Social Media Bullying and its Impacts on High School and Middle Schoolers

At Pride Surveys, our mission is driven by our commitment to work with our community coalition partners and educators to provide data, research, and resources surrounding and focusing on the issues affecting today’s youth and adolescents. October is National Bullying Prevention month and we’re focusing on social media and the impacts it can have on high school and middle schoolers, specifically when it comes to cyberbullying, the new phenomenon over the last decade or two that is now the prominent form of bullying and includes social media bullying.

First and foremost, it’s critical that communities recognize the difference between bullying and fighting. While both look similar, fighting occurs between two people with equal power, whether it’s size, strength, or intellect. Bullying, on the other hand, is classified as someone, or a group, who has more power and is more aggressive than the person who is being targeted. A bully will then utilize their power, whether physical strength, damaging personal information, or threats or taunting, to ultimately hurt or control the victim. One out of every five students between the ages of 12 and 18 has experienced bullying at some point, and usually, it’s due to social media bullying.

Cyberbullying, as it’s called, refers to any bullying that takes place in the digital world, usually via social media. With students as young as elementary school ages now having cell phones and tablets, it opens up an entirely new world of harmful bullying and is a significant concern. Adolescents who are the victims of social media bullying are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and academic difficulties.

When someone is the target of being bullied, they will often find it hard to defend themselves and likely feel increasingly powerless or relentlessly rejected by the person bullying them. Due to social media, it’s easier for these types of attacks to happen often as well. It can be really difficult for parents or educators to identify if someone is the victim or perpetrator of bullying for many reasons. The bullier is good at hiding what they’re doing and it’s usually out of sight when on social media, and the victim, feeling helpless, will often shut down, and not tell anyone out of fear of additional consequences. It’s helpful for peers to know when and how to help if they see someone being bullied.

The impact of any kind of social media bullying often results in the following situations and outcomes:

Increased Self-Isolation

Students who are bullied typically begin to feel so badly about themselves that they, in turn, isolate themselves from their other friends, family members, and mentors. This could be because they worry about others finding out about the bullying and then believing the bullies or because they exhibit symptoms of anxiety and depression. They are likely to spend a lot of time closed off in their rooms when not at school and “keeping their heads down” when actually in school. If other peers are bullying them, they likely will not want to attend school and may fake illness or other means to get out of going to class.

Decreased Academic Achievement

GPA, standardized test scores, and school participation are all proven to decrease with increased student bullying. According to a UCLA study, a professor of psychology at UCLA and the lead author of the study reported that bullying and low academic achievement are frequently linked.

Loss of Self-Confidence

Though it may seem like a given, one of the first effects bullied students feel is a loss of confidence. Kids often feel like they are not as good at a particular subject, talent, hobby, or sport as the person bullying them. They take the bullier’s feedback to heart and may feel like they do not deserve to participate in a certain activity. This loss of self-confidence can affect other areas of life, like academics and how they socialize.

Increased Self-Criticism

Students who are bullied are often reported to be harsher on themselves as well. This may be because they have heard many negative comments or accusations from the bully, so they believe the statements are true and take them to heart. This could also include feeling badly about traits they cannot change, such as skin color, hair, or height.

If you notice signs of social media bullying or any type of bullying, behavioral stress, depression, addiction, or other mental health-related issues in your student or child, it is critical to bring in professionals and/or counselors. If your community coalition or school requires data collection to determine the mental health issues that may be occurring, please reach out to the Pride Surveys team. We offer many options to fit various needs.

Resources

https://www.nctsn.org/resources/public-awareness/national-bullying-prevention-month#:~:text=October%20was%20first%20declared%20as,%2C%20increased%20anxiety%2C%20and%20depression

https://www.mcleanhospital.org/essential/mental-health-impact-bullying-kids-and-teens

https://www.stopbullying.gov/bullying/effects

https://revistas.uniandes.edu.co/doi/abs/10.13043/dys.74.6

https://www.publicschoolreview.com/blog/how-does-bullying-affect-a-students-academic-performance

https://socialmediavictims.org/cyberbullying/effects/

Student Stress and Mental Health During COVID-19

Student stress and mental health is a prevalent and ongoing topic for communities, parents, and educators year-round. With the unexpected occurrence of COVID-19 and students being impacted by distance learning, lack of social interaction, missing graduations, grade delays, and more, it is more important than ever to keep these topics top of mind and to assess regularly.

Drops in grades and an increase in concerning behavior often correlate to student stress and mental health. A Pride Surveys led paper in Alabama examined students feeling threatened in school and how it impacted their English and math test scores. The statistics showed that as students feel more threatened, their scores drop. Students nationwide are oftentimes impacted in their schools by threats and threatening behavior and have a legitimate concern for their safety and the safety of their peers.

2018-19 National Summary Data from Pride Surveys shows that when asked the question, “During the past school year have you been afraid a student might hurt you?”, there was an average of 18.08% of students surveyed who answered “yes.” That number has increased a total of 2.6% over the past four years. Fear of being hurt is a factor in student stress that can negatively impact test scores and student mental health.

From the same data set, the question, “During the past school year have you been hurt by a student who hit, slapped or kicked you?” resulted in an average of 14.74% of students surveyed over five years answering “yes”. This follow-up question shows that many students who are threatened with violence may also be the victim of actual violence. This shows the importance of listening to students’ concerns when they voice them to counselors, teachers, and administrators. While this tells the story of some of the history of in-school related stress due to physical violence and threats of violence, due to COVID-19 and distance learning, a more timely concern currently is that of cyberbullying.

