National Survey: How Teens Think (for the book For Parents Only)

[survey title=”Survey: What Teens Think”]

Survey Data as of: 9/12/2006

Author Note: This survey was designed with the guidance of Chuck Cowan of Analytic Focus, the former chief of survey design at the U.S. Census Bureau. The survey was conducted by Decision Analyst. The survey was of 423 young women between the ages of 15 and 20, living in the United States.If you are a print publication or media representative, and would like to arrange to receive more detail on the methodology of the survey, the demographics of the responders, or cross-tabulation data, please contact the Multnomah Publicity Department.

You can also download this survey in Adobe Acrobat PDF format.

[question respondents=”427″ prompt=”Is freedom something that motivates you and that you eagerly want? (For example, the ability to have your own cell phone, drive yourself places to do what you want to do, etc.) {Choose One Answer}”]
[option percent=”72.6″]Yes, I feel like I have to have that freedom I am strongly motivated to pursue it.[/option]
[option percent=”26.5″]Yes, the idea of having that freedom is good, but I’m not strongly motivated to go after it.[/option]
[option percent=”0.9″]No, I don’t really care about having freedom.[/option]
[/question]

[question respondents=”427″ prompt=”Do you ever hide negative information from your parents because you’re worried about how they will react? {Choose One Answer}”]
[option percent=”31.1″]Yes, I often don’t tell them those things, because of that.[/option]
[option percent=”52″]Yes, I sometimes don’t tell them those things, because of that.[/option]
[option percent=”16.9″]I rarely or never hide those things from them.[/option]
[/question]

[question respondents=”427″ prompt=”Think of something that you really want to do, that your parents might disapprove of. Which statement most closely describes you? {Choose One Answer}”]
[option percent=”22″]If I want to do something, I will usually find a way to do it, no matter what my parents think or say.[/option]
[option percent=”46.6″]If I want to do something, I will usually find a way to do it…although I’d hope my parents wouldn’t think I was being too bad.[/option]
[option percent=”31.4″]Even if I really want to do something and even if my parents would never know, I generally don’t do it if they would disapprove.[/option]
[/question]

[question respondents=”427″ prompt=”When you do something that your parents would disapprove of, what is the best description for the reason that you do it? {Choose One Answer}”]
[option percent=”6.3″]I’m just doing what my friends want me to do.[/option]
[option percent=”89.2″]I’m just pursuing my freedom, and my ability to do what I want to do.[/option]
[option percent=”4.4″]I’m just being rebellious against my parents.[/option]
[/question]

[question respondents=”427″ prompt=”When you make a decision to do or not do something you subconsciously know is wrong, do you sometimes think about whether God sees your private thoughts and everything you do? {Choose One Answer}”]
[option percent=”60.7″]Yes, that is something I think about.[/option]
[option percent=”25.1″]No, not really.[/option]
[option percent=”14.3″]No, because I don’t believe there is a God.[/option]
[/question]

[question respondents=”259″ prompt=”When you make a decision to do or not do something you feel is wrong, which thought most impacts the choice you make? {Choose One Answer}”]
[option percent=”32.4″]On a day-to-day basis, the thought that my parents would be disappointed in me is a bigger influence than whether God would be disappointed in me.[/option]
[option percent=”61″]On a day-to-day basis, the thought that God sees everything I do and would be disappointed in me is a bigger influence than whether my parents would be disappointed in me.[/option]
[option percent=”6.6″]I don’t really think about whether either my parents or God would be disappointed in me.[/option]
[/question]

[question respondents=”427″ prompt=”Which of the following best describes how you feel? {Choose One Answer}”]
[option percent=”93.2″]Even if I love my parents, I want to have my own life, tastes, values and goals and sometimes these opinions will be different from theirs.[/option]
[option percent=”6.8″]I am content with adopting the life, tastes, values and goals of my parents.[/option]
[/question]

[question respondents=”398″ prompt=”Although you want to find your own identity as a person and may be questioning your parent’s values, would you be secretly glad if your family had positive, strongly-expressed beliefs and values that you could return to if you wished? {Choose One Answer}”]
[option percent=”80.9″]Yes, I would be glad to know that my parents had strongly-held beliefs running in the background, even if I may not agree with them right now.[/option]
[option percent=”19.1″]No, I don’t care at all whether those values are there in the background.[/option]
[/question]

