Data from the

NATIONAL HEALTH SURVEY

ParentRatings

BehavioralPatterns

Series 11

Number 137

of

of Youths12-17Years

United States

Distributions of responses to questions on the general health,

specific behaviors, mental development, and social adjustment

of adolescents presented by age and sex.

DHEW Publication No. (HRA) 74-1619

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE

Public Health Service

Health Resources Administration

National Center for Health Statistics

Rockville, Md. May 1974
Series 11 reports present findings from the National Health Examination Survey, which

obtains data through direct examination, tests, and measurements of samples of the U.S.

population. Reports 1 through 38 relate to the adult program, Cycle I of the Health

Examination Survey. The present report is one of a number of reports of findings from the

children and youth programs, Cycles II and III of the Health Examination Survey. These

latter reports from Cycles II and 111 are being published in Series 11 but are numbered

consecutively beginning with 101. It is hoped this will guide users to the data in which they

are interested.

/

Vital and Health Statistics-Series 1 l-No. 137

For saleby the Superintendentof Documents,U.S. Government printing 0131W Washington,D.C. 20402- Price $1
NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTH STATISTICS

EDWARD B. PERRIN, Ph.D., M-ector

PHILIP S. LAWRENCE, SC.D., Deputy Director

DEAN E. KRUEGER, Acting Associate Director for Analysis

GAIL F. FISHER, Associate Director for the Cooperative Health Statistics System

ELIJAH L. WHITE, Associate Director for Data Systems

IWAO M, MORIYAMA, Ph.D., Associate Director for International Statistical Programs

EDWARD E. MINTY, Associate Director for Management

ROBERT A. ISRAEL, Associate Director for Operations

QUENTIN R. REMEIN, Associate Director for Program Deve~opment

PHILIP S. LAWRENCE, SC.D., Acting Associate Director for Research

ALICE HAYWOOD, Information Officer

DIVISION OF HEALTH EXAMINATION STATISTICS

ARTHUR J. McDOWELL, Director

GARRIE J. LOSEE, Deputy Director

PETER V. V. HAMILL, M.D., Medical Advisor, Children and Youth Program

HENRY W. MILLER, chie~ Operations and Quality Control Branch

LINCOLN I. OLIVER, Chiej psychological Statistics Branch

HAROLD J. DUPUY, Ph. D., psychological Advisor

COOPERATION OF THE BUREAU OF THE CENSUS

In accordance with specifications established by the National

Center for Health Statistics, the Bureau of the Census, under a

contractual agreement, participated in the design and selection of

the sample, and carried out the first stage of the field interviewing

and certain parts of the statistical processing.

Vital and Health Statistics-Series 11-No. 137

DHEW Publication No. (HRA) 74-1619

Library of Congress Catalog &rd Number 74-2188
CONTENTS

Page

Introduction .. ”----- -.-”---e ““------ -- ”-”--- -------e ““- ”----- -------------

Behavioral Data ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- “--- .-” “------ ---------

Findings -.---””- -------- ----------------- -------- --------- . . -- . -- .--.-..”

General Health and Health-Related Behavior ---------------- -------- ------

Social Behavior ------ ------- -“---- --e---. ------ ------ ---”-- ------ -- ”--- -

Early School Experience and Mental Development -------------------------

Emotional Development -------- “------- -------- .“------ -------- -. ---”.-

Theoretical Considerations -- ”---- “.----e -------- ------- -e.”--- ------- -“---

Summary .------ . - . --- ”. - ”-------- “-- .”--- -“------ ------------------------

References -----.- .-----” ------- .--- ”-- -“----- ------- ----------. ”-” “-----

List of Detailed Tables -- . ----- . --- . - ”---””---- --- . . -- ”---------------- ---

Appendix I. Statistical Notes ---- .-” “-. .”-. .--- ”-- -------------- -“----- ---

The Survey Design ------- “------ ------- -. ----” -----”- -. -e--- -.---”- ““-”

Reliability ------- -“----” -- ”---- -“----- --------------------- ------- ----

Standard Error -- ”--------- ..----- ”----- ----- ”-- ---w--e- -------------”-

Small Values ------------------------ “------- ------------------------ “

Appendix 11, Medical History Questionnaire --------------------------------

1

2

3

3

4

4

5

8

8

9

10

41

41

42

42

45

46

...

Ill
SYMBOLS

Data not available ---------------------------------------- ---

Category not applicable ------------------------------- . . .

Quantity zero ---------------------------------------------- -

Quantity more than Obut less than 0.05 ----- 0.0

Figure does not meet standards of

reliability or precision ------------------------------ *

iv
PARENT RATINGS OF BEHAVIORAL PATTERNS

OF YOUTHS 12-17 YEARS

Lincoln L oliver, Division of Health Examination Statistics

INTRODUCTION

In this report basic data on parent ratings of

certain behavioral patterns related to growth and

development are presented by sex and age for

youths 12-17 years of age in the noninstitutionalized population of the United States. Other reports on various aspects of the behavior of youths

as rated by parents, teachers, and the youths

themselves are to follow. The data in these reports

were obtained in the Health Examination Survey

of 1966-70 and should provide information on the

behavior of adolescents in the general U.S. population that previously has not been available or

has been inadequate. Reports on children 6.11

years of age in the United States which are similar except for the self-reported information have

already been published.l -3

The Health Examination Survey is one of three

major programs of the National Center for Health

Statistics, which conducts the National Health Survey as authorized in 1956 by the 84th Congress.4

The Health Interview Survey, which is used to obtain information by household interview among

samples of persons, is concerned primarily with

the impact of illness and disability on the lives

and actions of people. The Division of Health Resources Statistics collects health data as well

as health resource and utilization information

through surveys of hospitals, nursing homes, and

other resident institutions and the various persons

in the health occupations.

In the Health Examination Survey (HES) data

are collected through direct physical examination,

tests, and measurements performed on the sample

population selected for study. This is viewed as

the most accurate way to obtain definite diagnostic

data on the prevalence of certain medically defined illnesses. It is the most precise way to

secure reliable information on unre~ognized and

undiagnosed conditions as well as on a variety

of physical, physiological, and psychological

measurements within the population. In addition

it makes possible the study of relationships

among the various exami~ation findings and between these findings and cermin demographic and

socioeconomic factors.

HES is carried out as a series of separate

programs referred to as “cycles.” Each cycle is

concerned with some specific segment of the total

U.S. population, usually a particular age group,

md with certain specified aspects of the health

of that subpopulation. In the first cycle data were

obtained on the prevalence of certain chronic

diseases and on the distribution of various measurements and other characteristics in a defined

adult population !’6 In Cycle 11a probability sample of the Nation’s noninstitutionalized children

6-11 years of age was examined. The examination was directed primarily toward obtaining

information on health factors related to growth

and development, but it also included screening

for selected diseases or abnormalities. An assessment was made by a dentist, tests were administered by a psychologist, and certain other

measurements were made by technicians.7

Cycle III, on which this report is based,

covered youths 12-17 years of age at the time

of survey. A comprehensive description of the

survey plan, sample design, and examination

content has been published.8 Apart from age, the

specifications of the program were similar to

1
those of Cycle II. Its target was the roughly 23

million youths 12-17 years of age (married or

single) living in the United States outside institutions. Field collection operations started in

March 1966 and ended in December 1970. During

the period 6,768, or 90 percent, of the youths

selected for the sample were examined. The examination focused on health factors related to

growth and development and included medical examination of the eye, ear, nose, and throat, a check

for goiter, a musculoskeletal and neurological

evaluation, a cardiovascular examination, a

dental examination, and a vision test. Several

tests were administered by a psychologist, and

a variety of other tests, procedures, and measurements were made by technicians.

A standard single-visit examination was given

each youth by the examining team in mobile units

specially designed for the survey. Prior to the

examination, information including demographic

and socioeconomic data on household members

was obtained from the youth’s parent or guardian.

The parent also furnished a medical history and

behavioral and related data on the examinee. Supplementary and supporting information was obtained from the youth himselfi ancillary data, including grade placement and a teacher’s rating of

ability, performance, behavior, and adjustment to

school, were requested from the school last attended. A birth certificate for verification of the

youth’s age and other information related to birth

were also obtained. All information was collected

under conditions of confidentiality.

Statistical comments on the survey design,

reliability of data, and sampling and measurement error are included in appendix 1. Standard

errors associated with the percentages or rates

presented are shovm for the totals in the respective tables. The others may be derived from data

presented in appendix I.

BEHAVIORAL DATA

Certain behavioral information related to the

examinee’s growth and development was obtained

in this survey from a parent, usually the mother,

and from the school he last attended. In addition,

each youth was given a questionnaire on health

habits and history and asked to complete it and

return it on his visit for examination. He was

asked to complete another questionnaire—this

one on health-related behavior-at the examination center. Large portions of the parent’s and

youth’s questionnaires were designed to secure

parallel views and attitudes from the two regarding selected types of behavior related to health.

Ratings were given by a teacher who was thought

to have sufficient knowledge to do this adequately.

This report covers only the evaluations and attitudes of the parent as expressed in his responses

to the questionnaire.

The parent gave information on a self-administered medical history questionnaire (see

appendix II) left in the home by a U.S. Bureau of

the Census interviewer to be picked up in about

a week by the HES field representative. At that

time the HES field representative reviewed it and

tried to resolve any problems that the parent met

in furnishing information.

The parent was asked to answer questions about

the youth concerning his general health, specific

health problems, mental development, school experience, eating habits, peer relationships, independence, values, educational goals, reactions to

illnesses, and certain other related subjects.

These questions, shown in appendix II, were designed to elicit responses from which ratings of

the general health, health-related behavior,

mental development, social adjustment, and emotional health of the youth could be derived.

The principal reason for including these behavioral questions in the survey was to be able to

relate information on health, behavior, attitudes, and other questionnaire data to specific

medical examination findings and to results of

the psychological tests of performance, school

achievement, and emotional adjustment. Another

purpose was to provide a basis for comparing

the expressed perceptions, attitudes, and values

of the youths with those of their parents regarding a variety of topics, e.g., expectations concerning formal educational achievement, independence in decisionmaking, and standards of behavior. However, in this basic report of findings from the parents’ responses, the patterns

revealed are considered to have considerable

value per se as baseline data for defining parental attitudes and describing their perceptions of their adolescent

to the areas covered.

children with respect

2
FINDINGS

In the interpretation of these findings, particularly with respect to differences by sex, attention should be given to the unplanned circumstance that the evaluations were made primarily

by the female parent. Mothers completed 83 percent of the questionnaires by themselves, and they

were involved as respondents, either by themselves or with fathers or other persons, in 94

percent of the sample cases. Fathers completed

S percent of these forms by themselves and were

involved, either as the only respondent or with

other persons, in !3percent of the cases.

General Health and Health-Related Behavior

Questions asked the parent regarding the

youth’s present health, rate of physical growth,

relative body weight, reaction to illness, and

eating habits were intended to elicit parental attitudes and evaluations of certain general health

aspects of the examinee’s growth and development.

Nine out of 10 parents responded that they

thought the youth’s physical growth had been occurring at’ ‘about the right rate” (table 1). Parents

of boys were slightly more likely to be concerned

that physical growth was too slow than that it was

too fast, while girls’ parents tended to express the

opposite concern. This difference was found not

to be statistically significant.a But considered in

another way, a significantly higher proportion of

boys than girls were reported as growing too

slowly (4.5 percent and 2.0 percent, respectively).

Four out of five youths were thought to be at the

proper weight (table 1), with slightly more concern being expressed about overweight than underweight, particularly with respect to older girls

(figure 1).

The data show that nearly 15 percent of the

parents were worried about what they considered

a health problem affecting the youth (table 1).

‘tTIICconclusion is based on chi-squared analysis utilizing

sample size, weighted percentages, and variances computed by

the pwudorcplication method and shown in the tables and appendix I of this report. For explanation of method, see page 41

of rcfwcncc 3. In this report, the statistical significance of a

difference in proportions was judged at the l-percent level.

BOYS

,~~>~ ,.,.:,,.:,,.:., ........

12 13 14 15 16 77

AGE IN YEARS

❑ Lightweight ❑ .nderweighi ~ Overweight

GIRLS

.:W:-:xs+ ..............

12 13 14 15 16 17

AGE IN YEARS

‘igure 1. Percent distribution of U.S. boys and girls

by weight status, according to age.

While the proportion of boys reported as having

health problems increased with age, for girls this

trend is not observed.

With regard to general health, 96 percent of

the youths were pronounced to be in good or excellent health (table 2), with remarkable consistency evident among data for the age and sex

groups. OveraH, only two out of five of the adolescents were described as never exaggerating illness (table 2), while about 4 percent were said to

exaggerate illness “pretty often. ”

Basic data on eating habits are shown in table

3, which shows that four out of five youths were

reported to be eating the right amount of food;

more of the remainder were

eating too much than too little.

considered to be

Although a larger

3
proportion of the girls were reported to be overweight, a slightly higher proportion of girls than

boys were thought to be eating too liljtle. For boys

as well as girls a consistent relationship was observed between the estimate of how much the

youth was eating and his weight status as seen

by the parent (table 4). One-half of the adolescents were reported to be “not fussy at all” about

food, and 7 to g percent were considered “very

fussy.” There was a consistent pattern to

sponses on attitude toward eating among

and sex groups.

Social Behavior

To ascertain patterns of conduct in

the rethe age

certain

social settings, questions were asked concerning

the youth’s ease in making friends, frequency of

overnight visits, the parent’s acquaintance with

the youth’s friends, frequency of meals eaten with

the family, and the amount of trouble the youth was

to bring up.

Three out of five youths were said to usually

eat at least two meals a day with the rest of the

family (table 3). Eating with the rest of the family

occurred less often among older youths, particularly older girls. Boys were more likely to eat

with other members of the family.

Eighty-two percent of the youths were reported to make friends easily and 55 percent to

have visited overnight with their friends “quite

a few times” (table 5). A higher proportion of

girls than boys were said to visit overnight frequently. As expected, frequency of overnight visits

increased steadily for all youths as age increased.

Three-fourths of the parents reported that they

were well acquainted with most of their child’s

friends (table 6).

About 60 percent of the parents stated that

they experienced no trouble in bringing up the

youth (table 6). A higher proportion of boys than

girls were reported to have been “a lot of trouble”

to bring up, and a higher proportion of the parents

said that they had had no trouble bringing up girls.

Youths who never visited overnight with friends

and whose friends the parent knew well were less

often considered difficult to rea’r than were youths

who visited overnight more often and whose friends

the parent did not know well (tables 7 and 8).

Early School Experience and

Mental Development

To collect information on the effects of formal

methods of fostering mental development, questions were asked the parent concerning the examinee’s attendance at nursery school and kindergarten, age on entering the first grade, and initial reaction to the school experience. The parent

was also asked to evaluate the overall rate of

mental development observed in the youth.

Ewly school expwience. —Only 9 percent of

these youths had attended nurser y school, but twothirds had gone to kindergarten; one-half of them

were sent voluntarily (table 9). Three-fourths

entered the first grade between their sixth and

seventh birthdays. More youths entered elementary school before the age of 6 than did so after

becoming 7 years old. According to their parent’s

recollection, three out of four youths were “quite

happy” on entering the first grade (table 10). A

higher proportion of girls were initially happy to

be in first grade than were boys. Attendance at

nursery school or compulsory kindergarten was

found to have no significant association with the

specific initial reaction to first grade (tables 11

and 12). However, a larger proportion of the girls

whose parents voluntarily sent them to kindergarten were reported to have been happy on entering elementary school.