Student Stress, Mental Health, Stress, Bullying, Cyberbullying, COVID-19

Student Stress and Bullying Statistics

Data that is particularly relevant at this time relates to questions explicitly asked about being threatened or threatening someone over the phone or the internet. KidsHealth.org defines Cyberbullying as “the use of technology to harass, threaten, embarrass, or target another person. By definition, it occurs among young people.” Looking at data from a convenience sample of over 43,000 students over the three year period of 2016-2018, students were asked the question, “During the past school year have you been threatened or embarrassed by someone using the Internet or a cell phone to post mean messages or photos of you?” The resulting average over three years was a 19.93% rate of “yes” responses. When asked, “During the past school year have you used the Internet or a cell phone to threaten or embarrass someone else by posting mean messages or photos of them?”, the question generated an average of 7.43% stating “yes”. These numbers may well increase while students potentially remain out of school full time or part-time in the fall as we continue to track the data.

Pride Surveys works with our community coalition partners to provide the surveys and analytics for physical violence and cyberbullying so we can help them drive change in their communities and schools and reduce student stress. Schools have specific data about fights on campus (SUR data which has to be recorded), but Pride Surveys data shows what the students are reporting so schools can compare and get a better holistic picture of the school climate and students’ online behaviors which can be hard to track.

Parents can help combat the issues by having open conversations with their kids about what cyberbullying is and any issues they are facing. They can also help prevent problems by being active and engaged participants in their lives, knowing who their friends are, monitoring changes in grades or behavior, and establishing rules and limits about online use. Parents can also try tracking resources that meet their comfort levels, such as MSpy and The Spy Bubble, which will document the sites they visit and the types of media being shared and consumed.

The more we work together between Pride Surveys, community coalitions, and schools, the more we can help navigate situations that lead to student stress and mental health issues, whether they stem from cyberbullying or physical threats. Pride Surveys is here and available to discuss appropriate questions for student surveys, many of which we are now offering online. Contact us today to learn more.

Resources:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-to-track-your-kids-without-them-knowing-youre-on-their-tail_n_55afaff1e4b07af29d56f544

https://www.pacer.org/bullying/resources/cyberbullying/

https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/cyberbullying.html

Pride Surveys’ Top 9 Blog Posts of 2019

As we close out the calendar year, we like to take a look back at the resources we provide our valued colleagues and clients. By taking some time to reflect on what people are engaging with we can learn from and focus on the things that are most important to you, our reader. The topics that our readers are most engaged in are issues that bring together students, the community, and the schools. The intersection of those three points drives discussion that can help all three understand each other.

The Top Most Visited Blog in 2019

Coming in at number one, Why Community Involvement in Schools is Important, was our top most-read blog post ever. It’s no surprise, as this blog details the three groups that collectively have the biggest impact on students’ futures, that of teachers, parents, and the community, and how the community, in particular, provides critical resources that impact the success of local students. Read on for easy ways to encourage community engagement and how to make community involvement a priority for your school.

School Survey Blogs

Blogs about surveying take up the next four spots on our list. These four blog posts, in particular, are about critical survey topics that have resonated with our readers.

School bullying is, unfortunately, an ongoing topic, and the blog All About School Bullying Surveys for Students identifies the purpose and goals of student bully surveys, what they measure, the right types of questions you need to be asking students, and the importance of these surveys. If you are experiencing a bullying issue in your school, we highly recommend you read more about this.

What part do parents and guardians play in identifying level of engagement, school life, safety, drug use and more? A huge part. The School Surveys for Parents blog post identifies what the parent surveys measure, the challenges with these surveys, the purpose they serve, and tips for better implementation of these crucial resources. Learn more about how to increase parental involvement and input.

We live in a digital age. How does technology impact surveys and their results? We dove into these important questions in the Online Student Surveys vs. Paper Surveys blog post. The analysis of the pros and cons of each type of survey implementation remains relevant. Read on to see what may be the best fit for your institution.

The fourth most-read school survey blog post this year was What is a School Climate Survey? These surveys measure the overall climate of schools and educate the teachers, faculty, and administration about how to use data-driven results to improve upon their schools. Learn more about what these surveys measure, why they are important, and the best ones for your school here.

The Importance of Positive Relationships and Engagement

Next on our list are three frequently read blog posts that focus on the importance of community, parent, and teacher involvement in students’ lives and how coalitions can and do improve communities as a whole.

One of the most important relationships that exists within the school system is that of the teacher and student. The blog post 4 Benefits of Positive Student-Teacher Relationships identifies ways these relationships promote academic success, help mitigate behavioral problems, help students develop improved self-worth, and how they assist the educators with their professional growth.

In addition to the relationship students have with teachers, the communication and partnership between teachers and parents are also instrumental to success. Tips for Strong Parent-Teacher Cooperation and Communication builds the case for why these relationships are important and how teachers, schools as a whole, and parents can help cultivate them. This topic is ever-evolving, and one we will continue to focus on in the coming year.

From a community engagement perspective, The Power of Youth Empowerment Programs in Communities post takes into consideration the invaluable impact these programs can have on students, examples of the various programs that exist, how to go about obtaining funding, and the data needed to back up the case for funding. Read more about these programs by visiting the blog post.

