Guide to Conducting Youth Surveys. Updated Edition

People who care about young people are aware of the serious problems caused by underage alcohol use. They should also be aware that there are many effective strategies for reducing underage drinking, and every state and community should be using these strategies. The "Guide to Conducting Youth Surveys" provides information about one important tool for combating underage drinking: the youth survey. These surveys, often conducted in schools, are one efficient way to obtain important information about youth drinking and other drug use, including some of the characteristics of youth shown to be associated with substance abuse. The purpose of this guide is to promote the use of an important tool for monitoring and understanding adolescent alcohol, tobacco, and drug use--the youth survey. Surveys involve the collection of confidential information using questionnaires or interviews administered in the school, in other group settings, in person, over the telephone, or through the mail. This guide can be used by advocates and policymakers to provide a rationale for carrying out youth surveys. The guide describes an array of flexible options for carrying out youth surveys that can be adapted to local circumstances. Appended are: (1) Survey Modules; (2) Samples of Letters and Forms; and (3) Sample Report. (Contains 14 figures, 5 tables, 7 footnotes, 15 resources.)