2007 ICSD Student Life and Culture Survey

Community Coalition for Healthy Youth

coordinated by Tompkins County Youth Services Department

320 W. State St., Ithaca, NY (607) 274-5310 www.healthyyouth.org

January, 2008

CCHY Goals

Reduce substance use among youth

Delay age of onset of any drug use

Reduce frequency of use in the past 30 days

Increase youth perception of harm of use

Increase youth perception of disapproval of use by peers & adults

CCHY Goals (continued)

Establish & strengthen community collaboration to prevent and reduce substance use

Improve school safety and student bonding to school by reducing incidence of hurtful behavior

Overview of 2007 Student Life and Culture Survey

Examined student activities, substance use, experiences with school climate & and safety and parental monitoring

Designed with input from ICSD secondary principals, social norms experts & federal grantor

April/May, 2007 – administered (web-based and scannable options) in schools to students in grades 6-12; 2,219 valid responses (73% of students enrolled)

Substance Use

Data Overview

ICSD Student Current Alcohol Use*

ICSD students using alcohol in the past 30 days

Middle schoolers – 1,056 students at DeWitt, Boynton and LACS (gr. 6-8). High schoolers – 1,160 students at IHS and LACS (gr. 9-12).

Middle Schoolers

19%81%

Using Not Using

High Schoolers

53%47%

Using Not using

*Alcohol use throughout the survey was defined as “more than a few sips or for religious purposes”.

ICSD Student Current Cigarette Use

Middle Schoolers

4%

96%

Using Not Using

ICSD students using cigarettes in the past 30 days

High Schoolers

12%

88%

Using Not Using

ICSD Student Current Marijuana Use

Middle Schoolers

5%

95%

Using Not Using

High Schoolers

30%70%

Using Not Using

ICSD students using marijuana in the past 30 days

Comparing ICSD Students’ Lifetime Use with National Peers*

More ICSD students have ever tried alcohol

Fewer ICSD students have ever tried cigarettes

* 2006 Monitoring the Future Survey, given nationwide to a representative sample (roughly 50,000 students in 400 schools).

Alcohol Cigarettes0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Marijuana

Local National

8th

8th8th

10th

10th

10th

12th

12th 12th

30 day Alcohol Use – Time Trend by Grade

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

6th 8th 10th 12th

1999

2002

2005

2007

More students in all grades used alcohol in the previous 30 days in 2007 than in 1999 & 2002.

30 day Cigarette Use – Time Trend by Grade

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

6th 8th 10th 12th

1999

2002

2005

2007

Cigarette use is down in all grades since 1999.

30 day Marijuana Use – Time Trend by Grade

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

6th 8th 10th 12th

1999

2002

2005

2007

Marijuana use has increased for grades 10 & 12 since 1999.

ICSD Students’ Lifetime Use of Alcohol, by Grade

25%31%

47%

63%

74%77% 77%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th

The higher the grade, the more students have ever tried alcohol. By the end of middle school, almost half of all students have tried alcohol.

M.S. H.S.

Alcohol (except for a few sips or for religious purposes)

11.2

years

13.3

years

Cigarettes 11.3

years

13.3

years

Marijuana 12.2

years

14.0

years

Nationally, average age of first use of alcohol is approx. 14 years. (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)

Average Age of First Use(students who have reported any use)

Prevalence of Lifetime Alcohol Dependence According to Age of Drinking Onset

45%41%

39%

31%25%

17% 17%11% 10%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

<14 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21+Age started drinking

Perc

en

t ever

Alc

oh

ol D

ep

en

den

t

Source: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Children who start drinking before age 14 are 4 times more likely to develop alcohol dependence.

Underage Drinking in the U.S.

Nationally, approximately 10% of 9- to 10-year-olds have started drinking. Nearly one-third of youth begin drinking before age 13.(Source: U.S. Surgeon General)

Underage drinkers are responsible for 16% of all alcohol consumed in the U.S.(Source: Journal of the American Medical Association)

Underage Drinking and Adolescent Development

Underage drinking can cause alterations in the structure and function of the developing brain. New research indicates that the developing adolescent brain may be particularly susceptible to long-term consequences from alcohol use.

Some studies find that adolescents who drink heavily may experience adverse effects that disrupt normal growth and affect liver, bone, and endocrine development.

(Source: U.S. Surgeon General)

Where ICSD Students Got the Alcohol They Used

(asked only of students who reported any lifetime use of alcohol) More than one answer possible.

