Kaiser Family Foundation and Children Now National Surveys: Talking with Kids about Tough Issues – Toplines/Survey

Talking With Kids About Tough Issues

National Surveys of Parents and Children for the “Talking With Your Kids” Campaign

Kaiser Family Foundation and Children Now

Conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates

— Questionnaire and National Toplines —

Parent Interviews:

All responses here for parents of children ages 8-12; from children ages 10-12; or from teens ages 13-15

Q1. Do you think parents of school-age children discuss each of the following topics too much, too little, or about the right amount? (First/What about), (Insert item. Do not rotate), do parents discuss this with their children too much, too little, or about the right amount?

Responses for Parents with Children Ages 8-12

Too
MuchToo
LittleRight
AmountDK
a.Alcohol or drugs667234=100b.How to handle potentially violent situations575164=100c.The basic facts about sexual reproduction, as in the “birds and the bees”471223=100d.Issues about relationships and becoming sexually active677161=100e.How to prevent pregnancy472231=100f.AIDS668224=100
Q2. Some parents begin talking with their children about sensitive subjects when the child is very young, others wait until their child becomes a teenager. In general, do you think most parents begin talking with their children about these topics at about the right age, when the child is too young, or when the child is too old?

Responses for Parents with Children Ages 8-12

26At about the right age13When child is too young56When child is too old 5Don’t know100
Q3. On a different topic… Which of the following subjects, if any, have you, yourself, ever discussed with your (age) year old (boy/girl)? (First/Next) how about (Insert. Do not rotate.) — have you discussed this with (him/her), or not?

Responses for Parents with Children Ages 8-12

YesNoAlcohol and Drugs94%6%Handle Violent Situations84%16%AIDS69%31%Basic Facts about Sexual Reproduction62%38%Becoming Sexually Active42%58%How to Prevent Pregnancy30%70%
Q4. Did (this/these) conversation(s) [about sexual reproduction] start because of something your child asked or said, or did you bring up the subject yourself?

Based on those parents with children ages 8-12 who had discussions about sexual reproduction

62Child asked or said something14Respondent brought up subject21Sometimes child and sometimes respondent (vol.) 3Don’t know/Refused100
Q5. Did (this/these) conversation(s) [about relationships and becoming sexually active] start because of something your child asked or said, or did you bring up the subject yourself?

Based those parents with children ages 8-12 who had discussions about becoming sexually active

54Child asked or said something23Respondent brought up subject19Sometimes child and sometimes respondent (vol.) 4Don’t know/Refused100
Q6. Did (this/these) conversation(s) [about how to prevent pregnancy] start because of something your child asked or said, or did you bring up the subject yourself?

Based on those parents with children ages 8-12 who had discussions about preventing pregnancy

56Child asked or said something31Respondent brought up subject11Sometimes child and sometimes respondent (vol.) 2Don’t know/Refused100
Q7. Now I’m going to read a list of specific topics that sometimes come up in discussions between parents and children. For each one, please tell me whether you have discussed this with your (age) year old (boy/girl), or not. (First,) have you ever discussed:

Responses for Parents with Children Ages 8-12

Discussed
Topica.Ways to avoid being part of a gang or group that might use violence61b.How to avoid violence when conflicts arise83c.Whether (he/she) is afraid of being the victim of violence53d.Issues about homosexuality50e.How to act in a relationship with a (girl/boy)45f.How to know when (he/she) is ready to have a sexual relationship23g.How to handle pressure from friends or a (boy/girl)friend to have sex31h.How girls get pregnant57i.What kinds of birth control are available22j.Where to get birth control14k.What sexually transmitted diseases are50l.What AIDS is and how someone can get the virus that causes AIDS72m.How to protect against getting AIDS52n.Whether (he/she) is afraid of being the victim of AIDS19
Q8. Has there ever been a time when you were caught off-guard by something your (age) year old said or something (he/she) asked about sex?

Responses for Parents with Children Ages 8-12

48Yes51No 1Don’t know/Refused100
Q9. Which of these two statements comes closer to the way you feel?

Responses for all Parents

85Children are better prepared to make wise choices when their parents talk to them openly about sensitive subjects from an early age12If parents talk to their children about sensitive subjects from an early age, it leads children to experiment and get into trouble 3Don’t know100

Children and Teen Interviews:

Interviews with children should be conducted privately, i.e., no parent on the line. If a parent wants to listen in, say: In our experience, children find it easier to answer these questions if they can answer privately and confidentially. For parents who are concerned, we usually suggest that they sit in the room with their child while the interview is taking place. Is it OK if you let us talk privately now?

