PPAAUS 2003

Primary Prevention Awareness, Attitude, and Use Survey

Student Perspectives on the Use of Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs, and Violence
Franklin County Ohio Schools

Fact Sheet Questions and Answers
Executive Summary
Report Graphs
Trend Graphs
Reliability Scales
Confidence Levels
Survey Instrument
Franklin County Ohio Schools Report Text - Narrative of 2006 Data

Fact Sheet Questions and Answers

1. Who completed the survey?
82,150 sixth through twelfth graders in Franklin County’s 16 public school districts and in 37 non-public schools

2. Who funded the survey and what was the cost of the survey?
Columbus Medical Association Foundation, Safe and Drug-Free Schools Consortium, US Department of Justice, United Way, @ $1.58/student

3. Who designed the survey?
John Swisher, Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University
Revisions by: Diagnostics Plus, State College, Pennsylvania and the Safe & Drug-Free Schools Consortium
Franklin County Item Additions by: Safe & Drug-Free Schools Consortium, Columbus, Ohio

4. Why was this survey selected?
The US Department of Education requires that program activities be based on an assessment of objective data regarding the incidence of violence and illegal drug use in schools. PPAAUS is a source for this information.

5. Who administered the survey?
School staff who were trained in administration procedures

6. When was the survey administered?
November 3 - December 5, 2003, primarily in classroom settings, during the school day

7. Who scored the survey?
Diagnostics Plus, State College, Pennsylvania

8. Were all students surveyed?
The data is representative of only the students in class on the day of the survey.

9. Were all surveys included in the analysis?
No – 2,658 (3.2%) questionable and unusable surveys were eliminated.
    •    787 answers were contradictory.
    •    1,355 students claimed to use a bogus substance.
    •    576 students did not accurately complete the grade in school item.
These numbers are not mutually exclusive. Surveys could fail more than one reliability check.

10. The report was based upon how many usable surveys?
79,492 Total
13,382 - sixth graders
13,179 - seventh graders
12,991 - eighth graders
11,932 - freshmen
10,754 - sophomores
9,246 - juniors
8,008 - seniors

11. What was the percent of males and females completing the survey?
48% were male; 50% were female; 2% gave no answer

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Executive Summary

Alcohol

2% of sixth graders, 6% of seventh and eighth graders, 21% of ninth and tenth graders, and 35% of eleventh and twelfth graders drank regularly (at least once a month).
.5% of sixth graders, 2% of seventh and eighth graders, 7% of ninth and tenth graders, and 14% of juniors and seniors drank alcohol at least once a week.
The average age of first use of alcohol for middle school students was 11.2 and for high school students, 13.7.
85% of sixth graders, 70% of seventh and eighth graders, 47% of ninth and tenth graders, and 34% of eleventh and twelfth graders had never drunk alcohol.

Tobacco

.5% of sixth graders, 2% of seventh and eighth graders, 7% of ninth and tenth graders, and 10% of eleventh and twelfth graders reported smoking cigarettes daily.
An additional 3% of middle school students and 7% of high school students smoke at least once a month up to twice a week.
The average age of first use for middle school students was 11.0 and for high school students, 13.1.
Less than one-half percent of the sixth graders, one-half percent of the seventh and eighth graders, one percent of ninth and tenth graders, and three percent of the juniors and seniors indicated regular use of chewing tobacco.
91% of sixth graders, 82% of seventh and eighth graders, 70% of ninth and tenth graders, and 62% of eleventh and twelfth graders had never smoked cigarettes.
Trends: After increases in cigarette use in 1994 and 1997, use in 2003 continued a downward trend that began in 2000. Smokeless tobacco use has been decreasing slightly since 1991.

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Marijuana

1% of sixth graders, 5% of seventh and eighth graders, 14% of ninth and tenth graders, and 20% of eleventh and twelfth graders smoke marijuana once a month or more.
Average age of first use for middle school students was 12.0 and for high school students, 13.9.
98% of sixth graders, 89% of seventh and eighth graders, 73% of ninth and tenth graders, and 61% of eleventh and twelfth graders had never smoked marijuana.
Trends: After a large increase in use from 1991 to 1994 in all grades, marijuana use remained fairly stable to 1997. In 2000, decreases in use were seen in all grades. This trend continued in 2003, to levels at or below the 1994 levels.

Messages about Drinking

Teachers, coaches, club advisors and parents were most successful at conveying "It's not OK to drink.“
An average of 88% of sixth through eighth graders and 75% of ninth through twelfth graders felt that teachers gave them the message that drinking is not acceptable.
85% of students who had a coach thought they received a negative message about drinking from that person.
77% of middle school students and 62% of high school students thought that parents disapproved of drinking alcohol.
54% of sixth through eighth graders and 23% of ninth through twelfth graders indicated that the message from friends was “It’s Not OK to drink.”
37% of middle school students and 19% of high school students perceived a message of “It’s Not OK to drink” from the media.
“Message” items were also included for tobacco and marijuana. The responses for these items produced similar patterns as messages about drinking.
For club advisors and coaches, percentages are based on ONLY those students who participated in activities or sports.