The Drinking Age in the United States

The final most-read blog we are focusing on is the long-debated legal drinking age. In the post The Drinking Age Debate: Pros and Cons of Lowering the Legal Drinking Age we analyze the pros and cons of keeping it as-is or lowering it, a topic that remains and will remain relevant for the foreseeable future. The back and forth on this issue has been simmering for a long time and the people debating it have been on both sides of the issue with the older generation remembering the drinking age being set at 18 and the younger having the age set at 21 since their birth. Regardless of your opinion, it’s an interesting debate.

If there are ways we can support your community or school next year or topics you would like to learn more about, please contact us.

Leveling Up: How to Ensure Students Are Prepared for the Challenges of High School

Many may consider the transitional challenges of high school to higher education as a critical moment, but what’s increasingly becoming more pivotal is what is sometimes known as the Ninth Grade Bottleneck.[1]

Even a relatively low dropout rate after junior high can be alarming. A high school diploma is a basic requirement for many jobs. In addition, the level and quality of academic achievement that students attain by eighth grade may have a larger impact on college and professional readiness than anything that happens during their high school years.[2]

As a community member, what can you do to increase the high school readiness of middle schoolers in your area and bring awareness around teenage substance abuse?

Have Them Participate in Academic Intervention Programs

Poor school performance is one of the most common reasons for having a difficult time adjusting to high school, sometimes leading to dropping out during ninth grade or the summer right after.

Academic intervention can be about filling in gaps in knowledge or compensating for learning difficulties, as is the case with programs like QuickSmart in Australia.[3] However, it may also focus on building better study habits and improving students’ outlook in life.

A support system-based approach may be particularly effective for certain communities. How engaged are the parents and guardians in your area when it comes to supporting the value of formal education? Multi-approach and family-focused intervention can improve grades along with lowering both dropout and teenage substance abuse rates.[4]

Make the High School Adjustment Period More Comfortable

New beginnings, especially in new places, can be tough and isolating. Ninth graders may feel out of place, on top of having to deal with more schoolwork than they’re ever done before.

Community initiatives may train guardians to help ease these burdens by putting together and labeling school supplies and books needed.[5] Teaching both guardians and students about planners or productivity apps for scheduling and studying may also be part of this.

Federal grant initiatives like the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs can help to foster school spirit and a sense of community in students.[6] The latter combines high school orientation with academic preparation and social events.

Offer a Variety of School and Extra-Curricular Activities

Providing many activity options for students to choose from is helpful to avoid student substance abuse concerns. Extra-curricular routines help students find places and groups where they feel like they belong, making school more fun and the challenges of high school less stressful. Even academic activities like competitions, conferences or workshops can be fun and character-building for the right kind of student.

Teach Accountability and Promote Independence

The seeds of accountability and independence are planted when community youth are taught self-monitored study and work habits. Nurturing better relationships between students and faculty and other school personnel is another piece of this puzzle. When students respect and accept teachers as authority figures, they are more likely to be diligent with assignments and test preparation.[7]

With a sense of responsibility should come trust and increased independence. Plan initiatives to prepare teenagers for challenges of high school, to make smart choices, to think of the consequences of their actions, and to manage their priorities.

Help Them Manage Stress and Anxiety

More than one in 20 children in the U.S. experience anxiety and depression.[8] It’s worth considering a general health program to promote sleep health[9], a good diet, and regular exercise to help lower stress levels and improve cognitive function.[10]

Research also suggests that untreated anxiety disorders early in life can lead to chronic anxiety and depression along with teenage substance abuse. Without initiatives to teach community youth how to cope with stress and seek help for mental health issues, student substance abuse may be inevitable.

A survey in 2012 states that more than 85% of U.S. high school students have classmates that drink alcohol do drugs or smoke during school days. More than 52% confirmed that these classmates could do so on school grounds.[11]

While Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programs[12] can aid in preventing teenage substance abuse, it may be better for certain communities to focus on drug abuse education programs instead.

Preparing students to transition to high school is challenging. One of the most effective ways to help prepare students for this transition is to get insights directly from the source. Pride Surveys has surveyed students for more than two decades. We’ve developed customized surveys geared toward your specific community. The insights gleaned from these surveys directly leads to action plans. Contact Pride Surveys today to learn more about the surveys we offer and how we can help your community thrive.

[1] “The Ninth-Grade Bottleneck: An Enrollment Bulge in a Transition Year that Demands Careful Attention and Action.” Retrieved 13 September 2019 at https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/The-Ninth-Grade-Bottleneck%3A-An-Enrollment-Bulge-in-Wheelock-Miao/3429cad4a17ae3c4cca784021df3ae42a7cf2050

[2] “The Forgotten Middle: Ensuring That All Students Are on Target for College and Career Readiness Before High School” Retrieved 13 September 2019 at https://www.act.org/content/dam/act/unsecured/documents/ForgottenMiddleSummary.pdf

[3] “QuickSmart: a basic academic skills intervention for middle school students with learning difficulties.” Retrieved 13 September 2019 at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17915495

[4] “Family-Focused Program Can Deter Dropping Out, Substance Use” Retrieved 13 September 2019 at https://psychcentral.com/news/2014/10/27/family-focused-intervention-deters-hs-dropouts-substance-use/76644.html

[5] “7 Ways to Prepare Kids for Middle and High School” Retrieved 13 September 2019 at https://www.education.com/magazine/article/kids-prepare-middle-high-school/

[6] “At-Risk High School Students in the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness Program (GEAR UP): Academic and Behavioral Outcomes” Retrieved 13 September 2019 at https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10935-006-0050-z

