Indicator: 52 - Youth Feeling Supported in Their Family
Why This Is Important
A basic responsibility of parents and a family is to provide one
another and their children with love and support. Young people who
recognize these types of assets in their lives are less likely to
engage in risky behaviors. Especially for younger adolescents, parental
caring and values are often cited as the most important reason why
a young person does not experiment with alcohol and other drugs.
Where We Stand
Over four-fifths of interviewed youth (83% in both
2000 and 2001) "agreed" or "strongly agreed"
that they feel useful and important in their families. This percentage
varied little by gender or school class standing. The youth also
displayed feelings of support on three related questions:
- Most youth (88% in 2000, and 87% in 2001) reported that their
parents give them help and support when it is needed.
- Most (87% in 2000, and 86% in 2001) also agreed that their parents
often tell them they love them.
- Nearly four-fifths (79% in both 2000 and 2001) agreed that there
are clear rules about what they can and cannot do in their household.
Maine youth appear to feel more support from their families than
youth nationally. A 1999 publication from the Search Institute reported
the following percentages of youth who say they feel affirmed in
their families. This data is from various data sets and is not from
a nationally representative sample, so it is not strictly comparable
to the Maine youth data.
Data Sources and Context
The Maine Marks indicator was shaped by the work of the Search
Institute and their research into developmental assets of young
people. The developmental assets framework is popular with many
working in the field of youth development. The data source for this
indicator is a statewide telephone survey of Maine youth aged 13
to 19 done by Critical Insights, a strategic marketing research
firm in Portland, Maine. A total of 403 telephone interviews with
Maine youth were done in November 2000; 402 more were interviewed
in November 2001. The youth were asked how much they agreed or disagreed
with the following statements:
- My parents give me help and support when I need it.
- My parents often tell me they love me.
- In my family, I feel useful and important.
- In my family, there are clear rules about what I can and cannot
do.
Only the data in the "all" column of the Maine chart
is statistically representative of youth statewide; the gender and
grade level breakdowns are only meant to be roughly descriptive
of all young people in Maine.
The national comparative data is from A Fragile Foundation: The
State of Developmental Assets Among American Youth, Search Institute
(1999). The information in the national chart combines the degree
to which youth agreed or disagreed with the following statements:
- I get along well with my parents.
- My parents give me help and support when I need it.
- My parents often tell me they love me.
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