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Perpetrators

29% of Franklin County students had “pushed others around to get something you want” (5% had done this more than three times).
21% of students had pushed others around to make them afraid (4% more than three times).
33% had threatened to beat up someone (8% four times or more).
27% of students reported they had beat up someone (7% more than three times).
Victims
11% of middle school students and 7% of high school students reported that they had been robbed (by force, weapons, or threats) at school within the past year (2% of all students reported they had been robbed more than three times).
19% of middle school students and 13% of high school students said they had been physically attacked at school (2% of all students were attacked four times or more)
40% of the sixth through eighth graders and 41% of the ninth through twelfth graders had been verbally attacked (10% four times or more).
22% of middle school students and 17% of high school students had feared for their physical safety at school.
Problem Behaviors
13% of Franklin County students in grades six through eight and 32% in grades nine through twelve had skipped school at least once in the past year.
36% of sixth through eighth graders and 54% of the ninth through twelfth graders had cheated on a class test at least once.
4% of middle school students and 11% of high school students reported that they had sold drugs in the past year.
18% of middle school students and 23% of high school students had vandalized property.
Prevention Programs
83% of the Franklin County students had participated in Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E) at least once in school.
31% of all students surveyed had been in drug-free clubs or activities such as Youth to Youth or Teen Institute.
24% of students had participated in conflict resolution programs like peer mediation and Peaceful Schools.
37% of the Franklin County students had participated in drug-free leadership or camps or retreats (for example, Youth to Youth or Teen Institute).

Family and Friends

Students who report that their families have “strong family values against the use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs” are much less likely to use tobacco, alcohol and marijuana than those students who report that their family does not have those values.
Students whose friends give the message “It is NOT OK to use” report much lower use of alcohol and marijuana than those students who have friends that do not deliver this message.
Other Correlates of Tobacco, Alcohol, and Marijuana Use
Higher levels of social activities and “work-for-pay” activities are associated with higher levels of tobacco, alcohol and marijuana usage.
Students who use alcohol, cigarettes and marijuana also report higher levels of skipping school, cheating in school, selling drugs, vandalizing property, getting drunk and lower grades in school.
PPAAUS maintains very good internal and external reliability. Reliability coefficients from PPAAUS average .7935.

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Report Graphs

Trend Graphs

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Reliability Scales

A scale (a group of similar questions) is said to be reliable when the results obtained from it are repeatable and consistent. One of the most commonly used reliability coefficients is Cronbach's Alpha. Alpha is a measure of the internal consistency of a scale and is based on the average correlation of items within the scale. Positive correlations between the items in a scale are expected because they all measure the same construct. Alpha levels range from -1.0 to +1.0; the closer to +1.0, the more reliable the scale. Scales with alphas above +0.7 are considered to be very reliable. Analyses of reliability were conducted on several scales within the Primary Prevention Awareness, Attitude, and Use Survey for the Franklin County Schools. Results of those analyses are shown below.

RELIABILITY COEFFICIENTS
Franklin County Safe and Drug-Free Schools Consortium

	# of items	PPAAUS Item numbers	Cronbach’s Alpha
Scale			6th-8th Graders	9th-12th Graders
Problem Behaviors	5	83-87	.6814	.6971
Well Being	6	131-136	.5912	.6088
Willingness to Use	8	10-12, 17,19-22	.8109	.8479
ATOD Use	8	23-25, 31, 33-36	.7209	.7673
Perpetrators	5	62-66	.8030	.8150
Victims	4	68, 70-71, 73	.6432	.6437
Perception of Peer Use	3	40-42	.8456	.7583
Decision Making	3	7-9	.5994	.6905
Message from Parents	3	113, 119, 125	.8031	.7642
Message from Friends	3	114, 120, 126	.9050	.8200
Message from Teachers	3	115, 121, 127	.8789	.8615
Message from Coaches	3	116, 122, 128	.9554	.9312
Message from Club Advisors	3	117, 123, 129	.9583	.9505
Message from Media	3	118, 124, 130	.8877	.8149
School Climate – Learning Environment	3	46, 51, 55	.6972	.6822
School Climate – Discipline	4	43, 52, 58-59	.8087	.7867
School Climate – Students & Staff	7	44-45, 47, 50, 53-54, 56	.8102	.7813
School Climate – Students & Other Students	2	48-49	.8136	.8172
School Climate – Staff, Students, parents and community	2	57, 60	.7620	.7616

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Franklin County Ohio Schools Report Text - Narrative of 2003 Data

Background

As part of its commitment to the youth of Franklin County, the Safe and Drug-Free Schools Consortium of the Educational Council sponsors a triennial needs assessment survey for students in sixth through twelfth grades throughout Franklin County. In 2003, more than 80,000 students in Franklin County schools participated in the sixth Primary Prevention Awareness, Attitude and Use Survey.
With the information from PPAAUS, county and district prevention personnel are able to make decisions that guide prevention and intervention programs, planning, and policy. Many items and topics in PPAAUS have remained the same over the years to allow the Consortium to also track trends in behavior and attitudes. This year, the Consortium is especially interested in correlations between targeted behaviors and substance use. By finding these relationships, the Consortium will better be able to assist young people discover paths that will help them make healthy choices. Funding assistance for the 2003 survey was provided by the Columbus Medical Association Foundation, Safe & Drug-Free Schools Consortium, US Dept. of Justice Office of Justice Programs and United Way of Central Ohio.

In November 2003, surveys were administered in primarily standard classroom settings, with students marking their responses directly on the questionnaires. The Consortium provided coordination among all participating schools, training for survey administration, teacher scripts, written instructions, and envelopes for classroom collection. Diagnostics Plus, an independent survey-research organization, provided project coordination, survey scanning, data management, data analyses, and comprehensive reports and graphics.

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Survey Participation

In the Franklin County Schools, 82,150 students in grades six through twelve completed questionnaires. Participation by district is found in Table A of Appendix A. After using a Questionable-Response filter, 79,492 surveys were included for the analyses in this report. The QR filter identifies students who may have been exaggerating or careless in their response patterns. For example, the questionnaire of any student claiming to have used “thermycin” (a bogus substance) within the past year was eliminated from analyses. Also eliminated was the questionnaire of any student claiming to be in a grade not served by the school being surveyed (grade 12 in a middle school, for instance). A QR point was “awarded” for the following inconsistencies: claiming an age-of-first-use much higher than appropriate for the grade in school, claiming to be drunk much more than claiming to drink; claiming not to have used a substance on the age-of-first-use item while claiming regular use of that substance on another item; claiming to drive after drinking (or smoking marijuana) much more often that claiming to drink (or smoke). Two or more QR points based on these criteria also were cause to eliminate a survey from analyses. In the Franklin County Schools, 2,658 questionnaires (3.2 percent) were not included in the final data set.

