The Great Smoky Mountains Study is a longitudinal study led by
William Copeland (professor) from
Duke University Medical Center
Duke University Hospital is a 957-acute care bed academic tertiary care facility located in Durham, North Carolina. Established in 1930, it is the flagship teaching hospital for the Duke University Health System, a network of physicians and hos ...
that started in 1993 and ended in 2003. It followed 1,420 children from western
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...
. Participants were interviewed at up to nine points in time - first aged 9 to 16, and again at ages 19–21.
Four years into the study, about one quarter of the families saw a dramatic and unexpected increase in income. They were members of the Eastern Band of
Cherokee Indians
The Cherokee (; chr, ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯᎢ, translit=Aniyvwiyaʔi or Anigiduwagi, or chr, ᏣᎳᎩ, links=no, translit=Tsalagi) are one of the indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, th ...
, and a
casino
A casino is a facility for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos are also known for hosting live entertai ...
had just been built on the
reservation. From that point on every tribal citizen earned a share of the profits (about $4,000/yr per person).
The study showed that among these children, instances of behavioral and emotional disorders decreased, and conscientiousness and agreeableness increased.
remarked that "It would be almost impossible to replicate this kind of longitudinal study”.
References
Health research
Research in the United States
Duke University
Cohort studies
1993 establishments in North Carolina
2003 disestablishments in North Carolina
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