Mental development. —Table 13 shows the

distribution of responses to the item which asked

for an evaluation by the parent of the youth’s rate

of mental development. About 95 percent thought

that the youth had developed mentally at the

proper rate. Among the remainder, more parents

said that development had been too slow than too

fast. Proportionately more than twice as many

boys as girls (5 percent compared with 2 percent)

were reported to be slow in development. A

relatively high proportion (8 percent) of youths

with health problems were reported to have developed too slowly in the cognitive area; for other

youths the proportion was 3 percent. The right

rate of mental development was reported for a

lower proportion of girls said to have health

problems (92 percent) than for those without

these problems (97 percent). For both sexes,

but more so for girls, mental development was

thought to be either too fast or too slow more
often among those considered to have health problems than among those without such problems.

Overall, a tendency to exaggerate illness was not

found to be significantly assocated with the reported rate of mental development (table 14).

However, fewer youths considered to have shown

the right rate of mental development were reported to exaggerate illness “pretty often.”

In table 15 a positive association between

responses of “right rate” of physical growth and

“right rate” of mental development may be observed. A large proportion of those thought to be

slow in physical growth were reported to be slow

in mental development too.

Compared with other youths, a larger proportion of those reported as making friends easily were considered to have developed at the proper rate mentally (97 percent), while one-third

of those who were said to have a lot of trouble

making friends were considered to have “too

slow” a rate of mental development (table 16).

The association between slow mental development and difficulty in making friends was closer

for boys than for girls; it was also closer for

youths in the older age groups.

The data show that boys considered to have

developed mentally too slowly gave parents more

trouble to bring up than those thought to have developed at the right rate (table 17). For girls,

either too fast or too slow mental development

was positively associated with more trouble to

bring up.

Emotional Development

Nervousness . —One-half of the youths were

reported “not nervous at all,” while 4 percent

were said to be “very nervous” (table 18). These

proportions vary little by sex and age. The prevalence ratios of reported nervousness among

youths related to parental evaluations of their

general health are shown in table 19. For all

youths the proportion reported as nervous ranged

from around 40 to 80 percent in a neat progression through the various health status groups, with

more indication of nervousness among those considered to be in poorer health. The association

between reported nervousness and health status

was more pronounced for girls than for boys (figure 2). Table 20 and figure 3 show the prevalence

100

5

0

>

K 80

%’ [

BOYS

Excellent Very good Good Fair Poor

PRESENT HEALTH STATUS

100 r GIRLS

Excellent Very good Good Fair Poor

PRESENT HEALTH sTATUS

Figure 2. Percent of U, So boys and girls aged 12-17

years who were reported to be nervous, by present

heal th status.

of nervousness among youths who reportedly had

a health problem that worried the parent compared

with those who did not. Two-thirds of those with

health problems were said to be nervous, while

less than one-half of those without such problems

were so described.

Nervousness tended to be associated with a

“fussy” attitude toward food—more so for girls

than for boys (table 21). Also, a statistically

significant positive relationship was evident between the responses on nervousness and those on

the tendency to exaggerate illness (table 22).

Relating parents’ responses on degree of

nervousness and rate of mental development revealed that a larger proportion of youths who

were thought to have too slow mental development were also reported to be nervous (table 23).

This was true both for boys and for girls. However, among those youths reported as developing

5
i

F

0

‘:-L. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

;60 .........

,.,.........-’

. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

0

b

c

+

z 25 -

:

&

o I I I I 1

12 13 14 15 16 17

AGE IN YEARS

— Health problems

. . . . . . No health problems

0?

2

0

i ‘: ->

+

$

g

60 - . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .

,. . . . . ...-”

0

%

cc

g 25

E

E

K

o I I I I I

12 13 14 15 16 17

AGE IN YEARS

Figure 3. Percent of U.S. boys and girls who were

reported to be nervous, by presence of health prob1ems and age.

too fast intellectually, alowerproportion of boys

than girls were said to be nervous (figure 4).

With regard to peer relations, degree of

nervousness was found to be significantly related

to the amount of trouble the youth had making

friends (table 24). However, a larger proportion

of youths who never visited with friends overnight were said to be “not nervous at all” than

were those who did visit overnight (table 25).

Table 26 shows that less nervousness was reported for youths whose parents thought they knew

most of their friends well than for those whose

parents did not.

Overall 4 percent of the youths were reported

to be “very nervous ,“ but in groupings according

to certain parental evaluations the proportion was

considerably higher. Table A summarizes the

quantitative relationship between extreme nervlCQr

I

BOYS GIRLS

About Too Too Almut Too Tao

right fast slow right fast slow

RATE OF MENTAL DEVELOPMENT

Figure K Percent of U.S. boys and girls aged 12-17

years who were reported to be nervous, by rate of

mental development.

ousness and those selected characteristics that

were most closely associated with such an

evaluation. Rate of physical growth (table 27) and

ability to make friends (table 24) are more closely

related to reported degree of nervousness among

the males than among the females.

Bedwetting.— Five percent of the youths were

reported to have wet the bed during the year preceding their examination. A higher proportion of

boys (6 percent) than girls (3 percent) were said

to have done so (table 6). In continuation of the

trend observed among the children 6-11 years of

age in the previous survey,l there was a general

decline in bedwetting with increasing age (table

B).

In table 20, youths who wet the bed are compared with those who did not with respect to their

parent’s ratings on degree of nervousness. A larger proportion of those of each sex who wet the bed

were also reported to be nervous.

It may be seen in table 28 that of the 5 percent of the youths who were reported to have wet

the bed in the past year, about one-fifth were said

to be in excellent health. It is also evident that

the prevalence of reported enuresis increased

as the status of health was viewed less favorably,

from three per 100 among those said to be in excellent health to 19 per 100 among those thought

to be in poor health.

6
Table A. Percent of youths aged 12-17 years who were reported to be very nervous, according to sex and other selected characteristics: United States, 1966-70

Characteristic Both sexes Boys Girls

Percent reported to be

very nervous

All youths 12-17 years of age------------------------- 4.0 4.1 3.8

A lot of trouble making friends------------------------ --m-- 31.8 43.0 20.8

Too slow mental development------------------------ --------- 24.7 25.4 23.1

Exaggerates illness “pretty often’’-------------------------- 14.0 15.7 12.2

Health problem------------------------ ----------------------- 11.4 11.3

Too slow physical growth

11.6

---------.-------------------------- 11.4 13.9

“Very fussy” about food------------------------ ------------- 9.9 10.6 ;:;

Wet bed in past year---------------------------------------- 9.5 9.0 10.3

Parent knows almost none of friends well -------------------- 8.3 10.8 5.4

Mental health cave .—Three percent of the

youths were said to have visiteda mental hospit.alor guidance clinicformental healthcare at

some time (table18).Four-fifthsof thatgroup

were reported also to have been treatedby a

psychiatristor psychologist.A slightlyhigher

Table B. Percent of children and youths

reported to have wet the bed during the

past 12 months, according to age and

sex: United States, 1963-70

@J rmllltwo sepwatc surveys: Cycle I, children aged 6-11

y~,m, _lW:l-tM, and CYC1OII,youths aged 12-17 years,

l!lm!-7[iJ

Age 1

6 years--------------------

7 years --------------------

8 years--------------------

9 years--------------------

10 years-------------------

11 years-------------------

12 years-------------------

13 years-------------------

14 years-------------------

15 years-------------------

16 years-------------------

1.7years-------------------

‘Represented are ages at

E

Percent

18.5

14.2

13.1

1::?

6.4

;:;

.

16.8

14.5

14.6

11.3

9.2

7.8

:::

2:7

2.2

1.3

times of respective surveys, between which about 3

years elapsed.

proportion of the boys made visitsto mental

healthtreatmentfacilities(3.6percent,compared

with2.3 percentforgirls),butthedifferencewas

not significant.However, a significantlyhigher

proportionof boys (7.8percent)than girls(4.4

percent)were reported to have been treatedby

Table C. Percent of youths aged 12-17

years who had either visited a mental

hospitalor guidance clinic or visited a

psychiatrist or psychologist, according to selected characteristics: United

States, 1966-70

Percent given

Characteristic mental health

care

All youths 12-17

years of age------ 6.3

A lot of trouble to

bring up----------------

A lot of trouble making

friends-----------------

Too slow mental developmerit--------------------

Very nervous -------------

Exaggerates illness

“pretty often’’----------

Too fast tiental development-----------------

Too slow physical growth-

“Very fussy’ about food--

Wet bed in past year-----

44.6

41.4

40.3

31.9

17.9

16.3

12.4

10i6

10.3
a psychiatrist or a psychologist (table 18). Among

the youths for whom this treatment was reported,

around 40 percent were said to have received

mental health care without having visited mental

hospitals or guidance clinics.

Of youths said to have health problems,

parents indicated that 5 percent had visited a

mental hospital or guidance clinic and that 11 percent had been treated by a psychologist or a psychiatrist; lower proportions of 3 and 5 percent,

respectively, were found for those with no reported health problems (table 29).

Overall, 6.3 percent of the youths were reported to have been given mental health care

either in mental hospitals or guidance clinics or

by psychiatrists or psychologists outside of such

facilities. The proportions reportedly given mental health care under such circumstances among

groupings of youths according to selected behavioral characteristics are presented for comparison with the average rate for all youths in table

c.

THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Some findings from this survey of parents’

views on the development and behavior of their

adolescent children lend support to some conclusions drawn from previous studies on the subject, but apparent inconsistencies with certain

theories advanced or with the results of other

studies can also be observed. McCandless 9 notes

the many problems involved in conducting research in the field of adolescent development and

the need for critical alermess to avoid treating

as facts evaluations that may be open to question.

In a positive sense the findings of Douglas

and Ross 10 that advanced physical status in the

adolescent is significantly associated with greater

educational ability were generally supported by

the collective parental assessments covered by

this analysis. As in the HES survey, Horowitzl 1

found that popularity with peers among youths is

greater for those with the “proper” rate of mental

development. The findings from this survey with

respect to parents’ ratings of the youths’ socialization tend to confirm the conclusions of Douvan

and Adelson 12 and Musgrove 13 that girls evidenced more preoccupation with friendship and

social relations, while boys were more concerned with

lated skills)

status (involving achievement -reand independence. Thus, according

to their theory, girls would be more concerned

with :voiding obesity, visit more frequently, make

friends more easily, tend to be nervous when

their rate of mental development seemed to be

“too fast,” be less trouble for parents to bring

up, and be happier on entering the first grade

in elementary school. For boys, on the other

hand, underweight, slow physical growth, and

slow mental development would be considered

grave disadvantages; resistance to rules and

authority at home or in school would be more

evident. These conclusions, which the data in

this report tend to support—either as differing

concerns of the female parent for the youth or

as fair representations of the behavior of the

adolescents involved—fit well with those drawn

from a world sample made up from various

studies and reported by, among others, Barry,

Bacon, and Child 14 and Hallworth and Wsite. 1”

SUMMARY

This report presents by age and sex estimates of the distributions of parental evaluations

of selected behavioral characteristics of youths

aged 12-17 years in the U.S. noninstitutionalized

population. These findings are based cm the responses given on a self-administered medical

history questionnaire concerning the youths examined in the Health Examination Survey of

1966-70. A total of 6,768 youths were examined.

They comprised a sample drawn to be closely

representative of American adolescents with

respect to age, sex, race, region, and certain

other available demographic and socioeconomic

factors.

Data are presented on various aspects of the

growth and development of children during the

adolescent period as seen by their parents. A

descriptive analysis has been made of the parents’

ratings concerning the general health, peer relations, mental development, and emotional health

of their offspring. Specific behavioral patterns

are examined in relation to general and emotional

health evaluations and assessments of mental development. Certain general findings are summarized and compared with results from previous

studies of the behavior and development of adolescents.

8
The responses of the parent (inmost cases

the mother) to questions on the health, growth,

and development of the examinee tended to be of

a favorable nature by a ratio of 6 to 1. Among

the various aspects of health-related behavior

and development of the adolescents studied, some00

what higher proportions of definitely unfavorable

responses were expressed with respect to their

tendency to exaggerate illness, the existence of

health problems, ability to make friends, reactions to entering first grade, and difficulty involved in their bringing up.

o

1National Center for Health Statistics: Parent ratinrm of

bch:wioml patterns of children, United States. Vital and H;akh

Statistics, Series 1 l-No. 108. DHEW Pub. No. (HSM) 72-1010.

Hc.~lth Scrviccs .md Mental Health Administration. Washington.

U.S. Gcwcrnmcnt Printing Office, Nov. 1971,

2NtitiOnalcenter for Health Statistics: Behavior patterns

OFchildren in school, United States. Vital and Health Statistics.

Series 11-No. 113. DHEW Pub. No. (HSM) 72-1042. Health

Smviccs tnd Mental Health Administration. Washington. U.S.

Gcwcrnmcnt Printing Office, Feb. 1972.

3 National Center for Health Statistics: Relationships

[imcsng pment ratings of behavioral characteristics of children.

1?ttd w]d Hea~t]I Statistics. Series 1 l-No. 121. DHEW Pub. No.

(HSM) 73-1603. Health Services and Mental Health Administr.mien. Wwhirrgton. U.S. Government Printing Office, Oct.

1972.

4 N,ltional Center for Health Statistics: O@L Program ~

and opemtion of the U.S. National Health Survey. Vital and

}Ituzflt St~tistics. PHS Pub. No. 1000-Series l-No. 1. Public

Hc.dth Swvicc. Washington. U.S. Government Printing Office,

Apr. 19[15.

~N;ltion:il Center for Health Statistics: Plan ad initi~

pmgr,mn CIFtbc Health Examination Survey. Vitaland Health

Statistics. PHS pub. No. 1000-Series l-No. 4. Public Health

Swvicc, W’mhington, U.S. Government Printing Office, Jrdy

1’165.

“N.ttiond Center for Health Statistics: Cycle I of the

Health Examination Survey, sample and response, United

St;mx, 1960-1962. Vital and Health Statistics. PHS Pub. No.

1000-Series 1 l-No. 1, public Health Service. Washington. U.S.

Govcrnnmnt Printing Office, Apr. 1964.

7 N;ltional Center for Health Statistics: Plan, operation,

and response results of a program of children’s examinations.

1‘ihd md Hwhh Statistics. PHS Pub. No. 1000-Series l-No. 5.

Public Health Service. Washington. U.S. Government Printing

c) ffiCC, Oct. 1967.

8Nation~ Center for Healt!r Statistics: P1an and operation

of a health examination survey of U.S. youths 12-17 years of

age. Vital and Health Statistics. PHS Pub. No. 1000-Smies

l-No. 8. Public Health Service. Washington. U.S. Government

Printing 0f6ce, Sept. 1969.

9McCandless, B. R.: Adolescents: Behavior and Development. Hinsdale, 1]1. The Dryden Press Inc., 1970. pp. 2, 37-68.

