Frequently Asked Questions
If you would like a printable version of this FAQ document, see our document "Printable FAQ".
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1. Schools’ Role: Why is the survey conducted through
schools?
Youth substance use is a problem shared by schools, communities, families and individuals.
To address it requires the cooperative effort of all involved, but local and state level efforts
especially require the cooperation of school and community experts. The Illinois State Board of
Education (ISBE) has always supported the Illinois Department of Human Service’s (DHS) survey
efforts, and both ISBE and DHS use the aggregated statewide results in program planning and
evaluation. However, it is our responsibility (Lighthouse Institute’s) to administer the
survey. If we were to use an alternate approach, such as a phone survey, the result would be:
We would not be able to produce as valid a
survey, as no other approach offers the anonymity and
degree of participation as a classroom survey. DHS would have to pay a lot more money for
these less valid results, due to the time and expense
involved in other kinds of surveys. Schools would not have the benefit of the
results for their district.
Lighthouse Institute and DHS have therefore decided to administer the Illinois Youth Survey
with public and private schools interested in participating. We hope the availability of local
statistics with all costs covered by the state will be sufficient incentive for schools to
participate, and we appreciate schools that value being a partner with local and state government
in addressing the need for research data regarding the youth drug problem. Please see the article
“Student Achievement in Two Steps” for more information.
2. Validity: How many kids will
really be truthful on this kind of survey?
Both this type
of survey and this survey in particular have been
researched to assure adequate validity. There are
safeguards in our analysis of the survey
that tend to weed out any over-reporting of use. Under-reporting
has not been a major problem so
long as:
Youth are assured that the survey is indeed
anonymous, so their responses cannot be tracked back to
them. Adults conducting the survey present it
seriously and conduct the administration in a manner
conducive to student cooperation, such as seating youth
apart from each other so that they cannot see each
other’s responses. These details are addressed in instructions that
will be sent to participating schools.
Each time this survey and similar
ones in other states are conducted, the results show
similar patterns (e.g., high prevalence of alcohol as the
drug of choice for youth), similar levels of use of each
drug (with variation according to locale and year given),
and drug use patterns consistent with other indicators
such as the number of youth in treatment and drugs of
choice for those youth. Some youth enjoy completing the survey, but even
those who don’t will usually be truthful if the survey
is administered as suggested. Under the recommended conditions,
this kind of survey is remarkably valid. For more information on this subject,
please see the article “Youth Survey Validity.”
3. Parental Permission: How are parents’ concerns and
rights taken into account?
We recommend that schools send parents notification about the survey and a "passive"
permission form. Both “passive" and "active" permission fully alert parents to the nature
of a survey and give them the option of whether their child participates. The difference
is that, with "passive" permission, a parent sends in a slip only if they want to exclude
their child, while with "active" permission, a parent would send in a slip to indicate
whether or not to include their child. We prefer passive permission forms because many
parents simply fail to respond to any communication about a survey, irrespective of their
opinions about the survey. Research has shown that an unrepresentative sample of youth
may be produced when active permission is used. The use of active permission requires
more effort on the part of schools to follow-up on getting permission slips back, and
still may not give as valid a result.
Because the survey is funded by substance abuse prevention funds rather than Department
of Education funds, the Department of Education does not require schools to use an active
permission process. Rather, schools only need to notify parents of the survey and provide
an opportunity for parents to opt their child out of participation in the survey. Please
see the Parent Notification/Consent Brochure (passive permission).
Additional consultation regarding parent contact and permission is available by contacting
dprather@chestnut.org or
amarkwood@chestnut.org.
What if my district requires use of active
consent?
Local school districts may choose to use active consent for all surveys regardless of
the funding source, particularly if they use Dept. of Education funds to pay for additional
surveying beyond what is covered by the Dept. of Human Services. If active consent is sought,
we recommend the following steps be taken to increase participation:
Develop a consent form that requires parents to sign and expressly indicate whether
they consent to their child’s participation in the survey, or do NOT consent to their
child’s participation in the survey. As opposed to a form requesting a response only if
a parent consents to participation, this “no consent” option allows schools to focus follow-up
efforts on parents who are undecided about participation. If possible, include the parent survey letter and consent form with registration
materials at the beginning of the school year to gather maximum response. Assign classroom teachers or other staff the responsibility to follow-up with parents
who don’t return the form. Ensure that only those youth whose parents have given affirmative consent are included
in the survey, and that other students have an alternative activity (such as silent reading). Maintain the file of consent forms for 12 months.
Ideally, participation is needed by 90-95% of the students eligible to participate. If less
than 75% will participate (for example, if only 80% give consent and absence rates are tending
to be near or above 5%), we recommend not conducting the survey. Please note that this recommendation
is only for schools using active consent.
4. Student Permission: How are students’ rights taken
into account?
Survey administration instructions
make clear that the survey is entirely anonymous and
voluntary: students may decline to participate or may
leave any items blank if they do participate.
5. Survey Content: How were the questions for the survey
chosen?
Most of the questions are drawn from larger-scale surveys, to make Illinois data
comparable to those. Among the surveys examined for questions have been the "Monitoring
the Future" national survey, the "Youth Risk Behavior Survey," and survey items from the
University of Washington’s "Social Development Research Group," which conducts multi-state
studies on prevention of youth substance use. Some other items have been developed to
meet specific data needs in Illinois. In addition to substance use and demographic
questions, the survey covers some risk and protective factors for youth drug use. In
other words, there are specific kinds of information about a youth’s community, peers,
school, and family that are statistically associated with degree of drug use among groups
of youth. Questions about violence and a few other "problem behaviors" are also included.
