15 Risk Taking Behaviors

Percent of youth reporting each of 15 risk-taking behaviors, comparison by survey year.

        Survey Year
Category   Definition   1997 2000 2002
Sexual Intercourse   Has had sexual intercourse one or more times   36% 36% 31%
Anti-Social Behavior   Shoplifted once or more in the last 12 months   31% 26% 21%
  Committed vandalism once or more in the last 12 months   22% 19% 16%
  Got into trouble with police once or more in the last 12 months   28% 22% 22%
Violence   Hit someone once or more in the last 12 months   35% 34% 32%
  Physically hurt someone once or more in the last 12 months   14% 13% 11%
  Used a weapon to get something from a person once or more in the last 12 months   3% 2% 2%
  Been in a group fight once or more in the last 12 months   20% 20% 18%
  Carried a weapon for protection once or more in the last 12 months   9% 7% 9%
  Threatened physical harm to someone once or more in the last 12 months   38% 32% 30%
School Truancy   Skipped school once or more in the last four months   26% 32% 22%
Gambling   Gambled once or more in the last 12 months   50% 45% 29%
Eating Disorder   Has engaged in bulimic or anorexic behavior   17% 14% 15%
Depression   Felt sad or depressed most or all of the time in the last month   14% 14% 17%
Attempted Suicide   Has attempted suicide one or more times   16% 14% 17%


From Developmental Assets: A Profile of Your Youth for Marquette Alger Youth Foundation © [1997, 2000, 2002] by Search Institute, Minneapolis, MN. Data collected with the survey Search Institute Profiles of Student Life: Attitudes and Behaviors, Copyright © 1996, Search Institute, Minneapolis, MN.

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