TEENS & SELF-IMAGE

11th annual survey results

Results roundup: What 272,400 teens said about how they feel about themselves.
Survey results: Complete national survey results.
Take the survey: Compare your answers to the national results.
Faith: Religion plays a powerful role in teens' everyday lives.
Mental health: 37% of teens surveyed have a friend who has considered suicide.
Teen roundtable: Our Teen Panel talks to Tipper Gore about being accepted, sexual pressures and their parents' infuence
Voices: Advice, insights, questions from students. Respondents who were picked for honors.
Bolster yourself: Learn 10 ways teens and parents can work toward a healthy self-image.

11 years of keeping tabs on teenagers

USA WEEKEND has tracked teens' attitudes through special reports since 1988. More than 1 million students in grades 6 through 12 have responded to our write-in surveys, sharing their views on drugs, sex, violence, race and money. The special reports, though non-scientific, reveal how strongly teens feel about issues that affect their lives. Topics:

1998 Teens Self-Image. A majority of teens who took the survey say they feel good about themselves. Boys, minorities and students with strong religious beliefs feel best. But almost as many express misgivings about who they are-- especially about their appearance in a media-saturated world that emphasizes good looks. See this year's detailed results under the menu to the left.

1997 Teens & Freedom. Almost half of all respondents said they don't have enough freedom, yet most favored some restrictions. See detailed results under the menu to the left.

1996: The Great Divide. Teens & the Gender Gap. Teens said gender bias shapes their lives, defining all relationships. Three out of four had experienced sexual harassment; of those who had, 56% of girls became upset vs. 60% of boys who were flattered or not upset. When it came to discipline, teachers were tougher on boys, according to 75% of boys and 60% of girls.

1995: Teens and Race. Eight in 10 respondents said they believed most teenagers harbor some prejudice; half said they had experienced racial prejudice within the past year. Most -- 72% -- had a close friend of another race. Seven in 10 said they would date someone of another race, while 64% said they tend to hang out with people of their own race. Most said race relations are less problematic than sex, violence or drug abuse.

1994: Teens & Drinking. Most considered drinking a serious problem but didn't want anti-drinking lectures. Drinkers and non-drinkers agreed by a wide margin that drinking is not cool or essential or fun; 22% said they drank regularly. Private homes are the most common place to drink, said 62% of the drinkers.

1993: Safety in Schools. While two-thirds said they felt safe, 37% said they didn't -- double the number in a 1989 USA WEEKEND survey. Half knew someone who had switched schools to feel safer; 79% said violence is often caused by something as simple as bumping into someone. The best safety improvement, according to 42% of the respondents, would be to send bad kids to special schools.

1992: Teen Values. Four out of 10 said it's OK to cheat on exams or keep money that isn't theirs. Schools should teach values, said 80%; 20% felt strong peer pressure to do wrong.

1991: If Teens Ran the Schools. Teens were willing to impose restrictions: 79% would ban smoking; 49% said they would allow locker searches. They listed building maintenance and construction as their No. 1 priority in budget spending.

1990: Scared Serious About the Future. Most picked good pay over satisfaction or challenge when it came to what they hoped for in a career: 74% worried about finding a good job; 64% worried about supporting a family.

1989: Behind School Doors. Kids spoke out on topics from safety and education to fashion and field trips.

1988: Back to School. Written for and by students, the issue covered dating, peer pressure, fantasy vacations and favorite snack foods.