information collected includes sex, age, marital status, education, and employment

National, stratified, multistage area probability sample based on 1985 population projections for Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas and nonmetropolitan counties. Minorities (Blacks, Puerto Ricans, and Chicanos), single parents, persons with stepchildren, cohabiting persons, and persons who were recently married were double-sampled. This is a follow up survey to NSFH, 1987-1988. The main NSFH wave one sample was a national, multi-stage area probability sample containing about 17,000 housing units drawn from 100 sampling areas in the 48 contiguous states in the U.S. Wave one had 13,017 respondents. The sample included a main cross-section sample of 9,643 households. The oversample of Blacks, Puerto Ricans, Mexican Americans, single-parent families and families with stepchildren, cohabiting couples and recently married was accomplished by doubling the number of households selected within the 100 sampling areas. See further details on sampling in the Methdology Report.

Datasets: DS0: Study-Level Files DS1: Main Data for Primary Respondent DS2: Main Data for Current Spouse/Partner DS3: Main Data for Ex-Spouse/Partner DS4: Self-Enumerated Data for Primary Respondent DS5: Self-Enumerated Data for Current Spouse/Partner DS6: Self-Enumerated Data for Ex-Spouse/Partner DS7: Constructed Variables Data for Primary Respondent DS8: Constructed Variables Data for Current Spouse/Partner DS9: Constructed Variables Data for Ex-Spouse/Partner DS10: Best Measures Income Data DS11: Parent Data DS12: Data for Younger Child DS13: Data for Older Child DS14: Proxy Data

This study has been undertaken explicitly to provide a data resource for the research community at large and was designed with advice from a large number of consultants and correspondents. The substantive coverage has been kept broad to permit the holistic analysis of family experience from an array of theoretical perspectives.

Non-institutionalized, English or Spanish speaking population aged 19 and older, living in households in the contiguious United States. Smallest Geographic Unit: Region

National Survey of Families and Households Series

self-enumerated questionnaire

face-to-face interview

Response Rates: 81.7

telephone interview