If respondent wants to know more about the study, read the following:

This study is being conducted for “Children Now” a children’s advocacy group and the Kaiser Family Foundation, a health policy research organization. If you have any questions about the project, you may call Laura Kalb collect at Princeton Survey Research during regular business hours. The phone number there is (609) 924-9204. She can answer any other questions you may have about this survey. Q1. Which of the following specific things, if any, would you like to know more about? Would you like to know more about:

Children
Ages 10-12Teens
Ages 13-15
YesYesa.Ways to avoid being part of a gang or group that might use violence6847b.How to avoid violence when conflicts arise7156c.How you can be safe from violence8067d.Issues about homosexuality4123e.How to act in a relationship with a (girl/boy)5347f.How to know when you are ready to have a sexual relationship5448g.How to handle pressure from friends or a (boy/girl)friend to have sex5847h.How girls get pregnant3319i.What kinds of birth control are available4536j.Where to get birth control3532k.What sexually transmitted diseases are6647l.What AIDS is and how someone can get the virus that causes AIDS5946m.How to protect against getting AIDS7354
Q2. If you had a question about (Insert), who would you be most likely to ask — your mother or father, a teacher, a friend, someone else, or would you try to find an answer some other way?

Total exceeds 100 percent due to multiple responses

  1. The basic facts about sexual reproduction

    Children
    Ages 10-12Teens
    Ages 13-15Mother or Father9063A teacher27Friend1321Someone else22Some other way88Would neither ask nor try to find out another way (vol.)00Don’t know/Refused22

  2. Issues related to relationships and becoming sexually active

    Children
    Ages 10-12Teens
    Ages 13-15Mother or Father8460A teacher12Friend522Someone else34Some other way612Would neither ask nor try to find out another way (vol.)00Don’t know/Refused31

  3. How to prevent pregnancy

    Children
    Ages 10-12Teens
    Ages 13-15Mother or Father9071A teacher37Friend17Someone else24Some other way712Would neither ask nor try to find out another way (vol.)01Don’t know/Refused11

Q3. I’m going to read a few sentences and I want you to tell me which of them, if any, describe the way you feel about talking about these subjects. For each statement, please tell me whether it is completely true, mostly true, mostly false, or completely false in describing you.

  1. You try to avoid talking about these subjects with your (parent interviewed):

    Children
    Ages 10-12Teens
    Ages 13-15Completely True1314Mostly True3533Mostly False2831Completely False2221DK/Refused 2 1100100

  2. You feel uncomfortable when your (parent interviewed) brings up one of these subjects:

    Children
    Ages 10-12Teens
    Ages 13-15Completely True1513Mostly True3733Mostly False2831Completely False1823DK/Refused 2 1100100

Q4. How much do you think children your age find out about the subjects we’ve been discussing from (Insert item. Rotate list) — a lot, a little, or nothing at all?

  1. Parents

    Children
    Ages 10-12Teens
    Ages 13-15A Lot5440A Little3653Nothing At All95DK/Refused 1 2100100

  2. Friends

    Children
    Ages 10-12Teens
    Ages 13-15A Lot3660A Little5032Nothing At All147DK/Refused * 1100100

  3. Entertainment media, like TV, magazines, movies and music

    Children
    Ages 10-12Teens
    Ages 13-15A Lot5761A Little3232Nothing At All106DK/Refused 1 1100100

  4. Schools and teachers

    Children
    Ages 10-12Teens
    Ages 13-15A Lot2945A Little5241Nothing At All1814DK/Refused 1 *100100

  5. Churches and other religious organizations

    Children
    Ages 10-12Teens
    Ages 13-15A Lot2913A Little4550Nothing At All2434DK/Refused 2 3100100

Q5. When something is bothering you, are you able to talk it over with your parent always, usually, sometimes, or never?

Children
Ages 10-12Always31Usually32Sometimes35Never2DK/Refused 0100


Survey Methodology

The Kaiser Family Foundation, Children Now, and Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA) designed three surveys for the Talking with Kids About Tough Issues campaign. Overall, 1,961 people were interviewed by telephone by PSRA during the development of this campaign. The results reported here represent the responses of: 1) national random-sample of 421 parents of 8-12 year olds (margin of sampling error is plus or minus 8 percent); 2) national random-samples of 164 children ages 10-12 years and 201 teens ages 13-15 years whose parents were interviewed (margin of sampling error for both groups is plus or minus 8 percent); and 3) a national random sample of 143 parents of 8-12 year olds (margin of sampling error plus or minus 9 percent). The first two surveys were conducted between October 3-29, 1996. (Children under the age of 10 were not able to be interviewed by telephone, and therefore were not included in the sample). The third survey was conducted November 6-10, 1996.

Prepared for the Talking With Kids About Tough Issues Campaign Launch, Wednesday, February 19, 1997

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Talking With Kids About Tough Issues:
Press Release Survey Children Now Booklet

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