10

Douglas, J. W. B., and Ross, J. M,: Age at puberty related to educational ability, attainment and school leaving

age. J. Child Psychol. Psychiatry 5:185-196, 1964.

1lHorowitz, H.: Prediction of adolescent popularity and

rejection from achievement and interest tests. ~. Educ. Psychol.

58:170-174, 1967.

12Douvan, E., and Ade]son, J.: The A dolescerrt Expen”-

ence. New York. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1966.

13Musgrove, F.: The social needs and satisfactions of

some young people. BT. J. Educ. Psychol. 36:137-149, 1966.

14 Barry, H., III, Bacon, M. K., and Child, I. L.: A crossculturid survey of some sex differences in socialization. J.

Abnorrrr. Psychol. 55:327-332, 1957.

1sHallworth, H. J., and Waite, G.: A comparative study of

value judgments of adolescent. Br. J. Educ. Psychol.

36:202-209, 1966.

16National Center for Health Statistics: Sample design

and estimation procedures for a national health examination

survey of children. Vital and Health Statistics. PHS pub. No.

1000-Series 2-No, 43. public Health Service, Washington. U.S.

Government Printing Office, Aug. 1971.

1 7Nati~nal Center for Health Statistics: Pseudoreplication, further evaluation and application of the balanced

half-sample technique. Vital and Health Statistics. PHS Pub.

No. 1000-Series 2-No. 31. Public Health Service. Washington.

U.S. Government Printing Office, Jan. 1969.

9
LIST OF DETAILED TABLES

Table 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

Percent distributions of youths by rate of physical growth and weight status and

percent with health problems reported, according to age and sex, with standard

errors for totals: United States, 1966-70---------------------------------------

Percent distributions of youths by present health status and how often they exaggerate illness, according to age and sex, with standard errors for totals:

United States, 1966-70----------------------------------------------------------

Percent distributions of youths by certain eating habits and attitude toward

food, according to age and sex, with standard errors for totals: United States,

1966-70-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Percent distribution of youths by weight status, according to amount of food

eaten, age, and sex, with standard errors for totals: United States, 1966-70----

Percent distributions of youths by ease in making friends and frequency of overnight visits with friends, according to age and sex, with standard errors for

totals: United States, 1966-70--------------------------------------------------

Percent distributions of youths by amount of trouble they were to bring up and

parent’s acquaintance with their friends and percent of youths who wet bed during the past 12 months, according to age and sex, with standard errors for

totals: United States, 1966-70--------------------------------------------------

Percent distribution of youths by amount of trouble they were to bring up, according to frequency of overnight visits with friends, age, and sex, with standard errors for totals: United States, 1966-70-----------------------------------

Percent distribution of youths by amount of trouble they were to bring up, according to how many of their friends parent knows well,age, and sex, with standard errors for totals: United States, 1966-70-----------------------------------

Percent of youths who attended nursery school, percent who attended kindergarten

and percent distribution by whether attendance was voluntary or compulsory, and

percent distributioriby age at which they started first grade, according to age

and sex, with standard errors for totals: United States, 1966-70----------------

Percent distribution of youths by initial reaction to first grade, according to

age and sex, with standard errors for totals: United States, 1966-70------------

Percent distribution of youths by initial reaction to first grade, according to

whether or not they attended nursery school, age, and sex, with standard errors

for totals: United States, 1966-70----------------------------------------------

Percent distribution of youths who attended kindergarten by initial reaction to

first grade, according to whether kindergarten attendance was voluntary or cotnpulsory, age, and sex, with standard errors for totals: United States, 1966-70--

Percent distribution of youths by rate of mental development,according to whether

or not they have health problems , age, and sex, with standard errors for totals:

United States, 1966-70----------------------------------------------------------

Percent distribution of youths by how often they exaggerate illness, according

to rate of mental development, age, and sex, with standard errors for totals:

United States, 1966-70----------------------------------------------------------

Percent distribution of youths by rate of physical growth, according to rate of

mental development, age, and sex,with standard errors for totals: United States,

1966-70-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Percent distribution of youths by rate of mental development, according to ease

in making friends, age, and sex, with standard errors for totals: United States,

1966-70--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Page

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

10
LIST OF DETAILED TABLES—Con.

Table 17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

Percent distribution of youths by amount of trouble they were to bring up, according to rate of mental development, age, and sex, with standard errors for

totals: United States, 1966-70--------------------------------------------------

Percent distributions of youths by degree of nervousness, whether they visited a

mental hospital or guidance clinic, and whether they visited a psychiatrist

or psychologist, according to age and sex, with standard errors for totals:

United States, 1966-70----------------------------------------------------------

Percent of youths reported to be nervous, according to present health status,

age, and sex, with standard errors for totals: United States, 1966-70-----------

Fercent distribution of youths by degree of nervousness, accordiug to

of health problems,

presence

whether or not they wet bed during past 12 months, age, and

sex, with standard errors for totals: United States, 1966-70--------------------

Percent distribution of youths by

toward food,

degree of nervousness, according to attitude

sex, with standard errors for totals: United States,

1966-70-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Percent distribution of youths by how often they exaggerate illness, according

to degree of nervousness, age, and sex, with standard errors for totals; United

States, 1966-70-----------------------------------------------------------------

Percent distribution of youths by degree of nervousness, according to rate of

mental development, age, and sex, with standard errors for totals: United

States, 1966-70-----------------------------------------------------------------

Percent distribution of youths by degree of nervousness, according to ease in

making friends, age, and sex, with standard errors for totals: United States,

1966-70-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Percent distribution of youths by degree of nervousness, according to frequency

of overnight visits with friends

United States, 1966-70

, age, and sex, with standard errors for totals:

----------------------------------------------------------

Percent distribution of youths by degree of nervousness, according to how many

of their friends parent knows wel~ ag~ and sex, with standard errors for totals:

United States, 1966-70----------------------------------------------------------

Percent distribution of youths by degree of nervousness, according to rate of

@~;ic# growth, age> and sex, with standard errors for totals: United States,

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Percent of youths who wet bed during the past 12 months, percent distribution of

these youths by present health status, and prevalence rate of youths who wet bed

per 100 youths by present health status, according to age and sex, with standard

errors for totals: United States, 1966-70---------------------------------------

Percent distributions of youths by whether they visited a mental hospital or

guidance clinic and whether they visited a psychiatrist or psychologist, according to presence of health problems, age, and sex, with standard errors for

totals: United States, 1966-70--------------------------------------------------

.

Page

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

11
Table 1. Percent distributions of youths by rate of physical growth and weight status and percent

with health problems reported , according to age and sex, with standard errors for totals: united

States, 1966~70

Age and sex

Weight status

Health

problem

All About Under- Over- reported

youths right weight weight

Rate of physical growth

Both sexes Percent

12-17 years ---------- 3.3

~

k.5

3.8

3.5

3.1

2.5

1.9

4.5

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

80.3

80.9

79.2

78.6

80.5

82.0

80.7

82.8

7.2

N

8.1

;::

7.3

8.7

12.5

12.1

13.2

13.3

12.5

11.6

12.0

8.5

;:.;

8:3

;:;

6.6

16.5

100.0 14.6

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

92.7

91.1

90.2

92.8

93.4

93.8

95.1

91.6

4.1

~

4.4

6.0

3.7

3.6

3.6

3.0

3.9

12.4

13.8

15.6

16.4

12.7

16.8

12

13

14

15

16

17

12

13

14

15

16

17

12

13

14

15

16

17

years -------------------

years -------------------

years -------------------

years -------------------

years -------------------

years -------------------

Boys

12-17 years---------- 14.6

8.9

1::;

8.2

6.9

8.4

5.8

11.0

13.9

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

90.5

89.6

90.1

93.2

93.4

93.4

93.7

::;

4.0

$ ;

4:7

4.2

R

6.0

2.7

:::

2.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

79.9

79.8

;3.;

87:4

85.0

77.7

years -------------------

years -------------------

years-------------------

years-------------------

years -------------------

years -------------------

15.7

16.3

12.4

18.9

Girls

12-17 years ---------- 14.5

100.0 13.8

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

. . .

. . .

. . .

91.7

;9.;

93:5

94.3

96.8

0.38

0.60

0.34

6.5

7.4

3.4

3.0

3.4

1.3

1.8

1.9

1.0

3.4

2.3

1.9

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

81.9

78.6

76.1

76.4

76.5

76.3

::;

5.4

5.7

5.9

6.3

13.1

14.9

18.5

17.9

17.6

17.4

years-------------------

years-------------------

years-------------------

years-------------------

years-------------------

years-------------------

13.7

15.5

16.6

13.0

14.8

Standard error

Both sexes 12-17

years---------------

Boys 12-17 years-----------

Girls 12-17 years----------

0.30 0.26 . . . 0.40

... 0.72

... 0.65

0.48 0.42

0.34 0.26

12
Table 2. Percentdistributionsof youths by presenthealth status and how often they exaggerate

illness,accordingto age and sex, with standarderrors for totals:United States, 1966-70

Age and sex

Presenthealth status

I

How often illnessexaggerated

I

Cxcel- 1‘cry Good Fair lent good Poor Almost Not

Never Pretty

never very

often often

I I I I

Both sexes

12-17 years-----------------

years--------------------------

years--------------------------

years--------------------------

years--------------------------

years----..---------------------

years---------------------------

Boys

12-17 years-----------------

years----.,-------------------

years--------------------------

Percent

0.3

M

II:?

0.3

0.1

0.2

33.0 39.4

36.7

& ;

30:8

34.3

30.1

34.4

33.9

31.4

37.8

31.2

33.1

35.7

34.8

34,5

32.3

41.6

29.3

32.7

35.6

35.3

33.4

30.4

34.0

33.1

33.5

35.7

34.3

29.5

29.3

28.1

30.6

31.0

27.1

30.8

27.7

26.7

24.6

27.8

30.6

26.4

30.5

31.3

31.9

31.7

33.4

:;.~

31:1

36.2 20.2 4.1

32.1

37.0

38.5

41.1

43.7

45.1

40.2

39.7

36.0

36.0

34.4

35.2

35.8

36.4

41.3

35.4

37.3

33.8

36.8

33.3

36.1

38.1

36.6

34.7

34.9

33.7

38.3

23.3

22.4

21.4

20.3

17.3

15.9

19.2

22.0

:;.;

19:7

15.2

14.7

21.3

:::

4.1

4.3

3.8

3.2

4.2

38.5

30.6

39.5

33.0

35.1

28.9

31.5

34.9

30.8

30.1

28.5

33.4

31.3

0.4

0.4

0.5

0.2

0.4

0.3

0.3

% ;

0.7

0.1

30.6

36.1

39.6

41.8

45.0

49.6

38.6

33.6

38.0

37.4

40.3

42.4

40.5

~ears --------------------------

years--------------------------

years--------------------------

Girls

12-17 years-----------------

years--------------------------

years --------------------------

years--------------------------

years--------------------------

years.,------------------ --------

years--------------------------

24.6

20.6

24.2

20.9

19.5

17.2

0.56

0.72

0.69

Standarderror

a

Both sexes 12-17 years------

Boys 12-17 years------------------

Girls 12-17 years-----------------

0.94 0.81 1.17

1.02 0.95 1.32

1.18 1.09 1.34

13
Table 3. Percent distributions ofyouths by certain eating habits and attitude toward food, according to age and sex, with standarderrors for totals:United States, 1966-70

Meals per day

usually eaten

with family

Amount of food

eaten

T

About Too Too

right little much

kttitude toward food

Age and sex

Two

or only None

more

one

Both sexes

12-17 years-------------------

Percent

1.4

0.8

0.8

1.6

1.1

1.8

2.6

1.4

11.9

12.0

12.3

13.1

13.5

10.5

9.7

10.7

44.3

49,0

44.6

43.6

41.2

44.5

42.1

43.4

61.0 7.4

67.4

65.4

61.1

57.8

57.5

55.4

63.5

37.6

31.8

33.8

37.3

41.0

40.7

41.9

35.1

81.5 6.6 48.3

44.1

46.6

49.9

51.6

48.5

49.4

49.2

:::

w

7.2

7.4

5.6

:;

14

:2

17

L2

13

14

15

16

17

12

13

14

15

16

17

82.0

S1.1

81.2

79.8

82.3

82.9

83.7

years----------------------------

years----------------------------

years----------------------------

years----------------------------

years----------------------------

years---------------------------

Boys

12-17 years------------------”

80.4

82.6

85.9

83.7

84.3

85.7

79.3

12.3

11.1

10.2

11.8

10.0

8.2

13.2

43.8

46.4

53.3

54.7

:;.;

.

47.4

49.1

45.1

40.0

37.9

&

.

45.1

48.9

44.2

47.3

44.6

45.0

40.3

7.1

8.5

6.7

::;

8.3

7.5

6.6

9.1

6.2

6.9

U

67.6

66.0

63.9

60.8

61.7

60.5

58.3

31.6

33.4

34.1

37.6

36.7

38.0

40.1

0.8

0.6

::!

1:5

1.5

M

4.0

4.4

2:;

7.5

years----------------------------

years---------------------------

years ----------------------------

years ----------------------------

years----------------------------

years----------------------------

Girls

12-17 years-------------------

67.3

64.8

58.3

54.7

53.1

50.3

1.28

1.51

1.28

31.9

34.3

40.6

44.6

44.9

45.9

0.8

t!?

0.7

2.0

3.8

83.6

79.5

76.5

75.8

80.3

80.1

4.7

7.0

7.4

8.9

8.8

8.8

11.8

13.5

16.1

15.3

11.0

11.1

44.5

46.7

:;.:

47:6

51.1

years----------------------------

years---------------------------

years----------------------------

years----------------------------

years---------------------------

years---------------------------

Standard error

Both sexes 12-17 years-------, 1.32 0.23 0.56 0.88 0.33

I

0.28 0.57 0.82

0.91 0.34 0.75

0.71 0.54 0.71

0.80

1.23

0.64

1.38

Boys 12-17 years-------------------

Girls 12-17 years------------------,

1.60

1.26

0.25

0.31

0.37

0.55

14
Table 4. Percent distribution of youths by weight status, according to amount of food eaten, age,

and sex, with standard errors for totals: United States, 1966-70

Age and sex

Amount of food eaten

=

weight weight weight weight weight weight

Too much

Right Under- Overweight weight weight

Both sexes

12-17 yea.rs-------

Percent

88.4

88.6

88.2

87.9

89.6

88.5

87.8

89.4

59.7 37.3

36.9

46.1

41.0

34.1

29.0

37.1

42.6

3.0 60.0

61.2

61.8

63.7

59.0

54.4

58.1

47.2

53.5

59.0

50.2

41.3

34.0

40.0

70.6

5.3

5.6

5.1

6.4

:::

4.9

6.6

6.3

5.8

;:2

5.4

6.8

7.3

4.1

36.3 3.6

2.0

::!