Tables and graphics included with this report show students’ response patterns to PPAAUS items. For those interested in more in-depth information, Appendix A contains frequencies of response by grade and gender for every PPAAUS item. A copy of PPAAUS is included with this report in Appendix B.

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Reliability

A good assurance of honest responses from students is making them confident that their responses will remain anonymous. In the PPAAUS administration, students were given the option of not participating; students did not put their names or any identifying marks on their questionnaires; teachers remained at their desks; and surveys were collected by a student, placed into an envelope, and taken to a central collection area. A survey item (#137) asked students if they were made to feel sure that their answers would not be seen by anyone at their school. Eighty-three percent expressed confidence in their anonymity; only 11 percent of the students said no, and seven percent were not sure.

A scale (a group of similar questions) is said to be reliable when the results obtained from it are repeatable and consistent. One of the most commonly used reliability coefficients is Cronbach's Alpha. Alpha is a measure of the internal consistency of a scale and is based on the average correlation of items within the scale. Positive correlations between the items in a scale are expected because they all measure the same construct. Overall, reliability correlations of PPAAUS are very good; results of these analyses can be found in Appendix B.

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Demographics

(PPAAUS items 1, 2, 4 & 6) In the Franklin County Schools, 13,382 students were in sixth grade, 13,179 in seventh grade, 12,991 in eighth grade, 11,932 in ninth grade, 10,754 in tenth grade, 9,246 in eleventh grade, and 8,008 in twelfth grade. Forty-eight percent were male and 50 percent female (two percent did not respond). Sixty-three percent were Caucasian, 21 percent African-American, three percent Asian, two percent Hispanic, and five percent multi-racial (six percent either gave no response, a multiple response, or answered Native American or Other). Fifty-three percent of the Franklin County students lived with two parents; six percent were in a joint-custody situation; 12 percent lived with a parent and a stepparent; 22 percent lived with a single parent; and three percent lived with other family. An average of four percent of all students surveyed either gave no response, a multiple response, or answered Other to the PPAAUS family item.

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Grades

(PPAAUS item 3) An average of 19 percent of the sixth through eighth graders and 15 percent of the ninth through twelfth graders described their grades as Excellent. Thirty percent of the middle-school students and 28 percent of the high-school students felt their grades were Very Good. An average of 30 percent of all surveyed students in Franklin County thought their grades were Good, 19 percent Average, and five percent Below Average or Poor.

(PPAAUS items 135 &136) Fifty-six percent of the middle-school students and 45 percent of the high-school students felt good about their schoolwork (Most of the Time). An average of 39 percent of the sixth through eighth graders and 42 percent of the ninth through twelfth graders worried about doing well in school (Most of the Time); 23 percent and 17 percent respectively did not worry (Almost Never) about doing well in school.

(PPAAUS item 7) Of the middle-school students surveyed, 87 percent felt that their parents showed interest (Often or Always) in their schoolwork; 13 percent felt that their parents did not show interest (Never or Sometimes). Seventy-seven percent of the high-school students thought their parents were interested in their schoolwork, and 23 percent thought their parents were not interested.

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Goals

(PPAAUS item 5) Students were asked to choose the ONE option of several possible future goals that was most important to them. The greatest percentage of Franklin County students wanted to go to a four-year college: 66 percent of the sixth through eighth graders and 74 percent of the ninth through twelfth graders. Among middle-school students, 12 percent wanted to go to a two-year college or tech/trade school after high school, six percent wanted to get a job, four percent wanted to go into the military, 12 percent were unsure, and one-half percent thought they would drop out before finishing high school. An average of ten percent of the high-school students wanted to go to a two-year college or trade school, five percent wanted to get a job, three percent wanted to enter the military, and seven percent were uncertain. One percent of the high-school students said they did not want to finish high school.

School Programs

(PPAAUS items 94-97, 100) An average of 63 percent of the Franklin County middle-school students had participated in performing arts programs (band, orchestra, choir, or theater) and 36 percent had participated in other activities (newspapers, yearbook, or clubs). Among high-school students, 38 percent had participated in performing arts programs and 38 percent in other activities.

An average of 41 percent of the sixth through eighth graders and 25 percent of the ninth through twelfth graders had been in a Gifted or Talented program. Fourteen percent of the students in middle school and ten percent of those in high school had participated in Career Center or Vocation programs.

Five percent of all Franklin County students had participated in a Special Education Program. This included four percent in Learning Disabilities programs, one percent in Behavioral Handicap programs, one percent in Hearing Impaired programs, and one percent in Physical Disability programs.

Athletics

(PPAAUS items 113) An average of 64 percent of the high-school students had participated in athletics on at least one level. An average of 69 percent of the students in grades six through eight indicated they participated in athletics.

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School Prevention Programs

(PPAAUS items 101-105) An average of 83 percent of the Franklin County students had participated in Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E) at least once in school. Seventy-seven percent of the middle-school students had been in elementary school D.A.R.E. programs and 18 percent in middle-school D.A.R.E. programs. Seventy-one percent of the high-school students had been in elementary-school D.A.R.E. programs, 27 percent in middle-school D.A.R.E. programs, and six percent in high-school D.A.R.E. programs.

Thirty-one percent of all students surveyed had been in Drug-Free clubs or activities such as Youth to Youth or Teen Institute. An average of 18 percent of the sixth through eighth graders had participated in elementary school and 14 percent in middle school. Ten percent of the ninth through twelfth graders had participated in Drug-Free clubs or activities in elementary school, 18 percent in middle school, and ten percent in high school.

