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 in 2000, 2001 and 2002 “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; 87% in 2001; and 91% in 2002) reported that their parents give them help and support when it is needed.

• Most (87% in 2000; 86% in 2001; and 90% in 2002) also agreed that their parents often tell them they love them.

• About four-fifths (79% in both 2000 and 2001; 84% in 2002) 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 that about two-thirds of youth nationwide say they feel affirmed in their families (see chart below right). 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 in grades 9 - 12 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, and 400 in November 2002. 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.