:::

3.2

6.9

i:

14

15

16

17

12

13

M

16

17

12

13

14

15

16

17

63.1

53.0

53.3

62.1

67.7

58.6

56.7

36.9

35.4

32.0

36.0

41.0

38.6

45.9

years ---------------

years ---------------

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

BOYS

12-17 years-------

87.7

88.4

87.6

91.2

91.7

90.0

87.4

6.4

6.0

8.8

6.1

5.6

6.3

3.9

5.8

5.6

3.5

2.7

2.7

3.8

8.6

54.4

51.7

43.9

52.5

72.1

62.9

62.1

45.6

48.3

56.1

44.2

27.9

35.4

33.2

42.7

34.9

40.3

48.9

60.7

52.5

28.4

30.6

35.9

26.6

25.9

22.6

28.3

3.8

6.1

9.5

;::

7.6

1.0

1.;

1.2

3.9

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

years--------------years---------------

years---------------

3.;

1.7

4.7

Girls

12-17 years-------

69.4

64.1

72.4

72.9

73.6

71.7

89.4

88.1

88.3

87.8

85.1

85.4

0.34

0.63

0.57

4*7

4.2

3.7

3.8

3.6

3.4

0.29

0.44

0.39

5.9

7.7

8.0

1!::

11.2

77.0

54.2

58.4

66.9

64.8

55.6

23.0

44.0

32.7

29.0

29.8

38.4

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

Standard error

Both sexes 12-17

years------------

BOYS 12-17 years-------

Girls 12-17 years------ &m 1.67 0.85 1.91

2.58

1.95

2.02

0.31

3.40

1.97

15
of youths by ease in making friends

to age and sex, with standard errors

Table 5. Percent distributions

visits with friends, according

and frequency of overnight

for totals: United States,

1966-70

How easily youth makes frienda Frequency of overnight visits

Age and sex

All Easily youths

Has a Has a

little lot of

trouble trouble

Both sexes

12-17 years--------------

Percent

100.0 82.0

;3.;

81:3

84.0

82.7

81.1

82.3

16.9 1.1

0.5

1.2

L 1

:::

1.3

1.1

100.0 17.7

2200

19.3

18.0

16.4

15.1

14.9

20.4

26.1

19.4

20.6

19.6

17.7

18.7

14.9

17.8

19.2

15.3

13.0

12.4

11.1

27.6

27.8

28.4

25.7

26.4

29.7

27.6

32.9

54.7

50.2

52.3

56.3

57.2

55.2

57.5

46.6

43,2

46.0

49.9

49.5

44.8

46,6

62.9

57.4

58.8

63.0

65.1

65.8

68.4

12

13

14

15

16

17

12

;2

15

16

17

;:

14

15

16

17

years-----------------------

years-----------------------

years-----------------------

years-----------------------

years-----------------------

years-----------------------

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

16.3

18.8

17.6

14.8

16.0

17.6

16.6

100.0

100.0

10000

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

Boys

12-17 years--------------

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

83.7

80.2

82.3

83.4

83.1

81.2

81.7

82.7

79.7

80.3

84.6

82.2

81.1

15.8

18.9

16.5

15.3

15.6

17.7

17.1

16.9

18.8

18.7

14.4

16.5

17.5

0.5

0.9

1.2

1.4

1.3

1.1

1.1

0.5

1.6

1.0

1.0

1.3

i.4

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

30.7

34.7

29.6

30.9

37.5

34.7

22.2

24.8

22.0

21.7

21.8

21.8

20.5

years-----------------------

years-----------------------

years-----------------------

years-----------------------

years-----------------------

years-----------------------

Girls

12-17 years--------------

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

years-----------------------

years-----------------------

years-----------------------

years-----------------------

years-----------------------

years-----------------------

Standard error

Both sexes 12-17 years---

Boys 12-17 years---------------

Girls 12-17 yeara-------------- 1

... 0.58

... 0.82

... 0.70

16
Table 6. Percent distributions of youths by amount of trouble they were to bring up and parent’s

acquaintance with their friends and percentofyouths who wet bed during the past 12 months, according to age and sex, with standard errors for totals: United States. 1966-70

I 1

Amount of trouble to IParent’s ac uaintance

bring up 7 with youth s friends I

Wet bed

Knows Knows Knows

‘one llttle ‘Yst a Some A lot most of half or almost

them less none

Age and sex

1 1 I 1 I I I

Both sexes Percent

12-17 years ----------------- 59.9 27.2 10.8 2.2 77.G 4.7

7.4

7.4

n

2.6

1.6

6.1

17.2

13.8

15.1

16.3

20.9

19.9

18.0

18.7

15.6

16.5

16.5

20.5

21.8

22.0

15.7

5.8

4.3

6.1

5.8

6.1

::;

6.2

5.2

5.5

;::

6:5

5.3

12

13

14

15

16

17

12

13

14

15

H

H

14

::

1.7

60.0

58.7

60.0

56.7

62.5

61.6

57.1

——

58.5

55.5

59.8

52.3

59.7

56.9

62.7

30.2

26.7

26.4

27.8

24.3

27.4

28.2

30.4

27.8

24.6

30.3

26.5

29.8

26.1

12:;

11.3

12.7

10.4

9.3

12.0

1.3

2.0

2.3

n

1.7

2.7

1.2

;::

3:8

2.6

1.6

years-------------------........

years--------------------------

years--------------------------

years----c--.------------------

years--------------------........

years-------------------------.

81.9

78.8

77.9

73.0

73.5

76.1

75.1

79.2

77.9

77.7

72.4

70.9

71.4

78.9

Boys

12-L7 years-----------------

1%:

12.4

13.7

10.0

10.8

9.6

9.4

10.1

6.4

M

1.8

3.3

years--------------------------

years-------------------------.

years--------------------------

years-.---.-=------------------

years..........................

years--------------------------

Girls

12-17 years-----------------

years --------------------------

years--------------------------

years------------------........

years--------------------------

years---.......................

years--------.................-

61.6

62.0

50.3

51.2

65.3

66.3

30.1

25.6

28.3

25.2

22.1

25.0

L;:;

LO.1

L1.8

LO.7

7.9

84.7

79.7

78.1

73.7

76.3

80.8

12.0

13.5

16.1

21.3

18.0

13.8

r

3.3

6.8

5.8

5.0

5.8

5.4

Standard er

Both sexes 12-17 years------ 0.38 0.30

Boys 12-17 years------------------

Girls 12-17 years-----------------

2.96 0.72 0.52 0.11 0.92 0.70

1.12

L.14

1.05

0.75

0.72

0.58

0.21

0.25

0.81

1.31

0.76

0.99

0.36

0.57

0.46

0.39

17
Table 7. Percent distribution of youths by amount of trouble they were to bring up, according to frequency

of overnight visits with friends, age, and sex, with standard errors for totals: United States, 1966-70

Age and sex

Visited overnight once or

twice

I I I

visited overnight quite a

few times

i I 1

Never visited overnight

I I I

No Just a Some A Icit

trou - little trOu- E;:”.

ble trou- ble

to ble to to ble

bring bring bring &E

UP UP UP UP

No Just a Some A lot

trOu- little trOu - &uble trou- ble

to ble to to

ble

bring bring bring b:;ng

UP UP UP UP

No

:rouble

to

ming

W

Just a

little

trouble to

bring

UP

A lot Some ~.f

trou -

ble trou -

to ble

bring b::ng

UP UP

I I I I I I I I I

Both sexes

12-17 years ---

Percent

64.7 23.4 9.1 2.8 10.4

6.9

13.0

11.2

13.1

1::2

11.9

2.1

0.8

1.8

3.7

2.9

2.0

1.5

2.0

28.2

32.3

27.9

28.6

30.1

24.4

25.8

28.8

32.1

27.2

23.4

35.2

26.7

28.1

27.8

59.9 11.5 2.0

61.8

58.2

60.4

56.7

63.7

58.0

57.1

27.6

30.5

27.1

24.7

27.3

25.9

30.0

29.1

58.3

;:.:

57;8

54.3

60.3

63.7

55.3

54.9

54.4

61.5

48.1

55.3

57.8

60.5

59.4

58.2

54.7

59.1

63.8

67.8

63.5

65.2

66.3

64.8

67.9

60.5

61.2

25.2

23.5

22.3

20.2

20.9

28.2

25.6

9.3

8.5

1%;

6.4

9.5

10.0

1.9

2.9

1.5

4.3

4.8

1.8

3.3

1?::

11.7

13.2

12.5

8.7

12.9

11.9

16.3

12.4

13.6

12.3

10.7

10.5

1.3

::;

2.4

2.8

1.8

3.0

12

13

14

15

16

17

12

13

14

15

:;

12

13

:;

16

Ii’

years ------------

years ------------

years ------------

years ------------

years ------------

years ------------

Boys

12-17 years ---

61.8

62.2

63.6

59.8

62.9

56.1

69.7

27.9

24.8

21.0

21.4

26.7

31.8

20.4

8.4

10.1

12.9

13.2

1::;

7.9

1.8

3.0

2.5

5.5

5.6

1.8

2.1

60.7

53.2

54.0

54.0

63.6

56.1

64.2

30.0

30.5

29.1

28.2

26.1

30.8

25.4

8.4

16.0

12.1

14.2

1;::

8.2

5.0

8.1

10.0

11.5

5.9

9.5

0.9

~::

0:6

1.9

2.2

0.7

3.9

2.1

::;

0.7

0.34

0.33

0.68

1.1

2.1

2.7

3.1

5.7

3.4

1.3

years ------------

years ------------

years ------------

years ------------

years ------------

years ------------

Girls

12-17 years ---

31.2

21.5

18.6

26.2

25.6

28.5

32.4

28.4

32.7

26.2

22.8

24.3

1:::

11.2

12.8

12.7

7.3

1.4

1.7

i::

0.7

0.7

21.1

22.1

24.2

18.3

12.0

22.1

10.7

6.8

5.6

6.8

9.0

8.2

2.0

2.8

2.;

3.6

1.8

years ------------

yeara ------------

yeara ------------

years ------------

years ------------

years ------------

Standard error

Both sexes

12-17 years-.

Boys 12-17 yeara ----

Girla 12-17 years ---

2.00 1.51

1.84 1.96

3.38 2.20 --L1.03 0.36

1.21 0.57

1.56 0.67

1.23 0.96 0.78 &l&

18
TalIle8. Percent distribution of youths by amount of trouble they were to bring up, according to how many

of their friends parent knows well, age, and sex, with standard errors for totals: United States, 1966-70

Parent knows most of

youth’s friends well

Parent knows half or less

of youth’s friends well

Parent knows almost none of

youth’s friends well

No

trOuble

b%ng

UP

Just a

little

trOu -

ble to

bring

UP

Some

trOuble

to

bring

UP

A lot

of

trOuble

to

bring

UP

No

trOuble

b%g

W

Just a

little

trouble to

bring

UP

Some

trOu -

ble

b&g

UP

A lot

of

trOu -

ble

to

bring

W

No

trOuble

to

bring

W

Just a

little

trOu -

ble to

bring

UP

Some

A lot

trou- t::u -

ble

to ble

bring b;ing

UP UP

Age and sex

[ 1 I I I I 1 1 1

Both sexes

12-17 years ---

years ------------

yeara ------------

years ------------

yMlrs------------

ymm3------------

y~~~s------------

Boys

12-17 years ---

years ------------

years ------------

years ------------

years ------------

years ------------

years ------------

Girls

12-17 years---

years ------------

years ------------

years ------------

years ------------

years ------------

years ------------

Percent

63.4 26.0 9.0 1.5 47.9 32.7 16.4 3.0 47.1 26.5 18.0 8.3

61.9

62.3

63.2

61.5

66.7

65.7

61.2

29.7

25.1

25.3

27.6

21.5

26.4

26.9

0.6

1.7

2.2

1.5

1.9

1.3

2.0

51.6

43.9

49.1

45.8

46.4

51.7

45.2

34.4

34.0

35.0

26.2

37.5

30.5

33.5

35.2

37.5

30.5

28.5

41.7

27.7

31.8

11.5

19.3

15.5

23.3

11.4

15.7

18.5

11.8

22.5

17.1

29.0

11.3

18.6

13.8

2.4

:::

::;

2.0

2.8

50.2

47.3

48.1

36.1

63.9

35.8

43.2

27.0

30.6

17.5

36.2

16.6

32.0

28.2

10.9

18.1

25.0

16.6

11.2

25.8

17.7

11.8

4.0

1?::

8.3

6.4

10.9

59.2

61.5

62.4

59.8

64.8

61.0

65.6

30.5

24.7

23.9

29.9

22.7

29.8

25.1

12;

10.6

9.2

9.8

7.1

8.2

52.2

36.6

52.4

36.7

42.3

52.1

51.2

0.8

3.4

2::

1.5

3.2

65.0

25.3

45.6

30.2

63.4

28.6

52.0

13.3

43.9

16.7

41.2

18.4

35.6

24.4

14.8

25.0

22.6

15.1

6.2

24.7

18.5

6.9

R

13.5

12.0

11.1

5.1

64.4

63.2

64.0

64.1

68.5

70.0

28.9

25.4

26.7

25.3

20.3

23.2

0.2

2.4

1.2

1.0

i 3

0.14

0.28

0.20

33.4

29.7

39.7

23.9

32.4

35.0

11.2

15.3

13.8

17.8

11.6

11.1

4.7

:::

::;

2.9

48.7

19.7

18.4

29.1

14.2

27.0

1::z

27.7

18.7

18.1

27.3

19.6

2.5

3.0

7.7

3.2

tandard error

Both sexes

12-17 years --

Boys 12-17 years----

Girls 12-17 years ---

1.08 0.91 0.58 2.27 I 1.94 I 1.22

&

1.25

1.24

1.15

1.01

0.69

0.71

19
Table 9. Percent of youths who attended nursery school, percent who attended kindergarten and

percent distribution by whether attendance was voluntary or compulsory, and percent distribution

by age at which they started first grade, accordingto age and sex, with standard errors for totals: United States, 1966-70

Kindergarten

attendance wasz

T

volun- Compultary sory

Age started first grade

=

Ittended

~ursery

school

Attended

kindergarten

Age and sex

Both sexes Percent

12-17 years--------- 66.3 -s@

52.6

I

49.7

52.2

53*4

53.3

52.7

51.1

50.4

48.4

50.8

53.1

52.7

51.2

53.5

47.7

;;.:

47;8

46.6

46.7

47.3

48.9

;;.;

49:2

46.9

47.3

48.8

46.5

45.1

48.9

46.4

46.2

46.0

46.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100,0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

19.9

19.7

20.3

19.9

21.2

19.3

18.9

19.1

74.4

74.9

75.0

73.9

71.8

75.8

75.0

75.3

5.7

5.4

;.;

7:1

5.0

6.1

5.6

12 69.8

66.9

67.9

63.7

64,8

64.4

years-----------------

years-----------------

years-----------------

years-----------------

years-----------------

years-----------------

13

14

15

16

17

Boys

12-17 years--------- 9.7 66.6

years -----------------

years-----------------

years-----------------

years-----------------

years-----------------

years-----------------

70.2

65.8

69.9

68.1

18.5

18.4

20.5

19.7

19.5

18.1

20.7

21,0

22.3

19.4

22.7

19.1

19.7

0.87

1.14

0.81

76.7

76.7

72.6

73.8

76.5

75.5

73.5

9,1

8.8

64.3

60.6

Girls

12-17 years--------- 8.9 66.1

years-----------------

years-----------------

years-----------------

years-----------------

years-----------------

years -----------------

7.8

7.9

1;::

1?:;

69.4

68.0

65.9

59.2

65.4

68.2

54.9

51.1

53.6

53.8

54.0

54.0

73.0

73.3

75.2

69.7

75.1

74.6

15

16

17

Standard error

Both sexes 12-17

years-------------- 0.76 2.07 1

0.97 0.67

1.08 0.64 -1- 1.03 0.77

2.84 2.84

3.04 3.04

2.81 2.81

● .O

Boys 12-17 years---------

Girls 12-17 years--------

0.81

0.91

2.05

2.22

..*

. . .

