Data from the third wave of interviews with the Child Cohort (recently renamed Cohort ’98) at 17/18 years collected in 2015 provides scope for addressing a wide range of research questions. Some of these data will represent the latest outcomes for issues investigated at previous waves of the study, such as obesity and academic achievement, while others, such as employment, will be completely new avenues of investigation.

In this report we review the literature in 12 research areas for the 17/18-year phase; three each in four domains of economic and civic participation, socio-emotional well-being, education and health. Each review section is followed by suggestions for some specific questions that could be explored under this topic using the data collected in Growing Up in Ireland at this wave. Given the breadth of information collected in the study, the authors have decided to explore a selection of topics that relate to topics where data are available for the first time at this wave (e.g. sexual relationships) and/or that are particularly relevant to this stage of the life-course, such as the Leaving Certificate. It is not intended to be either exhaustive or prescriptive in terms of coverage but reflects literature that informed the survey development and should provide a useful background to further research in a number of key areas.

This document is part of a series of reviews reflecting earlier data collection waves for this cohort (i.e. at age 9 and 13 years) and the reader may wish to consult these earlier publications for additional reading on other topics relating to the Growing Up in Ireland Child Cohort.