M.S.(n=352)

H.S.(n=729)

Friends 33% 80%

Home without parents’ knowledge* 36% 39%

Older sibling 19% 29%

Home with parents’ knowledge* 32% 24%

At school 6% 11%

More than one answer possible* CCHY area of focus in 2007-09.

Where Students Got the Marijuana They Used

(asked only of students who reported any lifetime use of marijuana.) More than one answer possible

M.S.(n=68

H.S.(n=424)

Friends 78% 84%

At school 32% 32%

In community 24% 29%

Older sibling 31% 18%

Availability of drugsStudents who reported it would be very easy/ sort of easy to get:

M.S. H.S.

Alcohol 46% 77%

Marijuana 20% 68%

Cigarettes 29% 67%

Fewer ICSD students than their national peers would find it easy to get all substances.

Negative Consequences of Substance Use

Students who have ever... (asked of all students)

M.S. H.S.

Kept drunk friend from injuring self or others

12% 41%

Ridden with friend who had been drinking alcohol

8% 21%

Kept someone from being a victim of alcohol-related sexual harassment or assault

8% 15%

Negative Consequences of Substance Use

Students who have ever... (asked of students who have ever used alcohol; percentages are of those who have used alcohol)

M.S. H.S.

Done something they later regretted because of alcohol use

16% 41%

Gotten in trouble at home because of alcohol use

10% 24%

Had school work hurt by alcohol use

6% 10%

Students who perceive risk from regular use are less likely to use marijuana

9%

26%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Moderate/great risk No risk

Perceived Risk of Harm Reduces Marijuana Use

Percent of students who used marijuana in the past 30 days

Perceived Parental Disapproval Reduces Alcohol Use

Students who think their parents disapprove of their using alcohol are less likely to drink.

34%

73%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Parents disapprove Parents don't disapprove

Percent of students who used alcohol in the past 30 days

Alcohol & Drug Info from Adults

M.S. H.S.

Trusts parents some/a lot for drug info 88% 85%

Learned some/a lot from parents re. drugs in last year

62% 47%

Trusts teachers some/a lot for drug info

88% 77%

Learned some/a lot from teachers re. drugs in last year

76% 43%

School Climate &

Out-of-School Life

School Experience & Attitudes

M.S. H.S.Feels safe at school mostly/always 85% 83%

Feels welcome at school mostly/always 79% 76%

Has trusted adult in school 59% 55%

Says school adults care & encourage often/always

60% 46%

Says school rules are fairly enforced often/always

67% 47%

Ranks academics as very important 77% 76%

School Experience (continued)

M.S. H.S.

Says school staff are usually/always available to deal with bullying

39% 44%

Notices physical bullying of others at least weekly

29% 32%

Is target of hurtful verbal putdowns at least weekly

25% 17%

Is target of physical bullying at least weekly

6% 2%

Was disrespected by students at school in last year

73% 60%

Parents & Community

M.S. H.S.

Has a trusted adult out of school 85% 85%

Spends 3+ hrs/week doing things with family

75% 64%

Parents set clear rules often/always 74% 67%

Parents care & encourage often/always 85% 80%

Faces consequences when breaking parents’ rules often/always

73% 63%

Parents monitor internet use some/a lot (of those students with home computers)

49% 26%

Computers & Internet

M.S. H.S

Experienced cyber bullying in last year

31% 29%

Cyber bullied someone in last year 28% 24%

Was asked to meet an internet “friend” face-to-face in last year

10% 13%

Has computer & internet access at home

90% 92%

Has MySpace (or similar) account 44% 68%

Summary

Students are drinking and using other drugs When they start drinking matters Parents and trusted adults matter Ease of access matters CCHY, schools, parents & community need

to work together to reduce use

Next Steps - How the Data Will Inform the Coalition’s Efforts

Coalition to use data to engage parents & community - for environmental strategies to reduce

underage access to alcohol to reduce violence and improve school climate

Community organizations to assess needs and target services

Next Steps - How the Data Will Inform the Coalition’s Efforts (continued)

Schools to target and evaluate efforts to reduce hurtful behaviors

Expansion & support of Second Step® Anti-Violence curriculum in county schools

DeWitt Middle School social norms campaign Boynton Middle School school climate

improvement project Ithaca High School Link Crew school climate

improvement project