Of all Franklin County students surveyed, 24 percent had participated in Conflict Resolution programs like Peer Mediation and Peaceful Schools. Sixteen percent of the middle-school students had participated in elementary school and seven percent in middle school. An average of 15 percent of the high-school students were in Conflict Resolution programs in elementary school, 11 percent in middle school, and three percent in high school.

Thirty-seven percent of the Franklin County students had participated in Drug-Free Leadership or Camps or Retreats (for example, Youth to Youth or Teen Institute). An average of 25 percent of the middle-school students participated in elementary school and 18 percent in middle school. An average of 14 percent of the high-school students had participated in Drug-Free Leadership in elementary school, 21 percent in middle school and 11 percent in high school.

An average of seven percent of the seventh and eighth graders and ten percent of the ninth through twelfth graders had been to Winners’ Choice Camp in seventh grade.

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Students Perceptions About School

Learning Environment (PPAAUS items 46, 51, 55) An average of 89 percent of the Franklin County middle-school students and 83 percent of the high-school students agreed (Strongly Agree or Agree) that “teachers in this school have high expectation for their students.” Eighty-five percent of the sixth through eighth graders and 80 percent of the ninth through twelfth graders felt that “students in this school are taught to take responsibility for their own learning.” Eighty-six percent of the middle-school students and 81 percent of the high-school students thought that “school staff members maintain an orderly environment for learning to take place.”

Discipline (PPAAUS items 43, 52, 58, 59) In the Franklin County Schools, 80 percent of the middle-school students and 72 percent of the high-school students believed that “teachers in this school enforce school rules fairly.” An average of 79 percent of the sixth through eighth graders and 74 percent of the ninth through twelfth graders agreed that “the principal(s) in this school enforce school rules fairly,” and 82 percent and 76 percent respectively agreed that “my school does a good job of assisting students who need help.” Eighty percent of the middle-school students and 67 percent of the high-school students felt that “my school helps students who have disciplinary problems.”

Students and Staff (PPAAUS items 44, 45, 47, 50, 53, 54, 56) An average of 78 percent of the Franklin County sixth through eighth graders and 72 percent of the ninth through twelfth graders thought that “teachers in this school treat students with respect.” Seventy-four percent and 57 percent respectively felt that “teachers value all students in this school.” Fifty-nine percent of the middle-school students and 48 percent of the high-school students agreed with the statement: “I feel that I can talk to the teachers in this school about things that are bothering me.” An average of 58 percent of the middle-school students and 47 percent of the high-school students thought that “students in this school treat teachers with respect”; 70 percent and 68 percent thought “I can go to my school counselor if I need help.” An average of 60 percent of the middle-school students and 57 percent of the high-school students felt that they had “a good relationship with a police officer in this school,” and 75 percent and 74 percent respectively felt they had “a good relationship with an adult at this school.”

Students and Other Students (PPAAUS items 48 & 49) Among Franklin County students, 45 percent of the middle-school students and 41 percent of the high-school students agreed that “students in this school really care about each other.” Forty-three percent of the sixth through eighth graders and 40 percent of the ninth through twelfth graders agreed that “students in this school treat each other with respect.”

Staff, Students, Parents, and Community (PPAAUS items 57 & 60) An average of 77 percent of the Franklin County sixth through eighth graders and 62 percent of the ninth through twelfth graders felt that “staff, students, and parents work together to solve problems.” An average of 69 percent of the middle-school students and 56 percent of the high-school students thought that “my school and community work together to solve problems.”

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Well Being

(PPAAUS items 10-22) An average of four percent of the Franklin County sixth through eighth graders and 14 percent of the ninth through twelfth graders were willing to smoke cigarettes. (“Willing” reflects responses of Would Like to Try or Use It or Would Use It Any Chance.) An average of one percent of the middle-school students and three percent of the high-school students were willing to use smokeless tobacco. Twelve percent of the middle-school students and 41 percent of the high-school students were willing to drink alcohol, and five percent of the middle-school students and 21 percent of the high-school students expressed interest in smoking marijuana.

One percent of the Franklin County students in grades six through eight were willing to use designer or club drugs (ecstasy, XTC, Special K, GHB). An average of one percent of the middle-school students were willing to use cocaine or crack, one percent hallucinogens, one percent inhalants, and one percent speed (crystal meth or angel dust). Among ninth through twelfth graders, five percent would use club drugs, three percent cocaine or crack, six percent hallucinogens, two percent inhalants, and three percent speed.

An average of one percent of the Franklin County students in middle school and five percent in high school indicated they would use someone else’s prescription drugs to get high. One percent and four percent respectively would use over-the-counter medications to get high.

One percent of the middle-school students and two percent of the high-school students indicated interest in using steroids, and one percent of the middle-school students and six percent of the high-school students indicated interest in other performance enhancers (ephedra, glutamine, creatine).

Out of School Activities

(PPAAUS items 74-82) An average of 54 percent of the Franklin County middle-school students and 58 percent of the high-school students did homework or other school projects daily. Forty-three percent of the sixth through eighth graders and 39 percent of the ninth through twelfth graders participated daily in physical activities and/or community sports: jogging, swimming, baseball, soccer, dance classes, or exercise, for example. An average of 35 percent of the middle-school students and 26 percent of the high-school students participated daily in family activities (movies, dinner, TV, games, or shopping). Fifty percent of the middle-school students and 36 percent of the high-school students played computer games daily.

