The Preteen Digest
The Preteen Digest is a summary of recent news and research about
preteens.
January 2006
Topics:
News & Research
New Reports Focus on Local Preteens
The Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health commissioned several
reports and studies in 2005 regarding the emotional and behavioral health
of preteens. These reports, all of which are available online, were released
at The
Preteen Summit on Jan. 9:
- School-Based
Counseling for Preteens in San Mateo County, A Study of Key
Issues Affecting the Emotional and Behavioral Health of Preteens and
an Examination of Available Services, is a tri-part study that
included one-on-one interviews with San Mateo County counselors and
nurses, focus groups, and an Internet survey. The study found that family
problems and stress and anxiety are causing serious difficulties for
many preteen students.
- Key
Issues for Low-Income Latino Preteens in Santa Clara County, Preliminary
Qualitative Research with Adult Professionals. Through focus groups
with professionals who work with low-income Latino preteens, this preliminary
study affirmed that Latino youth face not only the “normal”
preteen pressures, but also unique culturally influenced issues involving
poverty, acculturation, maturation, and violence and gangs.
- How
San Mateo and Santa Clara County Parents View Their Preteen Children,
Selected Results from a Survey of Bay Area Parents. In this
poll, parents reported that their children are physically and emotionally
healthy by many measures, but said they are concerned about stress,
children's weight, the effects of media, worries about family conflict,
and other emotional and behavioral issues.
Preteen
Alcohol Use Tied to Risky Behavior Later
Seventh-graders who drink alcohol are more likely to report engaging in
other risky behaviors in mid-adolescence than other youth, according to
a study in the American Journal of Public Health. The survey of 1,034
African American and Hispanic youth found that early drinkers were more
likely to report subsequent alcohol problems, as well as unprotected sexual
intercourse, multiple partners, and pregnancy.
A
Focus on Cyber Bullying
A survey of 1,500 students nationwide in fourth through eighth grades
found that 42 percent have been bullied online and 53 percent have said
something mean or hurtful about someone else while online, according to
I-Safe America, an organization promoting web safety. Cyber bullying may
be gaining popularity due to the growing number of kids using the Internet
and the ease of anonymity that the web affords, and experts say parents
and schools should do more to teach kids that bullying – whether
online or off-line – is not acceptable.
What
Stresses Preteens?
School, homework, and grades cause the most stress for preteens, according
to a survey of 875 children ages 9-13 in Pennsylvania, North Carolina,
Indiana, and Illinois. Of the children surveyed, 36 percent reported feeling
upset or stressed out by school. The second and third most common stressors
cited were family problems (32 percent) and issues with friends or peers
(21 percent). The survey was jointly conducted by the National Association
of Health Education Centers, the Nemours Center for Children’s Health
Media, and the Department of Health Education and Recreation at Southern
Illinois University.
Younger
Teens Experienced Largest Decrease in Crime Victimization
Violent crime rates against children ages 12-14 dropped more than in any
other age group from 1993-2003, according to the Department of Justice's
Bureau of Justice Statistics. For ages 12-14, there were roughly 125 violent
crimes per 1,000 children in 1993, compared to about 50 in 2003. Other
findings include:
- Four in five victims of nonfatal violent crimes ages 12-14 perceived
their offenders also to be juveniles.
- Youth ages 15-17 were about three times more likely than those ages
12-14 to have been a victim of a violent crime involving a firearm.
- Among victims ages 12-14, about half said the violence occurred at
school.
Facts & Figures
Report:
What Young Teens Are Doing and Thinking
"Freeze Frame: A Snapshot of America's Teens" aims to provide
a summary of adolescent opinions in several areas, from health to school
to media. The chartbook is produced by the National Campaign to Prevent
Teen Pregnancy, in conjunction with Child Trends. Select findings about
young teens include:
- Almost one in four girls (23%) who first had sex between the ages
of 12-14 say their first sexual experience was unwanted.
- About one in four eighth-grade students volunteer at least once a
month.
- Youth ages 12-13 say that they break behavioral rules set by their
parents more often than their parents say they break these rules.
- Seven in 10 children ages 12-14 report a positive relationship with
their parents or parent figures who reside with them.
- One-third of youth ages 12-14 say they have had a sexual partner
three or more years older.
- 52% of middle schoolers believe their school is supportive (e.g.,
they say their teachers treat them fairly, and believe that their teachers
care about them)
The Preteen Alliance
The Preteen Alliance is a broad-based coalition formed by the Lucile
Packard Foundation for Children's Health to promote the emotional and
behavioral health of preteens in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Membership
is open to all. Alliance members receive updates on news and research
related to preteens, and have opportunities to meet and exchange information
with fellow members at periodic events, through the Alliance newsletter,
and through the new interactive Preteen Alliance Website, www.preteenalliance.org.
Join
The Preteen Alliance
More
about The Preteen Alliance
|