20
Table 10. Percent distributionof youths by initial reaction to first grade, according

to age and sex, with standard errors for totals: United States, 1966-70

Initial reaction to first grade

All

youths

Was so

Was Was a Was

quite little quite ~Z~EEe I_Jnkncwm

happy upset upset got

sick

Age and sex

Both sexes

12-17 years--------------------

Pertent

100.0 74.7 14.8 3.1 0.6 6.8

100.0

100,0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

77.3

75.6

75.3

74.4

72.3

72.6

71.8

14.4

14.4

15.1

14.3

15.2

15.7

16.7

16.3

15.2

16.7

17,3

16.5

18.7

12.9

2.8

3.1

2.2

3.8

::;

3.2

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.6

1.1

0.7

5.2

6.4

6.8

6.9

:::

7.6

years-----------------------------

years-----------------------------

years----------------------------

years-----------------------------

years-----------------------------

years-----------------------------

BOYS

12-17 years--------------------

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100,0

75.0

74.4

72.4

69.8

67.9

70.9

77.6

2.9

N

:::

3.7

3.0

0.4

0.7

::;

0.9

0.6

0.5

5.4

::;

1::;

6.1

6.0

years----------------------------

years-----------------------------

years-----------------------------

years-----------------------------

years-----------------------------

years-----------------------------

Girls

12-17 years--------------------

100.0

100.0

100.0

100,0

100.O

100.O

79.6

76.9

78.3

79.0

76.8

74.3

12.5

13.6

13.5

11.2

13.8

12.7

0.3

0.4

0.5

M

1.5

4.9

6.0

H

7.8

6.8

years------------------------------

years----------------------------

years-----------------------------

years-----------------------------

years-------------------------------

years---”------------------------

Standard error

-IL.,.0.87

,,* 0.88

● ,* 1.04

Both sexes 12-17 years---------

Boys 12-17 years---------------------

Girls 12-17 years--------------------

0.47 0.29 0.09 0.51

0.59

0.63

21
Table 11. Percent distribution of youths by initial reaction to first grade, according to whether or not they attended nursery school, age, and sex,

States, 1966-70

with standard errors for totals: United

Age and sex

Attended nursery school Did not attend nursery school

I

Was so~

Was upset

quite startupset ing

start- first

ing grade

first he/she

grade got

sick

Unknown

Was so

upset

startWas

quite

happy

starting

first

grade

Was a

little

upset

starting

first

grade

Was

quite

happy

starting

first

grade

Was a

little

upset

starting

first

grade

Was

quite

upset

start

ing

first Unknown ing

first

grade

grade

he]she

got

sick

Both sexes

12-17 years--

Percent

76.4

81.0

72.4

78.0

70.8

75.8

81.1

75.3

13.9

10.8

13.3

19.5

13.7

14.0

12.3

15.0

1.1

0.8

3.;

0.9

1.5

2.1

74.6

77.0

76.1

75.2

75.1

72.1

71.6

71.5

15.0

14.8

14.6

14.8

14.4

15.3

16.1

16.9

2.9

2.5

2.3

2.3

3.6

::;

3.1

0.6

0.3

0.6

0.6

0.4

0.5

1.0

0.6

6.9

5.4

6.4

::;

9.3

6.8

7.9

;:;

8.2

1?::

6.5

5,9

years ----------

years----------

years----------

years----------

years----------

years----------

Boys

12-17 years--

74.4

73.7

71.7

70.9

67.4

70.7

77.7

82.8

79.1

81.8

;;.;

72;9

77.6

78.8

61.3

72.3

81.3

79.1

87.2

11.1

11.5

14.9

20.6

12.4

22.0

12.6

10.5

16.3

26.3

1;::

.

u

it:

4.0

5.0

1::;

1.3

5.6

2.;

0.84

1.06

1.04

1.4

7.i

1.7

3.5

:::

2.0

7.4

;.;

.

4.8

16.8

15.7

17.0

17.0

16.9

18.3

13.0

2.8

2.2

2.4

:.:

4:1

2.8

0.3

0.8

0.7

0.3

0.9

0.4

0.6

years----------

years----------

years----------

years----------

years----------

years ----------

Girls

12-17 years--

79.7

78.4

78.7

79.5

77.0

72.5

12.7

13.4

12.6

11.7

13.7

13.8

::2

0.5

0.5

0.2

1.7

0.09

0.11

0.14

5.2

5.3

::;

7.5

7.0

0.56

0.59

0.66

years----------

years----------

years----------

years----------

years----------

years----------

Standard error

Both sexes

12-17 yearsBoys 12-17 years--

Girls 12-17 years1.94 2.02 -1- 0.53 0.81

1.03 1.18

... 1.19

0.94 0.59 0.29

2.52

2.82

2.41

3.45 Y_H!P!!

22
Table 12. Percent distribution of youths who attended kindergarten by initial reaction to first

grade, according to whether kindergarten attendance was voluntary or compulsory, age, and sex,

with standard errors for totals: United States, 1966-70

Age and sex

Voluntary kindergarten attendance I

Compulsory kindergarten attendance

I I Iw$lssol I I I

Was

quite

happy

starting

first

grade

Was a

little

upset

starting

first

grade

Was

quite

upset

starting

first

grade

..——-.

upset

startWas

quite

happy

starting

first

grade

Was a

little

upset

starting

first

grade

Was

quite

upset

starting

first

grade

---- “-

upset

starting

first

grade

he/she

ing

first

Unknown

Unknown grade

he/she

got

sick

got

sick

Both sexes

12-17 years--

Percent

79.6 12.4 2.1 0.5 5.3 76.3 14.3 3.0 0.6 5.9

0.5

.-

:::

1.8

0.6

#

15

16

17

12

13

14

15

16

17

12

::

15

16

17

years----------

years----------

years----------

years----------

years----------

years----------

80.7

78.9

80.5

79.9

77.2

80.4

76.5

12.6

14.2

11.5

12.5

11.5

12.3

13.9

2.1

1.3

1.6

3.0

2.2

2.6

2.8

0.6

0.6

:::

0.2

0.7

0.7

4.1

5.1

::;

;::

6.1

77.8

78.0

76.7

76.4

74.0

74.1

73.8

14.1

12.6

16.0

13.7

15.2

14.1

16.2

:::

4.9

6.9

::;

6.4

Boys

12-17 years--

77.3

79.1

76.0

73.3

74.8

78.8

82.8

15.8

14.1

14.1

15.8

1:::

10.9

0.4

0.7

;::

0.5

1.5

0.3

;:!?

0.6

s

0.14

0.25

0.19

4.2

4.8

2:?

11.6

3.8

4.5

4.0

;:!

.

::!

76.0

76.8

76.3

71.7

67.3

72.9

79.0

79.9

79.2

77.1

81.9

80.9

75.3

16.1

13.6

15.2

16.7

18.1

18.6

12.2

11.8

11.6

16.9

10.3

12.2

9.8

0.76

1.25

1.05

t f!

2.8

& ;

3.4

2.9

i::

2.0

::;

3.5

0.51

0.63

0.62

0.9

;:;

0.6

5.0

;::

8.4

9.8

5.1

5.3

N

4.0

5.2

5.0

7.8

0.75

0.94

0.80

years----------

years----------

years----------

years----------

years----------

years----------

Girls

12-17 years--

83.9

78.7

85.2

87.4

79.6

81.9

0.98

1.13

1.35

years----------

years----------

years----------

years----------

years----------

years----------

1::;

8.9

1::;

10.7 3.;

0.18

0.31

0.26

.ndard error

Both sexes

12-17 yearsBOYS 12-17 years--

Girls 12-17 years- 1

0.52 0.37

0.51 0.54

1.05 0.44

0.69

0.96

0.77

1.10

1.44

1.60

23
Table 13. Percent distribution of youths by rate of mental development, according to whether or

not they have health problems, age, and sex, with standard errors for totals: United States,

1966-70

All youths II No health problem Health problem

Mental

development

about

right

Mental

development

too

fast

Mental

development

too

slow

Mental

ClevelMental

develMental Mental Mental Mentaldevel - devel- devel- development opment opment opment

too about too too

slow right fast slow

Age and sex

about

right

;00

fast

Both sexes Percent

12-17 years------ 95.4 96.2 0.8

0.9

t:

0.7

ii:

0.7

M

0.5

0.6

i:;

0.9

2.9

::i

3.0

2.5

2.8

1.8

4.2

5.3

;:$

i;

2.7

1.6

0.9 90.5 7.9

0.9

:.$

.

:::

1.2

0.8

1.0

:::

0.9

;::

1.1

1.6

1.0

M

2.7

1.0

3.2

0.9

0.9

2,2

1.i

2.3

12 years--------------

13 years --------------

14 years--------------

15 years--------------

16 years --------------

17 years --------------

95.0

95.1

95.1

95.6

95.3

96.3

94.2

;;.;

93:6

95.0

94.4

95.7

96.6

95.8

95.6

‘33.;

95:8

97.4

95.0

89.8

91.8

90.0

89.4

91.7

90.7

89.4

9,2

n

7.9

;:?

Boys

12-17 years ------ 9.7

12 years--------------

13 years--------------

14 years--------------

15 years--------------

16 years --------------

17 years--------------

5.9

n

;::

.

2.3

93.8

94.2

94.6

96.5

94.6

97.2

97.4

88.2

91.5

88.2

87.4

92.6

89.4

91.6

10.9

L;::

10.4

;::

Girls

12-17 years------ 6.1

12 years--------------

13 years --------------

14 years--------------

15 years--------------

16 years --------------

17 years--------------

97.0

96.4

96.7

96.2

96.3

96.9

0.36

0.47

0.43

0.9

0.5

1.4

1.1

1.1

1.9

0.09

0.16

0.18

97.9

97.0

97.6

;;.;

97:6

0.9

i!:;

0.7

0.9

1.4

1.2

;::

2.1

1.9

1.0

91.1

92.1

91.9

91.5

90.8

92.3

1.1

::;

3.2

2::

Standard error

Both sexes 12-17

years ----------- w

1.15 0.47 1.07

1.51 0.47 1.55

1.43 0.66 1.12

Boys 12-17 years ------

Girls 12-17 years-----

24
Table 14. Percentdistribution of youths by how often they exaggerateillness,accordingto rate of mental

development, age, and sex, with standard errors for totals: United States, 1966-70

Mental development about Mental development too fast Mental development too slow right

111-

ness

almost

never

exag -

gerated

nl -

ness

not

very

often

exag -

gerated

I

Illness

not

very

often

exag -

gerated

nlness

not

very

often

exag -

gerated

22.5

25.7

22.5

22.0

31.6

7.6

25.8

24.0

Illness

almost

never

exag -

gerated

Illness

:f:t’:y

exag -

gerated

Illness

Ill-

~f::: :::r

exagexagger- gerated ated

Illness

almost

never

exaggerated

33.4

37.1

41.1

36.2

17.3

27.7

37.0

31.2

Illness

~f:::y

exaggerated

12.4

Illness

never

exagger -

ated

Illness

never

exag -

ger -

ated

35.8

Age and sex

Both sexes

1.2-17years---

yQ~r-------_-

ycnrs----------

ycarg----------

years----------

y~~r,q----------

ytiars----------

Boys

12-17 years---

yeare----------

years----------

y~~rs------_--

years----------

years----------

years ----------

Girls

12-17 years---

years----------

years----------

years----------

years----------

years----------

years----------

Percent

39.7

32.4

37.3

39.2

41.5

43.6

45.6

40.5

36.3

39.8

35.7

35.8

34.9

35.7

35.8

36.7

20.2 36.6

43.0

47.7

48.2

39.2

16.9

36.8

25.4

17.2

21.2

16.;

17.3

8.5

30.7

16.2

10.5

29.3

5.4

25.3

13.2

11.9

31.6

24.9

32.4

25.7

38.1

39.8

32.1

33.8

3.8

12

13

14

15

16

17

H

1/+

15

16

17

12

13

14

15

H

23.2

22.5

21.4

19.9

17.8

15.5

19.0

4.6

4.5

3.6

3.7

;::

3.8

35.8

23.1

29.9

18.2

61.4

32.5

46.5

12.2

1::i

13.0

25.0

5.1

11.0

30.9

36.5

40.0

42.1

44.6

50,2

39.0

33.9

38.1

38.3

40.8

42.6

41.0

41.5

35.2

37.7

35.1

37.2

33.4

35.9

38.1

36.2

34.0

34.7

34.2

38.1

22.1

23.8

18.6

18.8

15.6

14.2

21.3

——

24.4

21.1

24.2

21.0

20.0

16.8

29.0

78.0

40.7

71.2

23.4

28.3

43.5

40.1

14.1

47.;

34.7

30.9

63.1

10.i

14.4

76.6

/$4.3

40.1

13.i

14.5

17.8

28.0

31.0

31.3

37.1

44.4

37.7

26.7

16.0

35.0

3$?