An average of 43 percent of the Franklin County sixth through eighth graders and 64 percent of the ninth through twelfth graders participated in social activities with friends at least once a week. Forty-two percent of the middle-school students and 38 percent of the high-school students participated weekly or more often in spiritual activities (going to a place of worship, meetings, or services). Ten percent of the middle-school students and 31 percent of the high-school students worked for pay at least once a week in out-of-home jobs. An average of five percent of the sixth through eighth graders and nine percent of the ninth through twelfth graders did volunteer or community service weekly or more often. Nineteen percent of the middle-school students and 12 percent of the high-school students were in community activities (scouts, camps, after-school programs, or community holiday celebrations) at least weekly.

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Problem Behaviors

(PPAAUS Items 83-87) An average of 14 percent of the Franklin County students in grades six through eight and 32 percent in grades nine through twelve had skipped school at least once in the past year; one percent of the middle-school students and four percent of the high-school students had been truant more than ten times. Thirty-six percent of the sixth through eighth graders had cheated on a class test at least once in the past year; two percent more than ten times. Fifty-four percent of the high-school students had cheated at least once; six percent had cheated more than ten times. An average of four percent of the middle-school students reported that they had sold drugs in the past year; one percent ten times or more. Eleven percent of the high-school students said they had sold drugs in the past year; three percent said they had done so more than ten times. An average of 18 percent of the middle-school students reported vandalizing property at least once in the past year; one percent more than ten times. Twenty-three percent of the high-school students said they had vandalized property in the past year, and three percent said they had done it more than ten times.

An average of 18 percent of the Franklin County middle-school students and 17 percent of the high-school students said they had been suspended from school at least once within the past year; two percent of the middle-school students and two percent of the high-school students reported being suspended more than ten times.

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Victims and Perpetrators of Problem Behaviors

Victims (PPAAUS items 68-73) Within the previous year, an average of 31 percent of the Franklin County students in grades six through eight felt that other students had spread lies or false rumors about them more than once. Twenty percent of the middle-school students said they had been verbally attacked two times or more, and 15 percent felt they had been ostracized (left out of a group or activity to hurt you) more than once. Among middle-school students, five percent said that at least twice in the past year, someone had taken money or things directly from them using force, a weapon, or threats. Seven percent reported that they had been physically attacked at school at least twice, and nine percent said they had feared for their physical safety at school two or more times within the past year.

In the Franklin County Schools, 28 percent of the high-school students said they had been victims of lies or false rumors more than once in the past year, and 21 percent had been victims of verbal attacks. Eleven percent had been ostracized. At least twice in the past year, three percent of the high-school students had something forcefully taken from them, and four percent had been physically attacked at school. An average of seven percent of the high-school students said they had feared for their physical safety more than once in the previous year.

Perpetrators (PPAAUS items 61-67) An average of 24 percent of the Franklin County middle-school students and 21 percent of the high-school students reported that they had told lies or spread false rumors about someone at least two times in the previous year. Eleven percent of the middle-school students and 11 percent of the high-school students had, on two or more occasions, left someone out of a group or activity to hurt that person. An average of three percent of the students in sixth through eighth grade and three percent of the students in ninth through twelfth grade said they had used force at least twice in the previous year to take money or things from others.

At least two times in the past year, 12 percent of the Franklin County students in grades six through eight and 14 percent in grades nine through twelve had bullied (“pushed others around”) someone to get something they wanted; nine percent and 11 percent respectively had bullied others to intimidate them (“make them afraid”).

Sixteen percent of the middle-school students said they had threatened to beat up someone at least twice in the past year; 16 percent reported they had hit someone with their fists or beat up someone at least twice. Among high-school students, an average of 18 percent had threatened physical violence two times or more, and 13 percent had perpetrated it.

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Perceived Peer Use of Alcohol, Tobacco and Marijuana

(PPAAUS items 40-42) An average of 29 percent of the Franklin County sixth through eighth graders perceived that at least half (About One-Half or About Three-Fourths or All) of the students at their school smoked cigarettes monthly or more often; 33 percent felt that none of their classmates smoked cigarettes with that frequency. Twenty-two percent of the middle-school students believed that at least half of their classmates drank alcohol at least once a month, and 37 percent felt that none of them did. An average of 19 percent of the students in grades six through eight perceived that at least half of their classmates smoked marijuana at least once a month; 51 percent believed that none of their classmates smoked marijuana monthly or more often.

In grades nine through twelve in the Franklin County Schools, 66 percent of the students felt that at least half of their classmates smoked cigarettes at least once a month; five percent said that none of their classmates smoked cigarettes monthly or more often. An average of 79 percent of the high-school students perceived that at least half of their classmates drank alcohol monthly or more often, and four percent believed that none of them did. Fifty-eight percent felt that at least half of their classmates smoked marijuana at least once a month; six percent of the high-school students felt that none of their classmates smoked marijuana monthly or more often.

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Willingness to Use Alcohol, Tobacco, Other Drugs

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Age of First Use of Alcohol, Tobacco, Other Drugs

(PPAAUS items 37-39) Forty percent of the middle-school students who smoked reported that they had started smoking cigarettes when they were ten years old or younger. An average of 16 percent of the high-school students who smoked cigarettes said they started smoking before they were eleven years old, and 69 percent when they were between 11 and 15 years old. Twenty-eight percent of the juniors and seniors didn’t begin smoking cigarettes until they were 16 or older. The average age of first use of cigarettes for middle-school students was 11.0; for high-school students, it was 13.1.

Of the middle-school students who reported drinking, 37 percent said they had their first drink of alcohol before they were eleven years old. Nine percent of the high-school students who drank reported that they started drinking at age ten or younger, and 72 percent between the ages of 11 and 15. An average of 34 percent of the juniors and seniors who drank said they started drinking when they were 16 or older. The average age of first use of alcohol among sixth through eighth graders was 11.2; among high-school students, 13.7.