[7] “Keeping Students Accountable” Retrieved 13 September 2019 at http://www.nea.org/tools/54212.htm

[8] “More than 1 in 20 US children and teens have anxiety or depression” Retrieved 13 September 2019 at https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180424184119.htm

[9] “American Academy of Pediatrics Supports Childhood Sleep Guidelines” Retrieved 13 September 2019 at https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/Pages/American-Academy-of-Pediatrics-Supports-Childhood-Sleep-Guidelines.aspx

[10] “Childhood Nutrition Facts” Retrieved 13 September 2019 at https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/nutrition/facts.htm

[11] “National Survey on American Attitudes on Substance Abuse XVII: Teens” Retrieved 13 September 2019 at https://www.centeronaddiction.org/addiction-research/reports/national-survey-american-attitudes-substance-abuse-teens-2012

[12] “5 Ways to Incorporate SEL in Middle School” Retrieved 13 September 2019 a https://www.edutopia.org/article/5-ways-incorporate-sel-middle-school

How Students Can Lessen School Stress

A competitive classroom emphasizes individualistic learning, though it can also help cultivate school stress. Students absorb material individually. Teachers test and quiz them, evaluating their performances with letter grades and percentages. Competition has its benefits. It can motivate students to try harder. It can also help students prepare to embrace real-life challenges and, on occasion, cope with failure. Teachers also receive clear, reliable, and quantitative data for evaluating students. In particular, it allows teachers to identify and address individual problems more efficiently. Academic competition, however, can be taken too far, and it can have negative consequences for students.

Competition can become a more or less constant feature of the school environment. Students are already under pressure with high school grades, standardized test results, and extracurricular activities dictating college admissions. With recent educational initiatives such as No Child Left Behind and Common Core, testing becomes an ever-present feature of the school experience. Students are either taking tests or, with individual teachers and schools being evaluated by the results, preparing to take them. There are legitimate concerns about prioritizing test preparation at the expense of intrinsic learning and subjects such as art or current events. But always-competitive classroom environments may be exacerbating teenage stress.

Stress in school has become a major issue affecting a large percentage of students. An NYU survey found that 49 percent of high school students overall and 60 percent of female students perceived they were under a “great deal of stress” daily.^[1] In an APA survey, American teens incredibly reported higher stress levels than American adults.^[2] Chronic stress can lead to serious mental health issues. Depression among students appears to be on the rise. The rate of major depressive episodes reported by teenagers increased by 37 percent from 2005 to 2014.^[3] Managing the interplay between stress and school can require a holistic effort from students themselves, parents, and schools.

Students can take essential steps on their own to help manage their stress. Maintaining good health can be an excellent way to relieve stress. Getting regular exercise and eating a nutritious diet are important factors. Avoiding smoking can also cut down on stress. Contrary to its portrayal in popular culture, smoking can ratchet up feelings of anxiety and tension by reducing the production of serotonin. Teenagers also need adequate downtime. That could be something formal like meditation, or just ensuring they take regular breaks from schoolwork and other organized activity. Sleeping the right amount can also be imperative. Teenagers need about 8.5 to 9.25 hours of sleep per night.^[4]

Parents can play a vital role in this process too. Parents can reinforce stress-reducing habits for their children via simple steps such as serving healthy food or limiting screen time. A particular concern for parents is making sure their children do not become overscheduled. Burdening them with lessons, sports, and activities at all hours may round out a college application in theory. In practice, though, it can leave children with little time for rest and essential unstructured development. Parents can also model healthy behavior in their own lives. Children often develop stress-handling habits by observing the relationship between their parents and stress.

Schools can take impactful steps to help parents and students with stress. Some limits on the sheer amount of homework students receive may be helpful. In a survey of high-performing high schools, students reported receiving more than three hours of homework per night.^[5] Students that spent more time on homework in that study reported greater stress. While homework has benefits, the optimal amount of it, according to one study, may be significantly less than is being assigned, about 90 to 100 minutes per night.^[6] Homework started to lose its effectiveness beyond that point.

Movement can also help alleviate student stress. Teachers can encourage students to move around the classroom for activities. Schools can ensure that students receive a sufficient recess period and resist cutting that period short to devote more of the school day to tested core subjects.

The most important step for parents and teachers may be observing students, keeping open lines of communication, and listening to their concerns. Children are not adults. They may be feeling severe effects from undue stress in their lives without the language to express the problem or even the conceptual framework to recognize that something is wrong.

It can be difficult getting honest answers to difficult questions from our students. This is one of Pride Surveys’ strengths. We’ve surveyed students for more than 30 years, enabling decision-makers, parents, and community leaders to gain vital insight into their thinking, concerns, and emotional state. If you’re interested in using our surveys to help better understand the students in your area, take some time to browse all that we offer. If you have any questions, or you would like to know more about our process and why our surveys have been utilized for three decades, contact us today and we’ll be happy to discuss your challenges and the potential solutions Pride Surveys can provide.