The number of questions was cut in 2004, and a particularly abbreviated 6th grade form was
created. Administration time is now between 30 and 45 minutes.
6. Eligible Youth: Which grade levels participate in the
survey?
The survey is given at the 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th grade levels, depending on the
grade levels you have in your school. At the 6th and 8th grade levels, all students
participate. In high schools with 450 students or less in 10th grade and/or 12th grade,
all students participate. If there are over 450 students in a grade level, half of the
students participate. This sample will produce results that accurately represent the
whole grade level as long as the set of classrooms chosen by your school to participate
is representative of the school. Or, the school may decide to randomly select individual
students to participate by using grade level student rosters rather than selecting classrooms.
7. Results: What is done with the results?
An individual report is generated for each school, giving the results of the survey
within the school. These are sent to the school as soon as possible, typically 2-4 months
after surveying is completed. Individual school reports are not released to any public
entity except by the school. In small schools with less than approximately 20 students
per participating grade, school reports may be aggregated with a similar neighboring
school to maintain the anonymity of the students that participated. Lighthouse Institute analyzes the results statewide, and in conjunction with the
Department of Human Services, develops a statewide report that includes comparisons to
results from previous survey cycles. The state report is not available until approximately
8-12 months after survey administration. A free copy of the 2008 statewide report (print
copy or electronic copy on CD) can be requested by contacting the IYS office. Between the completion of the individual school reports and the state report, schools
can request a follow-up analysis of their results. This report focuses on key risk and
protective factors as related to prevention issues that can be addressed by the school
and community. County-level reports are also available if enough schools participate in a given
county to maintain school anonymity. County results and statewide results are posted
on our Web site, www.illinoisyouthsurvey.org, when they become available.
8. Relation to Prevention Plan: What does the
survey have to do with drug prevention?
The youth survey allows for global planning of prevention initiatives. For example, results
from past surveys have shown the tremendous prevalence of alcohol and tobacco use, the rise
of prescription drug abuse, and the distribution of use across all geographic areas of the
state. The specifics of what goes into a particular prevention initiative depends on additional
information beyond the scope of the state survey, such as studies of prevention effectiveness
or how to formulate effective public information campaigns. The survey information is therefore
one important piece of a larger set of information needed by the state, by communities, and by
schools to plan prevention initiatives.
9. Is there a risk that the survey will give some students ideas
about trying out a new negative behavior?
The more one understands how youth substance use develops, the less plausible this worry.
If a youth who uses no substances tries using one, that substance will almost invariably be
alcohol, and/or perhaps tobacco. The idea of using alcohol or tobacco pervades popular media,
and often is also seen among older siblings, friends, or friends’ siblings. The idea of using
alcohol or tobacco will not be new to any students. Marijuana use usually doesn’t occur unless
a youth is already regularly using alcohol, often at the same time. Use of other drugs nearly
never happens unless a youth is already regularly using alcohol. Progression beyond alcohol
use typically doesn’t happen unless there are some substantial risk factors already present.
So, with all three “gateway” substances as well other drugs, questions on a survey pose no
threat beyond what is already in a student’s life.
Behaviors asked about in the IYS depend on the age level of the student, with the high school
form covering the broadest set of behaviors and the sixth grade form the least. Survey items
are designed to neither encourage nor discourage behaviors, but to ask whether a behavior has
happened. After all of the questions there is a message that has been at the end of every
IYS form created, to try to help students who are not clear about the problematic nature of
some of the behaviors covered. The statement reads, “If any of the questions made you aware
of problems that are troubling you, please talk to your parent, school counselor, or other
responsible adult about your concerns.”
10. What about the risk of parents being upset by the survey?
Underage drinking and other drug use are dangerous and widespread. As with many social
problems, a school’s obligation to proactively and sufficiently deal with the issue can be
questioned, especially if substance–related injuries or deaths occur locally. The choice
is therefore not whether a school incurs risk with the survey, but how to balance the risk
of censure for action versus censure for inaction. Participating in the IYS is therefore
a particularly prudent decision, as it gives guidance on these key questions:
How much of a problem do we have? What is the nature of that problem? What risk and protective conditions offer the best route to decreasing the problem?
Importantly, participation is recommended by both ISBE and the Illinois Department of
Human Services, and backed up by the availability of local prevention personnel funded by the
state to help schools with local questions about prevention and the survey. Schools needn’t
face youth substance use problems alone. These problems are community problems that intrude
upon the school, and can only be solved by schools, community organizations, prevention experts,
and concerned parents working together.
11. What if we want to get data about local school and community
efforts/issues?
Schools can add up to fifteen user-defined questions at each grade level that surveys.
These can be questions about school youth groups, local community services, or any other
effort or issue that impacts youth. The results from the additional questions will be
included in the individual school report, and there is no additional cost involved.
Additional questions can be added whether participating online or by paper/pencil. P
lease refer to “Developing Additional Questions for the Illinois Youth Survey”
for more information.
12. Are individual school results shared with community agencies?
Often, a school wants to collaborate with local youth agencies for school/community
prevention efforts and services. Upon receipt of a signed release from a school administrator,
we will send a copy of the school's results to whatever person or organization is authorized
by the school to receive the information.
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