Nineteen percent of the Franklin County students in grades six through eight who smoked marijuana indicated they had started smoking at age ten or younger. An average of six percent of the high-school students who smoked marijuana started smoking at age ten or younger, and 74 percent started smoking between the ages of 11 and 15. An average of 34 percent of the juniors and seniors started smoking marijuana when they were 16 or older. The average age of first use of marijuana among middle-school students was 12.0; for high-school students, the average age of first use was 13.9.

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Self-Reported Use of Tobacco

“Regular use” in all report sections concerning self-reported use reflects responses of Use About Every Day, Use About Once or Twice a Week, or Use About Once or Twice a Month – in other words, monthly or more often.

Cigarettes (PPAAUS item 23) An average of ten percent of all Franklin County students reported smoking cigarettes regularly: nine percent of the males and ten percent of the females. One-half percent of the sixth graders, two percent of the seventh and eighth graders, seven percent of the ninth and tenth graders, and ten percent of the juniors and seniors reported smoking cigarettes daily. An additional three percent of the middle-school students and seven percent of the high-school students smoked cigarettes once or twice a week or once or twice a month.

Ninety-one percent of the sixth graders, 82 percent of the seventh and eighth graders, 70 percent of the ninth and tenth graders, and 62 percent of the juniors and seniors had never smoked cigarettes.

Chewing Tobacco (PPAAUS item 32) An average of one percent of all Franklin County students surveyed reported regular use of smokeless tobacco: two percent of the males and less than one-half percent of the females. Less than one-half percent of the sixth graders, one-half percent of the seventh and eighth graders, one percent of the ninth and tenth graders, and three percent of the juniors and seniors indicated regular use of chewing tobacco. Daily use was less than one-half percent among middle-school students and one-half percent among high-school students.

Ninety-nine percent of the students in grade six had never used chewing tobacco. An average of 98 percent of the seventh and eighth graders, 96 percent of the ninth and tenth graders, and 93 percent of the juniors and seniors had never used chewing tobacco.

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Self-Reported Use of Alcohol

(PPAAUS items 24) Sixteen percent of the Franklin County students in grades six through twelve (15 percent of the males and 16 percent of the females) reported drinking alcohol at least once a month. In sixth grade, two percent of the students reported drinking monthly or more often. In seventh and eighth grades, six percent drank regularly; in ninth and tenth grades, 21 percent; and in eleventh and twelfth grades, 35 percent. One-half percent of the sixth graders, two percent of the seventh and eighth graders, seven percent of the ninth and tenth graders, and 14 percent of the juniors and seniors drank alcohol at least once a week.
Eighty-five percent of the students in grade six, 70 percent in grades seven and eight, 47 percent in grades nine and ten, and 34 percent in grades eleven and twelve had never drunk alcohol.

Getting Drunk (PPAAUS item 88) An average of ten percent of the Franklin County middle-school students reported getting drunk in the past year. Six percent of the middle-school students had been drunk once or twice, two percent had been drunk three to ten times, and one percent had been drunk more than ten times in the past year. An average of 36 percent of the high-school students said they got drunk at least once in the past year. Thirteen percent of the high-school students had been drunk once or twice in the past year, 12 percent three to ten times, and 11 percent more than ten times. Ninety-six percent of the sixth graders, 88 percent of the seventh and eighth graders, 71 percent of the ninth and tenth graders, and 56 percent of the juniors and seniors had not been drunk in the last year.

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Self-Reported Use of Marijuana

(PPAAUS item 25) An average of ten percent of all students surveyed reported regular use of marijuana – 11 percent of the males and nine percent of the females. In sixth grade, one percent of the students indicated using marijuana monthly or more often, and in seventh and eighth grades, five percent indicated regular use. In ninth and tenth grades, 14 percent of the students reported smoking marijuana at least once a month; eight percent smoked at least once a week. Among juniors and seniors, 20 percent smoked marijuana regularly; 12 percent at least once a week.

Ninety-eight percent of the sixth graders, 89 percent of the seventh and eighth graders, 73 percent of the ninth and tenth graders, and 61 percent of the juniors and seniors had never smoked marijuana.

Self-Reported Use of Designer Drugs, Cocaine, Hallucinogens, Inhalants, and Speed

(PPAAUS items 31, 33-36) Fewer than one-half percent of the middle-school students and one percent of the high-school students reported using designer drugs or club drugs (ecstasy, XTC, Special K, and GHB, for example). Over all grades surveyed, regular use of club drugs was one percent among males and one percent among females. One percent of the Franklin County students surveyed (one percent male and one percent female) reported regular use of cocaine or crack – less than one-half percent in middle school and two percent in high school. An average of less than one-half percent of the middle-school students and two percent of the high-school students reported regular use of hallucinogens (one percent male and one-half percent female, overall). One-half percent of the sixth through eighth graders and one percent of the ninth through twelfth graders reported using inhalants at least once a month (overall, one-half percent of the males and one-half percent of the females). An average of one-half percent of the middle-school students and one percent of the high-school students (overall, one percent male and one-half percent female) used speed monthly or more often.

An average of 99 percent of the Franklin County students in grades six through eight had never used designer or club drugs; 96 percent of the high-school students had never used club drugs. Ninety-nine percent of the middle-school students and 96 percent of the high-school students had never used cocaine or crack. Ninety-nine percent of the middle-school students and 95 percent of the high-school students had never used hallucinogens, and 98 and 97 percent respectively had never used inhalants. An average of 99 percent of the middle-school students and 97 percent of the high-school students had never used speed.

Self-Reported Abuse of Others’ Prescriptions and Over the Counter Medications

(PPAAUS items 29 & 30) An average of one-half percent of the Franklin County middle-school students and three percent of the high-school students reported regularly using others’ prescription drugs to get high -- overall, two percent of the males and two percent of the females. One-half percent of the sixth through eighth graders and two percent of the ninth through twelfth graders reported that they used OTC medications to get high at least once a month (overall, one percent of the males and one percent of the females).