^[1] “A multi-method exploratory study of stress, coping, and substance abuse among high school youth in private schools.” Retrieved 18 July 2019 at https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01028/full

^[2] “American Psychological Association Survey Shows Teen Stress Rivals That of Adults” Retrieved 22 July 2019 at https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2014/02/teen-stress

^[3] “National Trends in the Prevalence and Treatment of Depression in Adolescents and Young Adults.” Retrieved 18 July 2019 at https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/138/6/e20161878

^[4] “Sleep Disorders in the Older Child and Teen” Retrieved 19 July 2019 at https://my.clevelandclinic.org/ccf/media/files/Sleep_Disorders_Center/09_Adolescent_factsheet.pdf

^[5] “Non-Academic Effects of Homework in Privileged, High-Performing High Schools” Retrieved 19 July 2019 at https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00220973.2012.745469

^[6] “Adolescents Homework Performance in Mathematics and Science: Personal Factors and Teaching Practices” Retrieved 19 July 2019 at https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/edu-0000032.pdf

How Teens Deal with Anxiety

It is natural for parents to worry about teens and anxiety. Teenagers are under pressure to perform academically to secure admission to the best colleges. Compound that pressure with their changing bodies and navigating a new social landscape and social media. Even the most well-adjusted teens can find their stress becoming a lot to handle.

Some teenage anxiety is a normal natural response to events. For most teenagers, it is short-term, based on specific circumstances, and relatively benign. However, when that anxiety comes too often, out of proportion to events, and begins having a noticeable effect on daily life, it becomes a serious teen and mental health issue.

Experts describe a “rising epidemic” of anxiety in children and teens.^[1] According to the National Comorbidity Survey, 31.9 percent of adolescents aged 13-18 met the criteria for some form of anxiety disorder.^[2] From the total sample of teens, 8.3 percent were suffering from severe anxiety disorders.^[3] Anxiety disorders can hurt academic performance and contribute to substance abuse and other behavioral problems. The effects can last well past graduation. Anxiety was the most common complaint (50.6 percent) of college students seeking university counseling according to a 2015 survey.^[4]

Signs of Anxiety

Some signs of anxiety in teenagers can be physical changes. Teens may feel consistently irritable and restless. Anxiety can disrupt teenagers’ sleep patterns. They may have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up at appropriate times. Teens may complain of chronic fatigue, muscle tension, and headaches. Anxiety can also cause or exacerbate a range of gastrointestinal issues for teenagers. Abrupt changes in appetite and diet could signify a teenager is struggling with anxiety. Excessive and irrational worrying about such symptoms can be an indicator of anxiety as well.

Anxiety can also manifest through changes in a teenager’s behavior. Parents may see their child’s schoolwork decline abruptly. Teens coping with anxiety struggle to concentrate, complete assignments, and remember deadlines. Anxiety can also have a major impact on lives outside of the classroom. Teenagers can withdraw from the world, avoiding social interactions and extracurricular activities they previously enjoyed.

How to Manage Anxiety

A first step for how to manage anxiety is removing the stigma surrounding mental health disorders and anxiety in particular. Even among those suffering, there can be a reluctance to acknowledge and, consequently, treat the problem. World Mental Health surveys showed that only 41.3 percent of the global population meeting the criteria for an anxiety disorder thought they needed care.^[5] Just 27.6 percent of them received any treatment, and only 9.8 percent received “adequate treatment.”^[6]

Teens should understand that their anxiety is not a stain on their individual character or capability. Suffering from an anxiety disorder is not making excuses or a sign of weakness. It’s not a normal thing that everyone deals with. An anxiety disorder is a serious mental health issue, but one that can be resolved with treatment. Parents should also understand that their child’s anxiety may not be a product of his or her home life and upbringing.

Mental health professionals can be a major help to teenagers suffering from anxiety disorders. They can provide teenagers with cognitive behavioral therapy. This therapy tries to instill positive thinking patterns and to provide teens with tools to help manage their stressors rationally and healthily. Mental health professionals can also prescribe medication to aid teenagers with more severe anxiety disorders. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are common antidepressants that can help reduce anxiety with minimal side effects.

Teenagers can also help control their anxiety by focusing on their general physical health and wellness. Regular exercise and a consistent sleep schedule can help reduce anxiety. So can eating a better quality diet with nutrient-rich foods. Teens can try several different relaxation techniques, including yoga, meditation, and deep breathing. Merely setting aside a short 20-minute period each day to wind down and rest can be helpful.

Even teens who remain glued to their smartphones can sample a myriad of different mindfulness apps. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America vetted many of them.^[7] These offer short meditations and other techniques that may help teenagers mollify their stress and anxiety.

Anxiety isn’t abnormal, per se. We all deal with it in some form or fashion but leaving signs of anxiety unanswered can lead to more severe issues. Talk to your teens and tweens about their feelings. One of the best ways to gain insight into how your teens and tweens are managing their own anxiety is to ask them. This is another benefit to working with a company like Pride Surveys.

We have years of experience working with community coalitions and local leaders — in schools, churches, and other organizations — to get a better understanding of the challenges and stresses our teens and tweens face in today’s world. Please browse our selection of surveys to learn more about what we offer and why it’s important to gain these insights directly from our teens and tweens.

^[1] “The Rising Epidemic of Anxiety in Children and Teens” Retrieved 12 June 2019 at https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/liking-the-child-you-love/201601/the-rising-epidemic-anxiety-in-children-and-teens

^[2] “Lifetime Prevalence of Mental Disorders in U.S. Adolescents: Results from The National Comorbidity Student-Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A)} Retrieved 11 June 2019 at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2946114/

^[3] Ibid.

^[4] “The Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors Annual Survey” Retrieved 12 June 2019 at https://www.aucccd.org/assets/documents/aucccd%202016%20monograph%20-%20public.pdf

^[5] “Treatment gap for anxiety disorders is global: Results of the World Mental Health Surveys in 21 Countries.” Retrieved 12 June 2019 at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29356216

^[6] Ibid.