[question respondents=”427″ prompt=”Imagine that you and your parents are having a conflict over something. You are angry or hurt that they just don’t understand you. When you next talk face-to-face with your parents, which statement from them would most make you feel better? {Choose One Answer}”]
[option percent=”29.3″]Yes, I do understand you. I love you, and remember, I was a teenager once, too.[/option]
[option percent=”70.7″]You’re right, I don’t fully understand you, but I love you and value you, and want to understand who you are becoming.[/option]
[/question]

[question respondents=”427″ prompt=”If your parents won’t let you do something and they point out that a friend’s parents don’t allow them to do it either, does that help you think that your parents are correct? {Choose One Answer}”]
[option percent=”25.1″]Yes, if I see that other kids aren’t allowed either, I realize my parents are right in having that restriction.[/option]
[option percent=”74.9″]No, what other kids are allowed to do should be irrelevant to me.[/option]
[/question]

[question respondents=”427″ prompt=”Suppose you could wave a magic wand and start over again with your parents, where neither they nor you had ever made mistakes with each other. How important is it to you to have the security of knowing your parents will always be there for you and that they at least make the effort to understand your world? {Choose One Answer}”]
[option percent=”64.4″]Very important[/option]
[option percent=”29.7″]Somewhat important[/option]
[option percent=”3.7″]I wouldn’t care one way or another[/option]
[option percent=”2.1″]I don’t want that security from my parents[/option]
[/question]

[question respondents=”427″ prompt=”In your experience, when teenagers have made mistakes, how do they respond when they feel their parents judge them harshly or are not there for them when they most need them? {Choose One Answer}”]
[option percent=”8.2″]That’s just how parents act, and it wouldn’t really bother most teenagers.[/option]
[option percent=”25.8″]It would hurt, but teenagers would generally continue to share things with their parents and remain open to them, emotionally.[/option]
[option percent=”66″]After awhile, it might hurt so badly that teens would stop sharing their real feelings with the hurtful parent, and it would take a lot of effort for the parent to rebuild the relationship.[/option]
[/question]

[question respondents=”427″ prompt=”Imagine this scenario: Your parents don’t allow you to go to a concert with kids they suspect drink a lot, and you are furious. But later you find that everyone was drinking and driving home drunk. If you had been there, you would have had to make an uncomfortable choice between seeming uncool by refusing to get in the car, or driving with a drunk driver. Looking back, are you glad your parents made you stay home? {Choose One Answer}”]
[option percent=”73.1″]Yes,Though I may not admit it, I’m glad to have been spared that dilemma, which my parents may have anticipated.[/option]
[option percent=”26.9″]No, I should have been able to make my own choice, and I would have handled that dilemma fine.[/option]
[/question]

[question respondents=”427″ prompt=”Most teenagers say that they want to grow up to be a good person. If you had to choose between two ways that your parents could relate to you, which one would you choose to help you become the good person you want to be? {Choose One Answer}”]
[option percent=”77″]They set reasonable rules, they ensure that I do my homework, they care about who I hang out with and how healthy I am, and they try to create family time and stay involved in my life.[/option]
[option percent=”23″]They hang out with me, they usually buy me the things I want, they usually let me do the things I want to do and go where I want to go, they don’t bug me about homework, and they don’t hold me to rules.[/option]
[/question]

[question respondents=”427″ prompt=”Imagine that you’re having a problem with an unfair teacher. If you tell your parents about it, which would be the best way for them to handle it? {Choose One Answer}”]
[option percent=”18.5″]You tell them your concern and they immediately jump in to help you fix the problem.[/option]
[option percent=”16.4″]Your parents listen to how you feel about what’s going on, say something like, That must have made you really upset. I’m so sorry.[/option]
[option percent=”65.1″]Your parents listen to how you feel about what’s going on, say something like, That must have made you really upset. I’m so sorry, then they ask if you want their help.[/option]
[/question]