An average of 98 percent of the middle-school students and 92 percent of the high-school students had never abused others’ prescription medications; 99 percent and 93 percent respectively had never abused OTC medications.

Self-Reported Use of Steroids and Other Steroids

(PPAAUS items 26 & 28) An average of one-half percent of the Franklin County sixth through eighth graders and one-half percent of the ninth through twelfth graders (overall, one-half percent male and less than one-half percent female) reported using steroids regularly. Fewer than one-half percent of the middle-school students and three percent of the high-school students (three percent male and one-half percent female among all students surveyed) used performance enhancers (such as ephedra, glutamine, or creatine) at least once a month.

Ninety-nine percent of the middle-school students and 99 percent of the high-school students had never used steroids, and 99 percent and 94 percent respectively had never used other performance enhancers.

Passenger and Driver Risks and Behaviors

Passenger Risks (PPAAUS items 89 &90) Twenty-two percent of the middle-school students, in the past year, had ridden in a car with a driver who had been drinking, and 14 percent had ridden with a driver smoking marijuana. Fourteen percent of the sixth through eighth graders had ridden with a drinking driver once or twice, five percent three to ten times, and four percent more than ten times. An average of seven percent of the middle-school students had ridden with a marijuana-impaired driver once or twice in the past year, three percent three to ten times, and three percent more then ten times.

Among high-school students, 30 percent had been with a drinking driver and 30 percent with a marijuana-smoking driver at least once in the past year. Fifteen percent of the high-school students had been with a drinking driver once or twice, nine percent three to ten times, and six percent more than ten times in the past year. An average of 12 percent of the ninth through twelfth graders had been with a marijuana-smoking driver once or twice in the past year, nine percent three to ten times, and ten percent more than ten times.

An average of 78 percent of the middle-school students and 71 percent of the high-school students had not – within the past year -- been in a vehicle in which the driver had been drinking. Eighty-seven percent of the middle-school students and 70 percent of the high-school students had not been in a vehicle with a marijuana-smoking driver.

Driver Risks (PPAAUS items 91 & 92) Four percent of the Franklin County tenth graders, 13 percent of the juniors, and 21 percent of the seniors had driven after drinking at least once in the past year. One percent of the tenth graders, two percent of the juniors, and four percent of the seniors drove after drinking more than ten times in the past year. Three percent of the tenth graders, eight percent of the juniors, and ten percent of the seniors drove after drinking once or twice; and one, three, and seven percent respectively three to ten times.

Five percent of the tenth graders, 12 percent of the juniors, and 19 percent of seniors drove at least once in the previous year after smoking marijuana. Two percent of the tenth graders, five percent of the eleventh graders, and seven percent of the twelfth graders drove once or twice after smoking marijuana; and three percent, ten percent, and 15 percent respectively drove three to ten times after smoking marijuana. Two percent of the tenth graders, four percent of the eleventh graders, and seven percent of the twelfth graders drove after smoking marijuana more than ten times in the past year.

Within the previous year, 88 percent of the tenth through twelfth graders had not driven while or after drinking alcohol, and 88 percent had not driven after/while smoking marijuana.

Designated Drivers (PPAAUS item 93) Twelve percent of the tenth graders, 32 percent of the eleventh graders, and 43 percent of the twelfth graders reported having been a designated driver in the past year: three percent, six percent, and ten percent respectively were designated drivers ten times or more.

Sources of Information for Prevention Topics

(PPAAUS items 106-112, 8 & 9)

Effects
An average of 74 percent of the Franklin County middle-school students and 68 percent of the high-school students had learned about the effects of using alcohol, tobacco and other drugs from a D.A.R.E. officer. Thirty-eight percent of the sixth through eighth graders and 61 percent of the ninth through twelfth graders had learned about the effects of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs from a health teacher; ten percent and ten percent respectively from a guidance counselor. Parents were a source of information about the effects of substances for 48 percent of the middle-school students and 58 percent of the high-school students. An average of 19 percent of all students indicated that they had learned about the effects of substances from a source other than D.A.R.E., a health teacher, a guidance counselor, or a parent.

Decision Making
An average of 39 percent of the sixth through eighth graders had been taught about how to make decisions by a D.A.R.E. officer, 20 percent by a health teacher, and 16 percent by a guidance counselor. Twenty-nine percent of the high-school students had learned decision-making skills from a D.A.R.E. officer, 27 percent from a health teacher, and 19 percent from a guidance counselor. An average of 67 percent of the middle-school students and 76 percent of the high-school students had been taught how to make decisions by their parents. Twenty-one percent of all students said someone other than the four previously mentioned sources had taught them decision-making skills.

(PPAAUS items 8 & 9) An average of 81 percent of the Franklin County students in grades six through eight and 62 percent in grades nine through twelve responded with Often or Always to this statement: “When I do something, I think how my family would be hurt or angry if I were caught using alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs.” Seventy-nine percent of the middle-school students and 60 percent of the high-school students are Often or Always “influenced by strong family values against the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.”

Assertiveness
Thirty percent of the students in grades six through eight and 21 percent in grades nine through twelve had been taught by a D.A.R.E. officer how to stand up for what they believe. Ten percent and 14 percent respectively were taught assertiveness by a health teacher; 13 percent and 11 percent by a guidance counselor; and 69 percent and 74 percent by parents. An average of 27 percent of all students learned assertiveness from a source other than a D.A.R.E. officer, a health teacher, a guidance counselor, or a parent.

Refusal Skills
A D.A.R.E. officer was cited as a resource for information about how to refuse offers to use drugs by 69 percent of the middle-school students and 62 percent of the high-school students. An average of 26 percent of the sixth through eighth graders had been taught refusal skills by a health teacher, 10 percent by a guidance counselor, and 49 percent by parents. An average of 40 percent of the high-school students had learned refusal-skill techniques from a health teacher, nine percent by a guidance counselor, and 55 percent by parents. Nineteen percent of all Franklin County students surveyed indicated that one of their sources for refusal-skill information was someone other than the four specifically mentioned sources.