^[7] “ADAA Reviewed Mental Health Apps.” Retrieved 13 June 2019 at https://adaa.org/finding-help/mobile-apps

How Homelessness Impacts Students and How We Can Help

The U.S. Department of Education defines homeless students as those who “lack a fixed, regular, and nighttime residence.” For the 2015-16 school year, there were more than 1.3 million public school students^[1] classified as homeless in the United States, about 2.6% of the total public school student population. Nearly 18% of those underprivileged students, numbering more than 232,000, suffer from disabilities. The number of homeless students detected has increased by 70% over the past decade.^[2]

Challenges Homeless Students Face

Homelessness places extraordinary internal stress on students of all ages. Basic food, survival, and economic needs become persistent worries. Chronic instability and mobility add their own pressure. Students may be exposed to trauma, mistreatment, substance abuse, and health risks as well.

Younger students may suffer from cognitive and behavioral development issues as a result of homelessness. Only 30% of homeless students reached academic proficiency in reading and 25% in mathematics.^[3] Childcare, work, and other responsibilities may burden older students, preventing them from completing school work. Only 64% of homeless students graduate high school, compared to 84% of all students.^[4]

Problems with teen bullying and cyberbullying are well documented. Homeless students can be vulnerable to many different forms of school bullying. Other students may bully homeless students about the state of their clothing over social media which can compound already prevalent attendance problems.^[5] Students subject to discrimination about their race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation face a particular risk in the school climate. Non-sheltered homeless students reported discriminatory bullying at a rate (52.7%) more than twice as frequent as general students.^[6]

Homeless students face a greater risk of involvement in school violence. Non-sheltered homeless students reported a rate of weapon involvement (60.3%) more than five times the rate of non-homeless students in student surveys. Seventy-seven percent of non-sheltered homeless students reported behavioral victimization, measurable instances of violence, in school.^[7]

Being homeless may harm students’ mental health. The statistics from school surveys suggest more than 80% of homeless students may have at least one psychiatric disorder, a rate four times that of the general population.^[8] At the same time, homeless students face an array of logistical, economic, and social barriers to obtaining adequate mental healthcare.

How to Spot Homeless Students

Parents and students may hide their homeless status and miss out on potential aid available to them. Schools and teachers may ascertain the problem through telltale signs.

Appearance: Homeless students may wear unclean clothing, have gone a long time without a haircut, or have unaddressed health, dental, and hygiene issues.

Attendance: Homeless students may have trouble getting to and from school. Extended or recurrent absences, repeated tardiness, and frequently missed assignments could be indicators. Homeless students may also have a long list of attended schools or lack appropriate paperwork.

Behavior: Homeless students may signal their homeless status indirectly. They may carry a backpack full of non-school-related personal items or hoard food that is distributed. Students may also reference changes in their living conditions or respond elusively to questions about their home life.

How to Help Homeless Students

Schools should approach homeless students and their families with a firm understanding of their legal rights and educational needs. They can provide students and their families with information about federal aid programs they may be eligible for, such as those providing temporary housing and subsidized school lunches. They can also inform families about available tutoring and local after-school programs. Schools can also take steps to ensure that a student’s basic needs are met. Those could range from providing healthy snacks to helping a student find shower and laundry facilities.

Teachers should offer a welcoming environment. They can perform educational assessments and form an educational plan with help from a school counselor. They can check in with students themselves, enlist other students to help new students settle in, and make sure they are not singled out in any way. Teachers can communicate rules and expectations clearly and make sure not to hold homeless students accountable for factors beyond their control.

Teachers — and other adults in leadership positions — can only help homeless students if they’re aware they exist. That means paying close attention to the students, asking the right questions, and listening intently to the answers. Since 1980, Pride Surveys has been doing just that. By tapping directly into the source — our students — we’re able to get a better understanding of the challenges they face, be it homelessness, bullying, mental health issues, drug abuse, and more.

Please browse through the different types of student surveys we offer and find out why more than 14 million students, parents, and faculty members have responded to Pride Surveys. Questions? Please call us today at 800-279-6361 or fill out our quick online contact form.

^[1] “Homeless students enrolled in public elementary and secondary schools, by grade, primary nighttime residence, and selected student characteristics: 2009-10 through 2015-16” Retrieved 9 April 2019 at https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d17/tables/dt17_204.75a.asp

^[2] “Number of Homeless Students Soars” Retrieved 15 April 2019 https://nche.ed.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Federal-Data-Summary-SY-14.15-to-16.17-Final-Published-2.12.19.pdf

^[3] “Federal Data Summary School Years 2014-15 to 2016-17: Education for Homeless Children and Youth” Retrieved 15 April 2019 at https://nche.ed.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Federal-Data-Summary-SY-14.15-to-16.17-Final-Published-2.12.19.pdf

^[4] “Report: Homeless Students Less Likely to Graduate Than Other Low-Income Children” Retrieved 9 April 2019 at https://www.americaspromise.org/report/hidden-plain-sight

^[5] “Students were bullied because of dirty clothes. Washing machines in the locker room will change that.” Retrieved 9 April 2019 at https://www.nj.com/essex/2018/08/students_were_bullied_because_of_dirty_clothes_a_p.html

^[6] “Study Snapshot: School Violence and Victimization Among School-Attending Homeless Youth as Compared With Their Non-Homeless Peers” Retrieved 9 April 2019 at https://www.aera.net/News/News-Releases-and-Statements/Study-Snapshot-School-Violence-and-Victimization-Among-School-Attending-Homeless-Youth-as-Compared-With-Their-Non-Homeless-Peers

