Quick Facts

2002 Profiles of Student Life: Attitudes and Behaviors Survey

External Assets

• Females experienced a steady decline from 8^th (31%) to 12^th grade (21%) in the Positive Family Communication asset - young person and her parent(s) communicate positively, and young person is willing to seek advice and council from parent(s).
• Females reported a decline from 8^th to 12^th grade in Caring School Climate asset and Parent Involvement in Schooling asset.
• Eighth grade females (35%) were more likely to feel that young people are given useful roles in the community, Youth as Resources asset than their 12^th grade counterparts (21%).
• Seventy-eight percent of 8^th grade females reported that their best friends model responsible behavior, Positive Peer Influence asset. This great start declined dramatically by 12^th grade (55%).
• Eighth grade females (62%) reported feeling encouraged by teachers and parents to do well, High Expectations asset. This dropped to 39% of 10^th grade females and fell further to 36% of 12^th grade females.
• Sixty-five percent of females had the Youth Programs asset - young person spends three or more hours per week in sports, clubs, or organizations at school and/or in the community. Twenty-five percent of females had the Creative Activities asset - young person spends three or more hours per week in lessons or practice in music, theater, or other arts.

Internal Assets

• Nearly 1/3 (32%) of females reported Reading for Pleasure three or more hours per week while 21% of females reported watching TV or videos three or more hours per school day, TV Overexposure deficit.
• Eighth grade females (68%) were much more likely than 12^th grade females (27%) to believe it is important not to be sexually active or to use alcohol or other drugs, Restraint asset.
• Thirty-four percent of females reported that they know how to plan ahead and make choices, Planning and Decision Making asset. Sadly, this important skill did not increase at all from 8^th to 12^th grade.
• All of the Positive Identity assets: Personal Power, Self-Esteem, Sense of Purpose and Positive View of Personal Future, increased for females from 8^th to 12^th grade. However, three out of four of these assets fell off in 10^th grade. The Positive Identity assets are presented below by grade:
  • Personal Power - Young person feels she has control over "things that happen to me"
       8^th 45%      10^th 39%      12^th 56%
  • Self-Esteem - Young person reports having a high self-esteem
       8^th 39%      10^th 31%      12^th 45%
  • Sense of Purpose - Young person reports "my life has a purpose"
       8^th 51%      10^th 48%      12^th 62%
  • Positive View of Personal Future - Young person is optimistic about her personal future
       8^th 69%      10^th 72%      12^th 83%

Risk-Taking Behaviors

• Eighth grade females (16%) were more likely than 12^th grade females (6%) to use inhalants.
• Five percent of females reported using smokeless tobacco once or more during the last 12 months.
• Twenty-seven percent of females reported smoking cigarettes once or more during the last 30 days. By 8^th grade, 13% of females were already smoking, and this grew to 37% by the time females were in 12^th grade.
• When Females were asked if they have used marijuana once or more during the last 12 months, 26% responded that they have used. This problem started in 8^th grade with 8% of females using marijuana and grew to 38% by 12^th grade.
• Fewer females (12%) reported using illicit drugs, cocaine, LSD, PCP or angel dust, heroin, and amphetamines. However, this behavior started at a young age with 7% of 8^th graders reporting the use of drugs, and this grew to 14% by 12^th grade.
• Thirty-seven percent of females indicated that they rode with a driver who had been drinking once or more during the last 12 months.
• Eighth grade females (23%) were more likely than their 12^th grade counterparts (11%) to have been in a group fight or to have threatened physical harm to someone once or more during the last 12 months.
• Twenty-two percent of females reported feel sad or depressed most or all of the time during the last month. This increased alarmingly for 10^th graders with 27% reporting feeling sad or depressed.
• When females were asked if they attempted suicide once or more, 22% of females reported they had indeed attempted suicide. This behavior started young with 19% of 8^th grade females reporting attempted suicide. This behavior spiked in 10^th grade with 28% of females reporting attempted suicide.
• Forty-one percent of females reported that they had sexual intercourse one or more times. This was true for 9% of 8^th grade females and 54% of 12^th grade females.

Thriving Indicators

• Eighth grade females (40%) were more likely to report having the Succeeds in School thriving indicator than 10^th (35%) and 12^th grade (32%) females.
• Eighty-five percent of females reported that they help friends or neighbors one or more hours per week, Helps Others. This stayed consistent across 8^th, 10^th and 12^th grades.
• Although 70% females Value Diversity, this percent dropped from 8^th grade (75%) to 12^th grade (65%).
• Forty-eight percent of females reported that they pay attention to healthy nutrition and exercise, Maintains Good Health.
• Seventy-three percent of females were finding opportunities to Exhibit Leadership.
• Twenty-three percent reported that they avoid doing things that were dangerous, Resists Danger thriving indicator.
• Forty percent of females reported the ability to Delay Gratification. However, the data indicated a drop in this thriving indicator from 8^th grade (42%) to 12^th grade (37%).
• Seventy-one percent of females reported the ability to not give up when things get difficult, Overcomes Adversity.

Five Deficits

Assets form part of the developmental infrastructure on which adult lives are built. Developmental deficits are negative influences or realities in young people's lives that make it more difficult for them to develop in healthy, caring and productive ways. Deficits may limit access to external assets and they may also ease the way into high-risk behavioral choices. Deficits are liabilities that, in themselves, may not do permanent harm, but they make harm more likely (Technical Overview Search Institute, page 2, 1999).

• Fifty-three percent of females reported being Alone at Home for two or more hours per school day.
• Twenty-six percent of females reported one or more incidents of Physical Abuse - being physically harmed by someone in her family or someone living with her.
• Another 26% of females reported that they have been the Victim of Violence where someone caused her physical pain or injury in the last two years.
• Fifty percent of females reported attending one or more parties in the last year "where other kids their age were drinking." By 8^th grade, 25% of females were already being exposed to Drinking Parties, and this went up to 57% in 10^th grade and 72% by 12^th grade.
• Twenty-one percent of females reported watching TV or videos three or more hours per school day, TV Overexposure.

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This page was last updated on Monday, January 05th, 2009