The State of Our Nation's Youth, 1998-1999.

This report details findings of a national questionnaire survey of the attitudes and plans of American adolescents. Participating were 1,195 students between 14 and 18 years of age in a nationally representative sample. To permit regional comparisons, 250 questionnaires were sent to representative households from each of the 9 U.S. Census regions, with households selected on the basis of household income, household size, market size, and age and gender of the individual teen. A weighting procedure was used to ensure correct representation of Census regions within the national sample. Findings are presented in six major areas. "The Road Ahead" focuses on the greatest problem or challenge during the next year. "Their Role Models" identifies the categories of teens' role models."The World Around Them" deals with the views of youth on the greatest problems facing the United States. "The School Environment" presents teens' overall marks for schools, safety and security in school, school discipline problems, cheating behavior, teachers' and administrators' caring and concern, student effort and grades, degree of effort and challenge, course work, opportunities and expectations, co-curricular activities, employment, and social life. "Family Life" covers males' and females' relationships with family members, family rules, and attitudes of students identified as Successful, Strivers, or Disillusioned. "Their Future" describes student attitudes toward personal, educational, and occupational plans following high school, career choices, ideas about the American Dream, income expectations, and views on marriage, and children. (Author/KB)