^[7] “Study Snapshot: School Violence and Victimization Among School-Attending Homeless Youth as Compared With Their Non-Homeless Peers” Retrieved 11 April 2019 at https://www.aera.net/News/News-Releases-and-Statements/Study-Snapshot-School-Violence-and-Victimization-Among-School-Attending-Homeless-Youth-as-Compared-With-Their-Non-Homeless-Peers

^[8] “Behavioral Health among Youth Experiencing Homelessness” Retrieved 11 April 2019 at https://www.nhchc.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/in-focus-behavioral-health-among-youth.pdf

The Importance of Finding a Mentor in High School

Navigating the oft-troubled waters of high school is a challenging time for all of us. As our youth enters this new phase, they’re dealt with new challenges, more responsibility, and a rapidly changing environment. Even with the most engaged parental support in place, things fall through the cracks. High school students often don’t want to or are uncomfortable with opening up to their parents about issues they face.

A mentor can help bridge the gap between what high school students discuss at home and with their peers and what they need to be discussing to better position themselves for the future.

Mentors can help ensure students get on a positive path toward learning and growing emotionally as a person. Mentorship coming within the school structure has shown an amazing ability to help place students into college, so much so that for disadvantaged students, mentorship by a teacher nearly doubled the odds of attending college, while having a mentor meant a 50% greater likelihood of attending college for all teen students. [1]

Those numbers are certainly impressive, but when you think about what a mentor is and how students interact with them, they shouldn’t come as a major surprise. Mentors are, first and foremost, advocates for the students, acting as part cheerleader and part coach.

A good mentor pushes a student in ways parents and teachers are often unable to, thus providing another layer of positive leadership on their behalf. While most students will benefit from an engaged mentor, disadvantaged students — lower-income, those lacking a stable home environment, etc. — are especially benefitted by mentorship programs.

According to a study from the Centre of Addiction and Mental Health and Big Brothers Big Sisters Canada, mentored boys are two times more likely to believe that school is fun and that doing well academically is important, while disadvantaged students who use a mentor attend college at nearly double the rate of those same students who do not. [2]

As a society, we’re always looking to open avenues to a better future for disadvantaged youth. Mentorship is one of the most effective ways of opening those exact pathways, and the proof is in the pudding.

A University of Georgia study on the importance of mentorship for African-American teens who’ve suffered hardships is more evidence to the effectiveness of a mentor. The 2011 study found that behaviors such as anger, breaking the law, and substance abuse were reduced when informal mentors provided support and helped them learn to deal with adult problems. [3]

One of the most powerful effects a mentor can have on a teenager is keeping them engaged in school. One of the biggest educational problems we face in America is keeping students in school. One in four public school children drop out before finishing high school, with those numbers being far worse for African-American and Hispanic students, where 35% aren’t graduating on time.[4]

Those students most likely to drop out of high school are often the same students who lack positive role models inside or outside of the home. According to MENTOR: The National Mentoring Program, “at-risk” youth who have access to mentors enroll in college 55% more than those who don’t, volunteer regularly at a rate of 78%, and want to be mentors themselves 9/10 times.[5]

The power of mentorship is real, and the success of high school students who engage with a mentor is proof they work. Having access to a trusted adult to bounce ideas off, vent frustration, and to ask tough questions builds character and emotional intelligence in teenagers. If you or someone you know is looking for a mentor (or to become a mentor) you can start by vising the National Mentoring Partnership.

Since 1980, Pride Surveys has been providing research-quality data for schools and communities to study student mental health and behavior. Understanding this information better informs mentors to the most pressing needs in their community. Is bullying prevalent and in need of push back from the mentors in the area? Is drug use something that should be top of mind for them when meeting with mentees? Pride Surveys can help deliver this information to those who need it.

Our Social, Emotional and Bullying Behavior Survey collects data that assess middle school problem behaviors that affect student engagement. Using SEBBS, schools can determine the underlying causes of increased absenteeism, lower academic achievement, and increased substance abuse. The Pride Learning Environment Survey is also recommended as a student evaluation tool for grades 6-12 because of its powerful reporting system and examination of current issues in education such as student mental health, bullying, teen suicide, student learning and more.

The benefit of working with a survey company is that we can gather fact-based data and information through anonymous and effective survey tools. With this information, educators, parents, PTAs and coalitions are in a better position to fight bullying and secure future funding from a variety of sources to support their programs.

[1] “Benefit of a Mentor: Disadvantaged Teens Twice As Likely to Attend College.” Retrieved April 2019 at https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104161837.htm

[2] “Youth Mentoring Leads to Many Positive Effects, New Study Shows.” Retrieved April 2019 at https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130115143850.htm

[3] “Youth-Mentor Relationships Particularly Helpful for Those Experiencing Hardships.” Retrieved April 2019 at https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110512171527.htm

[4] “The Stats,” Retrieved April 2019 at https://www.youthmentor.org/thestats

[5] Ibid.

Why Teens Develop a Negative Body Image and How to Help Them Avoid it

At a point in every teenager’s life, they will feel insecure or even ashamed of their own body. Even grown adults struggle with adopting a healthy mindset toward their body image. While there are a lot of proactive messages supporting body positivity among teens, the facts remain that teen body angst is still a profound issue. By the age of 6, for example, girls begin expressing concerns about their weight or shape. As much as 60% of girls between the ages of 6-12 are concerned about their weight.[1]

How does this happen? What is leading our children to feel this way? Is the modern media landscape fueling it? Is teen bullying to blame? Unfortunately, there isn’t one reason, and as with most large-scale demographic trends, it’s multiple things. Some forces, however, are more impactful than others.