Stress Management
Thirty-six percent of the Franklin County sixth through eighth graders and 14 percent of the ninth through twelfth graders named a D.A.R.E. officer as a source for information about how to deal with stress. An average of 31 percent of the middle-school students and 40 percent of the high-school students had learned stress-management skills from a health teacher, and 17 and 17 percent respectively from a guidance counselor. Parents had taught an average of 45 percent of the middle-school students and 51 percent of the high-school students how to deal with stress. Twenty-five percent of all Franklin County students reported that they had learned how to deal with stress from another source.

Getting Along With Others
An average of 19 percent of the students in grades six through eight and ten percent in grades nine through twelve had learned about making friends and getting along with people from a D.A.R.E. officer. Twelve percent of the middle-school students and 13 percent of the high-school students been taught how to get along with others by a health teacher; 19 percent of the middle-school students and 13 percent of the high-school students had been taught about making friends by a guidance counselor. Parents were named a source of information by 62 percent of the sixth through eighth graders and 62 percent of the ninth through twelfth graders. An average of 33 percent of the students indicated that they had been taught how to make friends and get along with people by some other resource.

Diversity
A D.A.R.E. officer was cited by 20 percent of the middle-school students and 11 percent of the high-school students as someone who had taught them “how to appreciate people different from yourself.” An average of 13 percent of the middle-school students and 14 percent of the high-school students had learned about diversity from a health teacher, and 18 percent and 13 percent respectively from a guidance counselor. Sixty-five percent of the students in grades six through eight and 68 percent in grades nine through twelve had been taught about diversity by parents. An average of 67 percent of all Franklin County students had learned diversity from a source other than a D.A.R.E. officer, a health teacher, a guidance counselor, or a parent.

Perceived Messages about Use

(PPAAUS items 106-130) Students perceive different messages from different sources about the acceptability of drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, and smoking marijuana. In separate survey items, students were asked whether the message they received was "It's OK to use," or "It's not OK to use." Other response options were that a "mixed message" or “no message” came from a particular information source. The sources in the questionnaire are parents, friends, teachers, team coaches, club advisors, and the media (TV, radio, movies, magazines, music, or the Internet). In discussing coaches and club advisors, only those students who indicated participation in sports or clubs are included.

Tobacco
An average of 89 percent of the Franklin County middle-school students indicated that the message they got from their parents about using tobacco was “It’s not OK to use.” Sixty-five percent perceived messages of disapproval from their friends, 91 percent from their teachers, 88 percent from coaches, 84 percent from advisors, and 45 percent from the media. One percent of the sixth through eighth graders felt that their parents’ message about tobacco use was “It’s OK to use.” An average of six percent perceived an “It’s OK” message about tobacco use from their friends, one percent from their teachers, one percent from coaches, one percent from club advisors, and 15 percent from the media.

Among high-school students, 81 percent felt that their parents’ message was “It’s not OK to use” tobacco products. Forty-five percent thought their friends disapproved of tobacco use, and 79 percent felt their teachers disapproved of its use. An average of 88 percent of the ninth through twelfth graders thought their coaches gave an “It’s not OK” message. Eighty-one percent perceived disapproval of tobacco use from their activity advisors, and 31 percent from the media. Five percent of the high-school students read an “It’s OK to use” tobacco message from their parents, 17 percent from their friends, two percent from their teachers, two percent from team coaches, two percent from their club advisors, and 22 percent from the media.

Alcohol
Among Franklin County middle-school students, 77 percent felt that the message they received from their parents about drinking alcohol was “It’s not OK.” An average of 54 percent felt that they received an “It’s not OK” to drink alcohol message from their friends, 88 percent from their teachers, 85 percent from coaches, 82 percent from club advisors, and 37 percent from the media. An average of four percent of the sixth through eighth graders perceived an “It’s OK to use” message about alcohol from their parents, ten percent from their friends, one percent from teachers, one percent from coaches, one percent from activity advisors, and 21 percent from the media.

In high school, 62 percent of the Franklin County students said they got “It’s not OK to use” alcohol messages from their parents, 23 percent from their friends, 75 percent from their teachers, 85 percent from coaches, 78 percent from club advisors, and 19 percent from the media. An average of nine percent of the high-school students perceived “It’s OK to use” messages about alcohol from their parents and 38 percent from their friends. Three percent perceived messages of approval from their teachers, two percent from coaches, three percent from club advisors, and 36 percent from the media.

Marijuana
Among sixth through eighth graders in the Franklin County Schools, 90 percent felt that the message they received from their parents about smoking marijuana was “It’s not OK to use.” Fifty-eight percent of the middle-school students perceived “It’s not OK to use” messages from their friends, 91 percent from their teachers, 88 percent from coaches, 83 percent from activity advisors, and 42 percent from the media. An average of one percent of the sixth through eighth graders thought the message they got from parents was “It’s OK” to smoke marijuana. Seven percent of the middle-school students perceived an approving message about marijuana from friends, one percent from teachers, one percent from coaches, one percent from club advisors, and 13 percent from the media.

In high school, 83 percent of the students said they got “It’s not OK” to smoke marijuana messages from their parents, 30 percent from their friends, 83 percent from their teachers, 89 percent from coaches, 81 percent from activity advisors, and 24 percent from the media. An average of two percent of the Franklin County ninth through twelfth graders perceived “It’s OK to use” messages about marijuana from their parents and 23 percent from their friends. An average of two percent of the high-school students perceived messages of approval from their teachers, two percent from coaches, two percent from club advisors, and 18 percent from the media.

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