[question respondents=”427″ prompt=”Many teenagers complain that their parents don’t really listen to them when something goes wrong. Suppose you have a teacher this year who you feel is being mean and unfair to you, and even embarrasses you in front of the class. After one particularly bad incident, you and your parents talk about it. Which statement from them would make you feel like they are really listening to you? {Choose One Answer}”]
[option percent=”68.1″]That must have been so embarrassing. I’m so sorry that happened. Do you feel like your teacher is singling you out and picking on you?[/option]
[option percent=”31.9″]That’s too bad. I’m going to call your teacher right now.[/option]
[/question]

[question respondents=”427″ prompt=”Many teenagers mention that their parents sometimes ‘freak out’ about things. Can ‘freaking out’ include not just negative emotions but also positive ones? For example, if a parent excitedly said, Oh, I’m so excited about that boy/girl you like! Could that also be considered freaking out? {Choose One Answer}”]
[option percent=”55.5″]Yes, if a parent gets excited or hyper, I might think that that is freaking out.[/option]
[option percent=”44.5″]No, I think “freaking out” only means negative emotions.[/option]
[/question]

[question respondents=”427″ prompt=”Many teens say there are certain things that they might want to share with their parents, but don’t because they don’t want them to freak out. Which of the following sentences best describes you? {Choose One Answer}”]
[option percent=”74.5″]If I knew my parents wouldn’t freak out, I would really like to share certain things with them.[/option]
[option percent=”25.5″]Even if I knew my parents wouldn’t freak out, I still wouldn’t want to share anything with them.[/option]
[/question]

[question respondents=”427″ prompt=”Imagine you have done something wrong, you and your parents have discussed it, and now they are going to discipline you. Which approach would you most want? {Choose One Answer}”]
[option percent=”50.8″]Your parents have a talk with you, explaining all the reasons why what you did was wrong and all the reasons why you should behave differently.[/option]
[option percent=”49.2″]Your parents briefly remind you what the rule was, that you broke it, and what the consequences are.[/option]
[/question]

[question respondents=”427″ prompt=”If you had to make a choice to feel only one of these sets of feelings, which is more important to you? {Choose One Answer}”]
[option percent=”67.4″]I’d rather feel that people believe in me, trust me, and respect me for who I am.[/option]
[option percent=”32.6″]I’d rather feel that people fully know me, accept me, and like me for who I am.[/option]
[/question]

[question respondents=”209″ prompt=”(Answered by boys only) If something happens to make you feel powerless and disrespected, how are you likely to react? {Choose All Correct Answers}”]
[option percent=”67″]I would be angry[/option]
[option percent=”16.3″]I would blow up[/option]
[option percent=”51.2″]I would get quiet and think it over[/option]
[option percent=”34″]I would be sullen and grumpy[/option]
[option percent=”30.1″]I’d stuff it and probably blow up later[/option]
[option percent=”12″]I’d cry[/option]
[option percent=”17.7″]I would pour out all my feelings to a friend[/option]
[option percent=”21.1″]I would compensate by trying to be powerful and respected in another area[/option]
[/question]

[question respondents=”218″ prompt=”(Answered by girls only) When you’re mouthing off to your parents, what feelings are most likely going on inside you? {Choose All Correct Answers}”]
[option percent=”42.2″]I despise my parents[/option]
[option percent=”19.3″]I know everything and they know nothing[/option]
[option percent=”48.2″]I’m just not feeling great about myself right now[/option]
[option percent=”50″]I’m feeling fearful, anxious or defensive[/option]
[option percent=”84.4″]I’m feeling misunderstood[/option]
[option percent=”43.6″]I’m feeling unloved, unappreciated, or neglected[/option]
[option percent=”50.5″]How I’m reacting to my parents may not have as much to do with them as it does with what is going on in my life right now.[/option]
[option percent=”22.5″]I’m trying to attack my parents, and make them feel bad[/option]
[/question]

[question respondents=”427″ prompt=”Now we want you to imagine something very difficult. If you were to somehow find out that your parents were going to die tomorrow, what would you most want to tell them today? {Please Type Your Answer In The Box Below. Please Be Specific And Include Details}” note=”These are the verbatim responses of the teenagers to the last, open-ended question we asked on the professional survey. Of the 427 responses, several were garbled or unreadable. A few were deleted as having inappropriate content. A few others contained angry comments, and these are are included below. But the vast majority were an outpouring from teens to their parents saying, essentially, I love you and I’m sorry for all the times I’ve been difficult.“]

View the verbatim responses.
[/question]
[/survey]