The Media’s Effect on Teen Body Perception

Currently, in the United States, as many as 10% of young women suffer from an eating disorder.[2] The average height and weight for a model is 5-foot-10, 110-pounds, respectively. The average height and weight for all other women is 5-foot-4, 145 pounds.[3] Based on what children see on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or even television, the perceived “normal” of what people look like is heavily skewed.

Skinny is perceived as beautiful, and girls say the pictures they see in the media influence their concept of the ideal body shape at a rate of 69%.[4]

The good news is the advertising community is beginning to take responsibility and put forth campaigns and images that show real girls with athletic or healthy bodies. Recently, companies like Dove and Nike have been making a point to promote body positivity through their messaging both online and offline.

In the social media environment, girls often follow specific “influencers” on platforms like YouTube, Snapchat, and Instagram. Influencers are the new celebrities, and according to the Pew Research Center, 71% of 13-17-year-olds use Facebook, 52% use Instagram, and 41% use Snapchat. These modern-day celebrities are reaching teens at all times on multiple platforms thanks to today’s advances in technology. Researchers also suggest that adolescent girls and young women following fitness boards on a platform like Pinterest were more likely to report intentions to engage in extreme weight-loss behaviors, such as crash dieting or a radical exercise plan.[5]

Social media influencers wield vast amounts of power over the physical and mental state of children, yet it seems they’re unwilling to take necessary precautions to present body positivity in healthy ways.

Bullying and Body Image

Approximately 40% of higher-weight kids are teased about their weight by peers or family members.[6] Targets of verbal bullying based on weight — sometimes referred to as weight teasing ‑— can experience many negative consequences, including a change in body perception.

Weight stigma poses a significant threat to teens’ mental and physical health. As many as 65% of people with eating disorders say bullying contributed to their condition.[7] Teens teased about their body weight are also likely to avoid physical activities at school, like gym class or sports.[8] With ever-increasing access to smartphones, cyberbullying has become an evolving epidemic, with more teens succumbing to depression, anxiety, which can lead to suicidal thoughts or actions.

How to Help Your Teen’s Body Image

There are ways to help combat against teenagers feeling negatively toward their bodies. Here are a few tips:

-Educate your teen about advertising tropes and why they’re inaccurate.
-Discuss how photos of models are altered and airbrushed, distorting reality.
-Talk to them about the health risks of being too thin.
-Know your teen’s social media activities and the accounts they follow.
-Expose teens to positive role models or athletes that support and endorse healthy body types.
-Educate teenagers on nutrition-related topics and talk about the dangers of extreme dieting.
-Sign them up for sports or physical activities.
-Encourage your child not to compare themselves to their peers.

Getting Quality, Useful Information from the Source

Knowing how teenagers view their bodies and how it ties to their self-esteem is a challenge. It’s not something most teens want to discuss with anyone, let alone adults. But what if there was a way to get them to open up as a group? Knowing what to ask — and how to ask it — is difficult. The good news is there are resources available to help.

Pride Surveys has provided research-quality data for schools and communities since 1980. We gather fact-based data and information through anonymous and useful survey tools, which allows community leaders to understand better how teenagers are coping with the stresses they experience. With this information, educators, parents, PTAs, and other community organizations are in a better position to secure future funding from a variety of sources to support their programs and better their local community.

Our Pride Survey for Grades 6-12 is our longest-running and most popular survey, with more than 8 million respondents over the last 35 years. This comprehensive questionnaire for students collects data regarding alcohol, tobacco, and drug use, discipline problems at and outside of school, personal information, academic achievement, family life, and more. Using a student behavior and school climate survey, we have been able to track significant longitudinal data and trends, and have released multiple national data sets, allowing our customers to compare their area against national trends.

Please browse through our portfolio of student surveys and find out why more than 14 million students, parents, and faculty members have responded to Pride Surveys. If you have any questions on our process or how these surveys work, please call us today at 800-279-6361 or fill out our quick online contact form.

[1] “Bullying and Weight Shaming.” Retrieved March 2019 at https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/bullying-weight-shaming

[2] “Eating Disorders in Teens.” Retrieved March 2019 at https://www.aacap.org/aacap/families_and_youth/facts_for_families/FFF-Guide/Teenagers-With-Eating-Disorders-002.aspx

[3] “The Media and Your Teen’s Body Image.” Retrieved March 2019 at https://www.verywellmind.com/body-image-issues-teens-and-the-media-2609236

[4] “Bullying and Weight Shaming.” Retrieved March 2019 at https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/bullying-weight-shaming

[5] “Selfie-Esteem: The Relationship Between Body Dissatisfaction and Social Media in Adolescent and Young Women.” Retrieved March 2019 at http://www.in-mind.org/article/selfie-esteem-the-relationship-between-body-dissatisfaction-and-social-media-in-adolescent

[6] “Bullying and Eating Disorders.” Retrieved March 2019 at https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/bullying

[7] “Bullying and Eating Disorders.” Retrieved March 2019 at https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/bullying

[8] “Weight-based Teasing and Bullying in Children: How Parents Can Help.” Retrieved on March 2019 at https://www.healthychildren.org/english/health-issues/conditions/obesity/pages/teasing-and-bullying.aspx