32.2

14.7

4.34

3.54

9.51

38.5

36.8

32.4

3;:;

26.2

38.5

19.4

29.0

21.3

41.5

6.0

29.3

19.2

14.0

1:::

12.0

15.0

6.8

15.6

36.;

22.0

35.5

9.5

2:

3.4

3.4

2::

56.5

36.3

64.1

62.5

20.5

27.4

33.2

49.2

48.3

29.3

16.2

70.5

3.75

4.27

7.87

H

19.4

14.4

41.4

21.;

20.3

38.;

23.:

17.i

32.0

Standard error

Both sexes

12-17 years--

Boys 12-17 years--

Girls 12-17 years0.87 0.77

1.03 1.08

1.01 0.86 J- 4.50 6.15

7.89 6.45

6.80 9.86

5.56 3.14

9.01 5.42

7.97 4.88

2.61 2.71 --1- 0.57 0.29

0.75 0.45

0.68 0.49

2.70 3.09

5.42 4.56

25
Table 15. Percent distribution of youths by rate of physical growth, according to rate of mental

development, age, and sex, with standard errors for totals: United States, 1966-70

Age and sex

Mental development too

slow

m

Mental development I

Mental development too

about right fast

I

Physical

growth

about

right

PhysLcal

growth

too

fast

Physical

growth

about

right

Physi- Physical cal

growth growth

too too

fast slow

Physical

growth

too

slow

Both sexes

12-17 years-------

Percent

93.7 3.7 2.6 63.5 27.4

68.;

62.1

39.5

24.0

32.1

9.0

15.8

6.;

::2

7.8

9.2

72.9 8.5

12:;

1;:;

8.2

6.1

8.1

18.6

25.9

2%:

21.1

1;::

21.7

12

13

14

15

16

17

12

13

14

15

16

17

12

13

14

:2

17

92.3

91.0

94.4

94.7

94.6

95.6

93.0

92.6

90.6

91.9

95.1

94.3

93.9

94.4

92.0

91.3

96.9

94.3

95.0

97.2

0.41

0.62

0.33

4.2

5.5

::;

3.2

3.0

3.5

84.2

32.0

31.7

51.1

66.4

92.2

58.8

64.8

78.7

67.3

69.0

82.0

78.8

70.3

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

Boys

12-17 years-------

;::

4.0

2.9

:::

3.9

6.5

6.7

::;

3.3

1.2

5.5

$;

2:6

1.3

1.7

70.0

26.2

22.0

30.1

75.9

100.0

66.9

30.0

25.0

8.9

60.5

78.1

66.4

63.2

78.9

78.8

78.8

9.5

8.0

16.2

13.3

4.5

9.5

29.9

13.8

33.6

20.5

w

11.6

14.5

13.i

22.0

12.8

10.2

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

years ---------------

73.;

53.0

69.9

24.1

24.2

Girls

12-17 years-------

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

yea&---------------

years---------------

years---------------

1.5

t ;

2.8

1.8

1.7

100.0

36.3

34.9

67.9

52.8

90.3

76.9

79.7

70.1

78.0

87.2

78.6

8.6

20.3

16.4

11.;

63.;

;5.;

23:8

17.i

23.4

9.7

Standard error

Both sexes 12-17

years------------

Boys 12-17 years-------

Girls 12-17 years------

3.73 2.81 1.77 2.46

4.57

5.41

3.39

4.91

2.02 3.02

3.28 4.36

26
Table 16. Percent distribution of youths by rate of mental development, according to ease in making friends, age, and sex, with standard errors for totals: United States, 1966-70

Makes friends easily Has a little trouble

making friends

Has a lot of trouble

making friends

Mental

deve1-

opment

about

right

Mental

development

too

fast

Age and sex Mental

development

about

right

Mental

development

too

fast

Mental

development

too

slow

Mental

development

too

slow

Mental

deve1-

opment

about

right

Mental

development

too

fast

Mental

development

too

slow

Both sexes

12-17 years------

Percent

96.5

95.9

96.2

96.0

96.6

96.7

97.5

95.6

0.9

0.5

0.3

1.1

W

1.0

1.0

:::

0.9

1.2

1.1

1.2

0.7

2.6

3.1

3.4

3.1

2.2

2.2

1.2

3.6

92.2

91.6

91.3

92.8

92.0

91.9

94.0

90.0

6.9

:::

6.2

8.0

5.4

5.0

9.1

65.3

69.8

80.7

72.7

77.5

47.6

46.3

55.5

34.7

30.2

19.3

27.3

22.5

52.4

53.7

44.5

12

13

14

;:

17

12

13

14

15

16

17

12

13

14

15

16

17

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

Boys

12-17 years------

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

Girls

12-17 years------

93.9

95.1

94.5

96.4

96.4

97.9

97.3

w

0.4

1.1

::;

1.2

u

5.1

;:z

1.8

1.5

90.7

88.8

90.9

91.2

87.7

90.7

94.5

0.9

0.;

3.i

1.1

0.8

8.4

11.2

8.4

8.8

8.8

8.3

4.7

41.9

;3.;

60:4

46.2

14.6

74.8

58.1

14.8

23.3

39.6

53.8

85.4

25.2

22.;

32.3

51.0

29.3

7.66

9.36

8.81

97.9

97.3

97.6

96.8

97.1

97.2

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

1.0

2.2

1.0

1.9

:::

0.31

0.47

0.30

92.5

93.9

94.4

92.9

95.9

97.4

H

4.1

;:;

1.8

10000

78.0

67.7

100.0

49.0

70.7

0.;

1.4

:::

. . .

. . .

. . .

Standard error

Both sexes 12-17

years-----------

Boys 12-17 years-------

Girls 12-17 years------

0.35 0.09 0.88

1.31 0.50

0.39 0.17

0.13

1.11w

27
Table 17. Percent distribution of youths by amount of trouble they were to bring up, according to rate of

mental development, age, and sex, with standard errors for totals: United States, 1966-70

Age and sex

Mental development too fast Mental development about

right

I I I

Mental development too slow

I I I

No A lot

Just a Some of

trou - little trO:-

ble trOu -

trou -

to ble to to ble

bring bring bring bgng

UP UP UP UP

No A lot Just a Some ~.f

little tr&-

trOu -

trOuble to to ble

bring bring b~ng

UP UP W

No

rou -

ble

to

ring

UP

Just a

little

Some

trou -

ble

b%g

UP

A lot

of

trOu -

ble

to

bring

UP

troutrOu- ble

ble to

bring

UP

to

bring

UP

I I I 1 1 I

Both sexes Percent

12-17 years---

years ------------

years ------------

years ------------

years ------------

years ------------

years ------------

Boys

12-17 years ---

years ------------

years ------------

years ------------

years ------------

years ------------

years ------------

26.6

1.7.7

20.3

29.7

28.4

46.5

9.0

18.4

6.3

L;.!

15:6

6.;

3.1

17.1

1;:1

20.5

15.3

33.5

15.9

17.1

6.8

2::2

25.0

34.3

15.0

17.2

14.8

26.3

8.2

32.;

19.1

2.61

2.70

6.05

1.5

::;

1.5

2.2

1.8

1.3

1.9

0.9

1.4

2.0

2.7

2.6

2,1

1.2

23.3

33.7

32.i

2:::

22.4

27.8

27.9 31.1 23.9

29.4

14.8

19.1

37.4

17.2

30.4

23.2

61.3 27.1

30.1

26.5

26.3

27.8

24.2

27,4

27.9

29.6

27.5

24.4

30.1

26.1

29.9

26.2

10.1

1;::

10.8

11.6

9.6

8.8

11.3

1:::

11.9

1;.;

9:7

8.9

43.7

48.6

62.0

30.3

46.5

27.0

62.3

50.8

57.5

63.1

::.;

35:5

55.4

38.8

38.7

60.5

25.8

32.0

14.7

63.5

29.1

38.6

30.8

14.8

22.9

24.9

25.9

32.7

34.2

29;6

32.4

26.4

28,8

33.8

12

13

$

17

12

13

14

15

16

17

61.5

59.6

61.5

58.3

64.4

62.5

58.8

60.8

56.5

61.7

54.0

61.9

58.3

63.7

42.5

56.6

28.i

44.6

20.2

23.8

24.5

17.1

23.4

18.3

24.2

;:.;

11:6

19.5

22.2

32.4

40.6

34.1

25.5

;$ ;

24;1

25.0

28.5

19.7

21.4

21.3

11.2

38.7

25.5

36.;

19.9

35.6

32.4

37.6

39.;

35.3

61.9

10.7

15.;

8.6

Girls

12-17 years ---

1.1

1.5

1.0

1.8

1.1

0.5

42.8

34.5

37.7

20.0

28,2

35.1

3.09

3.27

6.73

10.5

34.5

42.1

17.1

12.8

45.9

3.30

3.76

5.58

31.9

1;:;

62.9

26.7

3.11

4.09

5.62

12 years ------------

13 years ------------

14 years ------------

15 years ------------

16 years ------------

17 years ------------

62.2

62.8

61.2

62.7

66.9

66.7

1.00

1.16

1.13

30.5

25.5

28.1

25.5

22.2

24.9

0.78

1.12

0.78

1$;

1::!

;.;

.

0.50

0.67

0.57

39.;

10.1

15.6

7.i

2.83

3.06

4.43

Standard error

Both sexes

12-17 years-- 0.09 I 7.921 6.611 7.04

0.20

0.18

11.91

9.34

10.94

7.88

Boys 12-17 years----

Girls 12-17 years---

28
Table 18. Percent distributions of youths by degree of nervousness, whether they visited a mental hospital or guidance clinic, and whether they visited a psychiatrist or psychologist, according to age and sex, with standard errors for totals: United States, 1966-70

Visit to mental

hospital or

guidance clinic

Degree of

nervousness

Visit to psychiatrist

or psychologist

IIig;lat Somewhat Very

Age and sex

In More

p~2t than

12 None

months months

ago

In

More

p;;t than

12 None

nonths months

ago

Both sexes

12-17 years--------------

Percent

49.8 46.3 4.0 97.0 4.1

::;

3.8

5.1

:::

5.4

0.8 2.2 93.9

2.1

2.7

1.8

2.6

1.5

2.2

2.6

2.0

1.6

2.1

;::

2.5

1.9

2.4

50.1

48.2

51.3

50.5

49.7

48.8

51.1

46.4

48.9

53.7

54.0

54.0

49.9

48.4

53.8

47.5

48.8

47.0

45.3

47.7

0.98

1.05

1.37

46.6

47.6

45.3

46.1

46.3

45.6

44.8

49.7

47.1

43.0

42.2

42.7

43.4

47.8

43.5

48.0

47.7

50.0

50.0

47.8

::;

3.4

:::

5.6

4.1

0.4

0.8

1.2

0.9

1.0

0.6

1.0

97.5

96.5

97.1

96.5

97.4

97.2

96.3

years -----------------------

years -----------------------

years-----------------------

years-----------------------

years-----------------------

years-----------------------

94.7

93.2

94.5

92.9

94.2

93.8

92.2

92.3

91.5

93.2

90.4

95.0

90.8

95.6

Boys

12-17 years--------------

0.6

H

1.7

1.0

0.6

0.6

;::

2.3

3.0

:::

1.7

95.8

96.3

96.1

95.3

98.1

96.4

97.7

2.3

2.6

$:2

1.8

3.0

1.5

years -----------------------

years-----------------------

years-----------------------

years-----------------------

years-----------------------

years-----------------------

Girls

12-17 years--------------

0.3

0.9

%:

1.0

0.6

0.5

2.4

1.3

2.1

2.3

1.4

99.2

96.7

98.0

97.7

96.7

98.1

0.8

1.7

1.1

:::

0.8

2.0

:::

3.1

3.3

2.4

97.2

94.9

95.7

95.5

93.4

96.8

years-----------------------

years-----------------------

years-----------------------

years-----------------------

years-----------------------

years-----------------------

Standard error

0.12 0.73 0.73 I

Both sexes 12-17 years--- 0.19 0.68 0.78

Boys 12-17 years---------------

Girls 12-17 years-------------- 1- 0.91 0.20

1.08 0.25

1.26 0.36

0.19

0.15

0.66

0.85

29
Table 19. Percent of youths reportedto be nervous, according to present health status,

age, and sex, with standard errors for totals: United States, 1966-70

Age and sex

II Present health status

All

youths Excel- Very Good Fair poor lent good

Both sexes Percent reported to be nervous

12-17 years---------------- ----------- 50.2 38.2 53.4 57.1 75.2 78.7

12

::

15

16

17

12

::

15

16

17

12

13

:2

16

17

50.0

51.8

48.7

49.5

50.3

51.2

48,9

51.2

57.3

52.8

49.6

55.5

52.8

52.5

58.3

56.7

54.0

54.9

59.7

59.6

55.3

81.9

74,2

59.9

77.8

75.5

80.5

71.8

74.9

59.1

61.1

100.0

100.0

100.0

62.0

years------------------------------------

years-----------------------------------years --------.-------..---”---------------

years---.--..------------..---.---.------

years--------------------------------------

years------------------------------------

40.1

38.3

39.4

38.9

34.9

36.6

38.0

Boys

12-17 years---------------------------

53.6

51.2

46.3

46.0

45.9

50.2

51.6

44.6

38.2

36.6

38.5

30.8

38.3

38.3

53.9

56.8

52.2

46.2

51.3

53.1

54.3

48.4

57.9

53.3

52.9

59.8

52.5

64.0

56.3

52.5

50.2

55.8

53.5

58.7

75.2

68.1

59.9

74.1

74.0

77.0

78.3

100.0

32.6

49.1

100.0

91.1

years------------------------------------

years------------------------------------

years-------------------------.----------

years--......----------------------------

years------------------------------------

years-----------------------.--------.----

Girls

12-17 years---------------------------

46.2

52.5

51.2

53.0

54.7

52.3

35*O

38.4

43.2

39.4

39.4

35.1

53.2

57.1

55.2

59.6

63.5

65.6

87.6

79.7

59.9

80.0

77.4

86.3

46.7

100.0

100.0

100.0

100*O

100.0

years------------------------..--------years ------------------------------------

years--.--------------------- -.--------years------------------------------------

years.....................-------.......-

years ------------------------------------

Standard error

Both sexes 12-17 years----------------

Boys 12-17 years----------------------------

Girls 12-17 years--------------------------- &&L&

30
Table 20. Percent distribution of youths by degree of nervousness , according to presence of health

problems, whether or not they wet bed during past 12 months,

for totals: United States, 1966-70

age, and sex, with standard errors

Age and sex

No health problem Health problem Did not wet bed Wet bed

T

Not

Very nervnerv- ous

Ous at

all ILSome- Not

Very nerv- what

nerv- ‘~’__~-Ous

Ous

at

all

Not

lervOus

at

all

Somewhat

nervOus

Somewhat

nervous

45.9

46.5

47.2

44.7

45.9

45.6

45.7

44.3

t

Both sexes

12-17 years---

Percent

52.8

52.6

51.0

53.8

;$.;

52:7

54.1

44.5

45.3

46.1

44.3

43.8

44.3

42.9

43.0

31.9

31.6

30.9

37.9

32.9

27.8

29.2

33.3

56.7

56.1

.57.2

51.0

57.5

59.3

59.4

55.5

11.4

12.2

11.9

11.1

1;:;

11.4

11,3

2.7 50.4

2.0

3.0

2.0

2.2

::;

2.9

3.7

$:;

3.4

M

5.3

3.8

38.1

40.9

38.5

37.8

42.0

25.5

33.6

37.5

52.4

49.4

50.5

57.8

::.:

37:3

53.5

9.5

1:::

4.4

9.3

2;:;

9.0

years-----------

years -----------

years-----------

years-----------

years-----------

years-----------

50.8

49.1

51.9

50.9

50.4

49.0

51.9

=

12-L7 years---

years-----------

years-----------

years-----------

.vears-----------

years-----------

vears-----------

49.4

51.7

56.3

58.0

56.9

53.0

51.5

48.2

45.9

41.6

39.2

40.8

40.8

46.1

2.3

2.4

;::

;:;

2.5

21.9

31.1

39.6

33.7

33.9

36.1

30.5

61.8

54.9

50.1

57.4

55.4

54.9

57.9

16.3

14.1

10.3

1::?

