The Changing Adolescence Programme (originally called the Adolescent Mental Health Initiative) was established in 2005 in response to research findings that showed a significant increase in young people's emotional and behavioural problems between 1975 and 1999. The aim of the programme was to examine the reasons for this increase and to understand better how the lives of young people have changed over the last 30 or so years.

The programme consisted of a series of commissioned research reviews to look at various aspects of teenage life, to evaluate evidence of emerging trends over time, and to assess the research literature on possible causes of those trends. The work of the programme also included seminars and workshops to bring together researchers, policy makers and practitioners in strategic discussions. The research programme was chaired for the Foundation by Professor Sir Michael Rutter, and co-ordinated by Dr Ann Hagell. Further information on the programme is available at www.nuffieldfoundation.org/changing-adolescence.

Six new research reviews were funded, and other Nuffield Foundation grants also fed into the work of the programme. The key grants on which this book is based included:

Professor Barbara Maughan, King's College London: Secular trends in child and adolescent mental health (grants awarded 2001 and 2004)

Dr Stephan Collishaw, Cardiff University: Testing causes of time trends in adolescent mental health (Nuffield Foundation New Career Development Fellowship 2005)

Dr Leon Feinstein, Professor Jacqueline Eccles, Dr Karen Robson, Institute of Education and University of Michigan: Time trends in young people's time use and implications for mental health (awarded 2007)

Dr Michael Donmall, Dr Tim Millar, Dr Judith Aldridge and Dr Petra Meier, University of Manchester: Trends in adolescent substance use: social, behavioural and mental health perspectives (awarded 2007).

Professor Frances Gardner, Dr Stephan Collishaw, Professor Barbara Maughan and Professor Jackie Scott, University of Oxford, Cardiff University, King's College London and University of Cambridge: Time trends in parenting and in adolescent problem behaviour. Can one help explain the other? (awarded 2007)