9.1

11.6

47.4

49.8

54.4

54.9

54.7

50.2

48.8

54.0

48.4

49.4

%7.o

$5.9

%7.9

::.;

42:2

41.6

42.0

43,7

47.6

43.9

47.5

47.3

50.1

49.2

47.7

3.5

3.3

;:2

t :

3.6

t :

3.3

::;

4.4

0.23

0.31

0.34

35.6

41.4

39.1

35.9

30.1

35.5

39.4

50.8

31.7

35.5

54.3

19.1

30.8

2.77

3.66

5.42

57.4

47.6

58.7

54.8

63.3

25.6

50.3

34.9

57.1

56.2

36.5

80.9

53.6

2.53

3.46

5.13

7.1

11.0

;::

3;:;

10.3

14.3

11.1

8.3

9.2

15.;

1.78

2.27

3.57

Girls

12-17 years---

56.0

50.2

51.1

50.0

48.8

52.4

1.05

1.25

1.39

42.3

46.2

46.9

48.5

48.1

44.8

0.96

1.16

1.31

1.7

3.6

1.9

;:;

2.8

39.7

30.7

36.1

32.0

21.8

20.2

51.4

59.7

51.9

57.6

63.1

65.4

N

11.9

10.4

15.1

14.3

years -----------

years -----------

years-----------

years-----------

years-----------

years-----------

Standard error

Both sexes

12-17 years--

T30ys12-17 years---

Girls 12-17 years-- L

0.23 1.46

0.30 1.87

0.32 2.21

1.44 1

1.04 0.95

1.08 1.14

1.43 1.28

0.74

1.88

2.44

1.24

1.16

31
Table 21. Percent distributionofyouths by degree of nervousness,accordingto attitude

toward food, age, and sex, with standard errors for totals: United States, 1966-70

—

Not fussy at all

about food

A little fussy

about food

Not

nerv -

Ous

at

all

Some -

what Very

nerv -

nerv -

Ous C)US

Age and sex

.-

Somewhat Very

nervnervous

Ous

Not Somenervwhat Very

Ous

nerv -

nerv -

at Ous Ous

all

Not

lervOus

at

all

I I I

Both sexes

12-17 years-----

Percent

57.7

57.8

58.0

60.0

56.3

57.9

56.0

59.2

55.1

58,0

60.1

60.4

64.6

56.7

56.0

38.9 3.5 43.7 52.8 3.5 34.4 55.7 9,9

38.8

38.3

37.4

40.9

38.0

39.6

37.3

3.4

M’

::!

4.4

3.5

3.4

::;

::;

5.8

3.5

45.7

40.8

43.7

45.4

42.9

43.9

43.5

51.8

54.7

53.8

51.8

54,2

50.0

52.7

2.6

4.5

2.5

;:;

6.2

3.8

31.7

33.9

35.0

38.9

60.6

60.1

49.6

49.6

53.1

58.8

47.9

51.5

60.1

43.5

50.4

42.3

36.1

63.6

years--------------

years--------------

years--------------

years--------------

years --------------

years--------------

;::

15.4

11.4

10.3

10.2

10.6

36:7

31.1

Boys

12-17 years ----- 41.5

41.5

38.8

37.1

36.7

32.2

37.5

40.5

40.0

41.8

47.8

47.8

43.8

41.2

44.0

56.8

53.2

50.8

48.3

54.4

51.2

52.8

3.2

5.0

1.3

3.9

1.8

7.6

3.3

37,1

36.6

37.0

39.5

42.9

56.6

1:.:

19:6

10.1

14.8

7.3

9.2

years --------------

years--------------

years --------------

years --------------

years--------------

years --------------

Girls

12-17 years----- 27.3

60.5

58.0

59.9

51.6

50.7

55.3

1.56

1.98

1.75

36.1

37.9

37.8

45.7

44.1

41.6

1,51

2.09

1.63

3.5

4.1

2.4

:::

3.0

0.34

0,61

0.52

51.6

39.8

40.1

43.3

42.0

46.8

46.6

56.3

56.3

54.8

54.0

48.6

25.8

31.3

32.9

38.3

3;.;

.

70.8

60.1

56.3

48.8

62.7

80.6

3.11

3.20

3.95

;::

10.8

12.9

1::;

1.64

2,40

1.81

years--------------

years --------------

years --------------

years --------------

years --------------

years--------------

Standard error

Both sexes

12-17 years----

Boys 12-17 years ------

Girls 12-17 years -----

1.14 1.17 0.40 2.52

1.24 1.19

1.69 1.55

0.53

0.55

3.65

2.97

32
Table 22. Percent distrib~tion of youths by how often they exaggerate illness, according to degree of nervousness age, and sex, with standard errors for totals: United States, 1966-70

Age and sex

Not nervous at all Somewhat nervous Very nervous

Illness

not

very

often

exaggerated

Illness

almost

never

exaggerated

-

Illness

not

very

often

exaggerated

Illness

not

very

often

exag -

gerated

Illness

pretty

often

exaggerated

Illness

pretty

often

exaggerated

Illness

almost

never

exaggerated

Ill -

ness

pretty

often

exaggerated

14.7

Illness

almost

never

exag -

gerated

35.0

Illness

never

exaggerated

Illness

never

exaggerated

:11-

iess

lever

~xag-

;erlted

46.6

Roth sexes Percent

12-17 years--- 24.5

26.8

26.9

24.8

24.4

23.4

20.1

23.5

24.7

29.5

21.1

24.2

20.3

19.9

25.5

5.2

6.1

5.5

;:;

4.0

4.8

5.4

:::

5.8

::;

3.3

5.0

4.2

;.;

::;

6.2

0.57

0.76

0.87

34.1

28.7

28.6

26.3

35.1

40.1

42.7

37.7

29.9

45.2

37.5

28.9

23.5

16.5

27.6

28.5

21.2

15.8

22.9

27.2

21.4

19.1

20.9

17.7

16.0 2.3

3.4

3.1

2.0

2.4

;:;

2.2

3.9

3.4

1.6

3.0

0.8

0.5

2.4

32.0

25.9

29.6

30.9

35.3

34.7

37.0

31.5

25.6

27.9

33.4

33.3

34.4

36.7

32.6

38.2

41.2

38.0

38.8

35.0

37.9

38.1

39.5

41.9

36.6

39.6

37.0

41.9

40.1

36.9

10.3

10.9

17.5

20.0

24.3

8.8

16.2

12

13

14

15

16

17

12

13

14

H

L7

;:

14

15

Ill

17

38.0

45.1

46.1

47.0

;;.;

.

48.0

36.7

44.1

44.8

49.1

53.9

60.6

45.1

39.1

46.2

47,6

44.6

49.9

44.8

38.2

33.9

34.0

34.8

34.3

34.6

34.4

40.3

34.0

36.4

32.5

34.0

28.8

35.7

36.2

33.8

31.2

37.6

34.8

40.8

20.5

17.8

18.0

15.8

11.7

11.5

15.3

19.1

18.5

17.2

15.4

11.4

10.0

16.8

21.8

17.2

18.8

16.3

12.0

13.0

0.72

0.66

1.15

yems ----------

years ----------

years ----------

years ----------

years ----------

years ----------

m

12-17 years ---

21.7

34.7

34.4

39.8

36.7

51.6

30.1

45.3

37.0

21.6

25.7

16.7

22.8

31.5

23.1

28.3

1::;

12.3

16.0

25.2

9.9

35.5

19.2

34.3

9.6

13.1

years ----------

y~ars ----------

years ----------

years ----------

ycara ----------

years ----------

Gi.rLs

12-17 years---

39.0

22.9

18.5

29.4

42.7

29.4

45.0

38.0

36.2

20.7

16.3

34.8

5.0

18.0

45.4

28.9

24.3

28.2

10.9

21.1

21.6

16.7

7.6

2.9

2.8

2.4

1.6

3.2

1.4

26.2

31.4

28.5

37.1

35.0

37.3

40.3

39.3

38.0

33.3

34.4

36.2

29.3

24.3

28.2

24.6

26.0

20.2

ycurs----------

years ----------

years ----------

years ----------

years ----------

yuacs ----------

Standard error

-L1.35 1.24

1.51 1.61

1.65 1.31

Bath sexes

12.17 years --

Buys 12-17 years --

Girls L2-17 years0.27 0.83 1.02 0.94 1

2.77 3.13

3.36 4.75

4.85 3.03 -L3.81 3.34

5.70 4.89 w 4.53 4.40

1.41

0.98

33
Table 23. Percent distribution of youths by degree of nervousness, according co rate

of mental development, a~e. and sex, with standard errors for totals: United States,

1966-70

-.

Mental development

too fast

Mental development

about right

Mental development

too slow

I I

Age and sex n:%-g:-

Ous

at nervall Ous

Not

nervSomeOus

what

at nervall Ous

Not Somenerv- what Very

Ous

nervnervat Ous Ous

all

Very

nervous

3.1

2.5

2.8

2.6

2.7

3.2

5.0

3.0

2.6

2.3

2.0

;::

6.2

3.2

Very

nervOus

Both sexes

12-17 years-----

Percent

50.8

52.0

49.5

52.1

50.9

50.5

49.5

52.4

46.0

45.4

47.7

45.3

45.9

46.2

45.5

44.4

48.2

57.6

36.5

55.8

54.+

38.7

43.0

31.5

9.1

16.3

13.6

9.i

15.9

3.5

51.6

71.9

45.1

45.1

42.6

52.4

50.4

51.2

24.7

18.9

33.6

24.5

24.2

21.3

23.1

25.4

42.7

26.1

49.9

44.2

45.6

51.5

41.2

65.0

23.7

2?:;

30.4

33.3

26.3

26.6

23.4

years--------------

years--------------

years--------------

years--------------

years--------------

years--------------

Boys

12-17 years-----

years--------------

years--------------

years--------------

years--------------

years--------------

years--------------

49.4

50.3

54.8

54.7

54.7

50.5

49.2

48.1

47.5

43.2

41.5

42.7

43.3

47.5

31.7

63,1

100.0

64.5

71.2

100.0

27.7

52.9

36.9

35.;

28.8

59.6

15.3

12.8

2;::

32.9

20.2

32.7

30.2

24.6

72.5

42.1

43.1

51.8

45.5

49.3

52.3

23.2

32.6

24.0

28.0

21.7

20.5

23.1

Girls

12-17 years -----

54.6

48.7

4905

4700

46.3

48.4

42.7

48.0

47.4

50.3

49.6

47.7

2.5

3.3

3*1

2.7

3.9

3*9

19.8

40.1

25.8

30.4

23.4

30.5

62.9

36.3

74.2

69.6

52.8

50.7

17.4

23.7

23.;

18.8

23.1

13.5

22.4

53.9

15.8

15.2

70.2

50.9

51.4

28.0

63.7

53.8

3,20

3.35

7.69

3;::

26.2

18.1

20.6

31.0

2.70

3.42

6.28

years--------------

years --------------

years--------------

years --------------

years--------------

years--------------

Standard error

Both sexes

12-17 years----

Boys 12-17 years------

Girls 12-17 years----- J&&Ii&E

34
Table 24. Percent distribution of youths by degree of nervousness, according to ease

in making friends, age, and sex, with standard errors for totals: United States,

1966-70

Age and sex

Has a little

trouble making

friends

Makes friends

easily

Has a lot of trouble making friends

l_L Not Somenerv - Very

Ous what

nerv -

nerv -

at Ous Ous

all

Not Somenerv- what Very

Ous

nerv -

nervat Ous Ous

all

Not Some

nerv- what Very

CXls nen7 -

nerv -

at Ous Ous

all

I

Both sexes Percent

12-17 years ----- 54.5 42.6 3.0 28.8 64.0 18.7 31.8

24.5

30.1

25.0

36.8

24.3

33.4

31.1

19.9

32.7

31.4

39.3

28.5

35.6

26.6

29.0

27.4

19.2

34.3

20.2

31.2

7.1 49.5

68.4

63.0

68.6

57.5

68.6

57.1

61.2

69.3

59.6

63.8

55.5

67.6

51.2

66.9

12

13

14

15

H

;;

14

15

16

17

12

13

::

16

17

55.3

53.1

57.5

53.3

55.2

52.1

55.6

42.4

43.8

40.2

44.0

41.7

43.4

41.5

45.9

;;.;

40:1

38.1

41.7

43.7

2.3

3.0

2.4

:::

4.5

2.9

52.7

53.4

46.8

59.7

57.9

28.7

44.7

80.3

56.7

48.0

24.2

34.5

46.1

54.2

47.3

39.9

31.5

30.8

25.9

24.4

43.0

years--------------

years --------------

years--------------

years--------------

years--------------

years--------------

6.:

21.7

1::;

46.9

12.4

& :

18:7

15.8

25.0

Boys .

12-17 years-----

51.7

53.3

58.9

57.0

59.3

53.4

53.3

2.5

2.7

2.5

;:;

4.9

3.0

19.7

43.3

38.9

58.0

46.8

38.1

20.8

years--------------

years--------------

years--------------

years--------------

years--------------

years--------------

Girls

12-17 years-----

67.5

66.5

73.0

59.5

69.7

63.1

:::

2:

10.2

5.6

100.0

37.9

22.4

14.0

7.48

11.22

8.91

59.1

53.0

56.0

49.6

50.8

50.8

38.7

43.6

41.8

47.8

45.5

45.1

years--------------

years--------------

years --------------

years --------------

years --------------

years--------------

10,:

32.3

13.1

70.7

51.;

45.3

.00.0

86.9

15.3

Standard error

Both sexes

12-17 years----

Boys 12-17 years ------

Girls 12-17 years-----

1.52 1.40 0.60 7.33 5.44 111.06 1.01 0.20

1.18 1.17 0.31

1.42 1.36 0.33

2.14

2.55

2.24

2.63

0.95

1.21

5.93

11.39

10.28

13.36 I

35
Table 25. Percent distribution of youths by degree of nervousness, according to frequency of overnight visits with friends,

tals: United States, 1966-70

age, and sex, with standard errors for toAge and sex

Visited overnight

once or twice

Visited overnight

quite a few times

Never visited

oVernight

Very

nerv -

Ous

Not

nervous

at

all

Not Somenervous

what

at nerv -

all Ous

Not

nerv- Somewhat Very

Ous

nervnerv -

at Ous Ous

al1

Somewhat Very

nerv -

nervous

Ous

I I

Both sexes

12-17 years-----

years --------------

years --------------

years --------------

years --------------

years --------------

years --------------

Boys

12-17 years -----

years--------------

years --------------

years --------------

years ----------- ---

years --------------

years --------------

Girls

Percent

55.8 40.0 4.2 49.3 46.0 4.7 48.0 48.5 3.5

55.9

61.4

56.0

54.7

52.1

52.4

55.8

4107

35.1

37.5

42.7

44.3

39.8

40,4

47.9

51.4

54.4

49.7

48.3

44.1

49.5

48.5

43.2

41.7

46.3

47.9

48.0

45.6

48,8

41.5

48.1

49.6

49.8

50.2

50.0

:;.:

49:6

47.0

45.9

45.9

46.2

3.4

3.9

2.2

:::

4.0

3.8

49.6

60.9

56.5

60.4

56.0

53.4

55.9

65,5

62.1

55.3

46.1

;:.;

.

46.9

36.9

37.0

36.5

41.9

40.9

39.4

3.5

:::

3.1

::;

4.7

:::

6.5

H

11.5

46.4

49.9

56.4

.48.9

50.6

45.3

49.0

50.0

53.9

51.6

50.8

44.4

42.1

50.9

44.0

40.4

45.4

g :

.

46.4

45.3

41.9

43.7

47.5

49.3

52.3

:::

3.2

5.7

;:?

4.5

4.7

:;

6:3

5.7

44.6

42.8

50.8

54.5

56.1

51.8

46.4

52.1

40.4

46.0

45.9

45.4

49.0

50.7

54.0

g.;

39:2

42.8

50.2

45.5

55.1

51.7

50.4

50.7

47* 9

4.7

3,2

2.2

t ;

5.3

3.3

::!

.

::;

3.1

12-17 years -----

years --------------

years --------------

years--------------

years ------- -------

years--------------

years--------------

33.7

33.3

38.1

52.1

47.9

38.0

Standard error

Both sexes

12-17 years----

BOYS 12-17 years------

Girls 12-17 years-----

2.02 1.78 0.54 1.65 1.68 0.50 1.13 1.10 0.27

2.02 1.96 0.46 ;.:: 2.03 0.53 1.37 1.42 0.51

3.06 2.37 1.23 ● 1.97 0.79 1.53 1.52 0.30

36
Table 26. Percent distribution of youths by degree of nervousness, according to how

many of their friends parent knows well, age, and sex, with standard errors for totals: United States, 1966-70

Age and sex

Parent knows most

Of youth’s

friends well

Parent knows half

or less of youth’s

friends well

Parent knows almost

none of youth’s

friends well

I I

U

Not Somenerv- what Very

Ous

nerv -

nerv -

at Ous Ous 1-1-al1

Not Somenerv- what Very

Ous

nerv -

nerv -

at Ous Ous _u-all

Not Somenerv- what Very

Ous

nerv -

nervat Ous Ous

all

Both sexes

12-17 years-----

Percent

43.7 51.6 4.7

4.7

4.5

::;

4.4

7.0

5.5

48.2

44.1

48.6

56.3

50.5

46.2

42.3

42.0

8.3

9.5

2.8

;:;

11.5

10.8

10.8

51.7

50.3

50.2

53.6

52.8

52.4

51.0

53.2

44.9 3,5 43.5

46.4

;;.;

41:4

42.3

46.9

47.2

46.9

45.5

43.4

44.4

44.5

44.1

43.5

49.6

37.7

45.8

45.3

42.6

41.2

43.8

45.7

57.9

50.5

50.4

53.0

51.8

50.7

years--------------

years--------------

years--------------

years--------------

years--------------

years--------------

12-17 years-----

46.4

53.6

33.0

49.1

53.1

46.6

39.0

44.9

43.7

57.1

;;.;

41:0

55.6

8.6

2.6

1%?

19.0

12.4

5.4

46.5

51.4

55.4

56.7

57.5

53.3

50.1

49.9

44.9

41.8

40.5

41.1

41.3

46.2

44.0

46.2

45.1

48.3

47.7

46.6

3.5

3.7

2.8

:::

5.4

3.7

45.8

35.4

53.0

46.5

43.1

39.7

43.5

50.2

58.7

43.7

48.3

52.4

50.9

52.7

39.6

56.8

57.8

52.5

53.8

53.2

;.:

3:4

:::

9.4

3.8

years--------------

years--------------

years--------------

years --------------

years--------------

years --------------

Girls

12-17 years-----

12 54.0

;;.;

49:0

47,4

48.9

1.03

1.30

1.47

54.8

40.5

38.3

44.1

42.0

43.6

46.2

44.3

38.9

30.2

28.3

47.3

42.9

52.8

55.5

64.6

69.9

43.9

years --------------

years --------------

years --------------

years --------------

years --------------

years --------------

Standard error

Both sexes

12-17 years---- 1.05 0.22 1.87 1.74 0.80 2.71 2.59 2.01

1.38 0.34 1.50 1.62 1.29 2.72 2.70 2.49

1.49 0.39 3.04 2.72 0.98 4.60 3.75 2.29

Boys 12-17 years ------

Girls 12-17 years-----

37
Table 27. Percent distribution of youths by degree of nervousness,according to rate of

physical growth, age, and sex, with standard errors for totals: United States, 1966-70

,

Physical growth

too fast

Physical growth

about right

I I I I

Not Somenerv- what Very

Ous

nervnervat Ous Ous

all

Not Some- Not

nerv- Very nervSomewhat what Very

Ous nerv- ous nervat nervous at nervOus Ous Ous

all all

Age and sex

1 I I I I

Both sexes Percent

50.5

50.4

49.8

51.6

51.2

49.9

50.3

52.0

46.0

46.7

46.6

45.2

46.2

46.5

44.5

44.5

3.5

2.9

3.7

3.2

2.5

3.6

5.2

3.5

50.5

39.5

60.3

50.9

42.6

47.2

60.4

47.9

8.8

3.7

:::

18.4

1:::

9.1

39.3

36.6

35.4

48.8

41.9

;:.;

.

39.2

49.4

52.6

50.8

43.0

44.9

38.2

73.2

46.9

12-17 years----- 40.7 11.4

56.7

33.3

45.3

39.0

43.5

23.2

43.0

10.8

13.7

1::;

11.8

10.5

13.9

10.3

15.6

j::

20:9

5.7

12

13

years --------------

years --------------

years--------------

years--------------

years--------------

years--------------

Bovs

12-17 years-----

47.3

49.8

53.9

55.0

54.1

52.4

49.1

49.5

46.9

43.2

42.6

42.6

41.9

47.4

3.2

3.3

2.9

2.4

3.3

5.7

3.5

50.8

46.0

50.0

43.3

53.8

19.1

38.6

39.9

51.0

46.6

38.5

46.2

60.3

53.0

9.3

3.0

1;:;

20.;

8.4

33.5

37.4

52.5

37.4

50.9

8.7

39.5

56.2

47.0

37.9

32.9

38.8

70.4

54.8

12

13

years--------------

years--------------

years--------------

years--------------

years--------------

years--------------

14

15

Girls

12-17 years-----

12 53.5

49.8

49.4

47.5

45.7

48.2

43.9

46.3

:;.$

50:4

47.1

;::

3.5

2.7

::?

58.9

24.9

39.7

33.0

31.4

38.9

39.4

66.4

56.0

48.3

48.5

61.1

::;

1::;

20.1

50.0

29.6

26.0

45.5

48.9

24.1

37.0

62.3

74.0

54.5

37.5

75.9

13.0

8.1

13.2

years --------------

years-------------

years--------------

years--------------

years--------------

years--------------

H

15

16

17

Standard error

Both sexes

12-17 years---- 1.05 2.72 1.98 3.43 3,40 1.77

1,14

1.41

0.97

1.22

1.22

0.27 2.40

3.16

2.59

4.17

2.61

3.63

1.86

3.39 3.05 2.33

8.05 7.00 3.43

Boys 12-17 years------

Girls 12-17 years-----

0.32

0.40

38
Table 28. Percent of youths who wet bed during the past 12 months, percent distribution of these

youths by present health status, and prevalence rate of youths who wet bed per 100 youths by

present health status, accordingtoage and sex

1966-70

, with standard errors for totals: United States,

Age and sex

Percent

of all

youths

who wet

bed

4.7

1;:;

;:;

1:6

6.1

11:::

6.4

5.3

?:;

3.3

::;

3.6

;:;

1.3

0.30

0.46

0.39

Percent distribution by health

status

I I I I

Prevalence according to health

status

I I

Excellent

Very

good

* poor Lxcel- Very Good Fair Poor

lent good

Number of youths who wet bed Both sexes

12-17 years ------

Percent of youths who wet bed

per 100

20.4

25.4

18.8

15.0

14.3

30.0

20.3

20.6

37.1 36.4

33.5

36.1

44.6

36.5

35.6

25.8

32.7

27.8

34,9

39.0

41.5

21.1

15.7

!3.4

4.9

1.2

u

8.0

J:?

5.0

1.2

M

2.6

1.5

2.9

::;

2.2

R

1.0

3.7

5.2

8.9

H

5.0

2.3

1.8

7.1

5.9

:::

::?

3.4

1.3

7.2

7.2

1’?:?

9.5

6.9

n

9.9

18.;

19.8

11.8

7.;

4.7

18.5

39.1

14.9

38.9

35.8

38.0

38.6

32.0

41.2

31.5

41.3

40.2

years ---------------

years ---------------

years ---------------

years---------------

years ---------------

years ---------------

Boys

12-17 years------

26.9

19.8

9.8

16.5

37.6

13.8

19.9

22.6

16.5

24.4

1%;

29.3

42.5

40.3

38.1

34.6

41.3

%8.8

31.4

29.8

34.6

21.0

54.5

17.8

30.8

2.9

4.:

0.6

6.5

6.5

1.6

2.6

(t;

2.1

12.4

9.7

8.2

5.6

H

3.1

12:

9.1

;:;

0.9

4.6

years ---------------

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

73.8

50.;

5.6

M

7.4

21.:

4.8

Girls

12-17 years------

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

years---------------

$4.0

38.7

54.6

26.5

55.8

39.9

3.5

7.7

9.;

7.0

3.4

2.4

::;

1.3

1.2

L:::

4.;

6.5

2.5 37.;

Standard error

Both sexes 12-17

years------------

Boys 12-17 years-------

Girls 12-17 years------

3.8914.7213.5111.1510.431 0.56

1

This Dercenta~e differs slightly from the corresponding one shown in table 6,which includes a

few youthk for wh~m health status w-asnot reported.

39
Table 29. Percent distributions of youths by whether they visited a mental hospital or guidance clinic and

whether they visited a psychiatrist or psychologist, according to presence of health problems, age, and sex,

with standard errors for totals: United States, 1966-70

No health problem

I

Heal th problem

lisit to mental hos - Visit to psychia- 1

Visit to mental hos -

pital or guidance trist or psycholo- pltal or guidance

clinic gist clinic

Visit to psychiatrist or psychologist

Age and sex

In More In

More In

More

p~;t than p;;t than None pg t

than

12 None 12 12 None

months months months months months months

ag0 ago ago

In More

p;; t

than

12 None

months months

ago

Both sexes

12-17 years --

years -----------

years -----------

years -----------

years -----------

years -----------

years -----------

Boys

12-17 years --

years -----------

years -----------

years -----------

years -----------

years -----------

years -----------

Girls

12-17 years --

years -----------

years -----------

years -----------

years -----------

years -----------

years -----------

Percent

0.6 2.0 97.4 1,7 94.8 6.7 89.5

——

1.5

2.0

1.3

1.7

2.1

1.3

1.9

3.8

12

13

;2

16

17

12

13

14

:2

17

;;

14

15

16

17

0.4

0.7

R

0.7

0.3

0.7

0.5

0.6

1.4

1.1

0.4

0.3

0.4

2.0

2.4

1.6

2.5

1.4

2.2

2.6

3.6

2.8

2.3

:::

2.9

1.4

97.7

96.8

97.6

96.9

97.9

97.5

96.6

95.8

96.6

96.3

95.7

98.8

96.8

98.2

3.4 95.1

;.: ;;.;

4:1 94:2

3.2 94.7

4.2 94.6 1

0.9

1.1 :::

;:; R

3.3 2.5

2.2 2.1

2.7 2.8

‘33.;

94:2

94.3

94.2

95.7

94.5

E:;

95.3

93.3

93.6

94.5

95.2

2.1

:::

3.2

::;

5.3

2.0

3.1

;:;

6:1

2,2

6.1

8.5

1$:

3.2

5.1

8.o

6.0

8.o

1;:;

8:9

5.4

91.8

88.8

89.8

86.7

91.3

89.6

86.8

92.1

88.8

85.2

80.9

91.6

85.1

92.4

4.9 /93.1

1

2.3

2.5

1.5

;:;

2.3

1.4

5.4 92.3

5.5 92.0

3.9 94.7

5.8 92.2

3.5 95.5

5.6 92.1

3.2

R 4.6

2.1

::2 :.;

5.5

1.9 3:6

0.2

0.8

0.2

A:!?

1.3 98.0

2.6 95.8

2.8 96.0

2.4 96.1

2.9 93.8

2.8 97.0

k:

4.5

6.6

5.5

91.6

88.8

94.4

92.5

91.0

95.7

Standard error

Both sexes -

12-17 yearsBOYS 12-17 years ---

Girls 12-17 years --

0.21 0.69 0.83 0.49 0.84 1.04 0.71 0.94 1.07

0.25 0.76 0.90 0.86 0.55 1.00 1.23 1.48

0.24

1.57 _LL 0.69 0.84 0.52 1.41 1.47 0.78 1.79 1.52

0.09 0.73 0.71

0.12 0.71 0.71

0.13 0.77 0.75

40
APPENDIX I

STATISTICAL NOTES

The Survey Design

The sample design for each of the first three programs of the Health Examination Survey (Cycles I-III)

were essentially similar —a multistage, stratified probohility sample of clusters of households in land-based

segmunts. The s lccessive elements for this sample

design were primary sampling unit, census enumeration

district, segment (a cluster of householda), household,

eligible person, and finally the sample person.

The 40 sample areas and the segments utilized in

the design of Cycle HI were the same as those in Cycle

11. Previous reports describe in detail the sample desihm used for Cycle II and in addition discuss the problems and considerations given to other types of sampling fram;yl ,~d whether or not to control the selection

of siblings,

Requirements and limitations placed on the design

for Cycle III, similar to those for the design in Cycle

II, were thin:

1.

!2

-.

3.

4.

5.

The target population be defined as the civilian,

noninstitutionalized population of the United

states , including’ Alaska and Hawaii, between

the ages of 12 and 17 years, with the special

exclusion of children residing on reservation

lands of the American Indians. The latter exclusion v&s adopted as a result of operational

problems encountered on these lands in Cycle

1.

The time period of data collection be limited

to about 3 years, and the length of each individual examination within the specially constructed mobile examination center be between

2 and 3 hours.

Ancillary data be collected on specially designed

household, medical history, and school questionnaires and from birth certificate copies.

Examination objectives be related primarily to

factors of physical and intellectual growth and

development.

The sample be sufficiently large to yield reliable findings within broad geographic regions

and population density groups as well as age,

sex, and limited socioeconomic groups for the

total sample.

The sample was drawn jointly with the U.S. Bureau

of the Census, starting with the 1960 decennial census

list of addresses and the nearly 1,900 primary sampling units (PSU’S) into which the entire United States

was divided. Each PSU is either a standard metropolitan statistical area (SMSA), a county, or a group

of two or three contiguous counties. These PSLPs were

grouped into 40 strata, with each stratum having an

average size of about 4.5 million persons, in such a

manner as to maximize the degree of homogeneity within

strata with regard to the population size of the PSU’s,

degree of urbanization, geographic proximity, and degree of industrialization. The 40 strata were then classified into four broad geographic regions of 10 strata

each and then, within each region, cross-classified by

four population density classes and classes of rate of

population change from 1950 to 1960. Using a modified

Goodman-Kish controlled-selection technique, one PSU

was drawn from each of the 40 strata.

Further stages of sampling within PSU’S required

first the selection of census enumeration districts

(ED’s). ED’s are small, well-defined areas of about

250 housing units into which the entire Nation was divided for the 1960 population census. Each ED was assigned a “measure of size” equal to the rounded whole

number resulting from a “division by nine” of the number of children aged 5-9 years in the ED at the time of

the 1960 census. A sample of 20 ED’s in the sample PSU

was selected by systematic sampling, with each ED

having a probability of selection proportional to the

population of children 5-9 years at the time of the 1960

census. A further random selection by size of segments

(smaller clusters of housing units) within each ED was

then made.

Because of the 3-year time interval between Cycle

H and Cycle 111, the Cycle 111frame had to be supplemented for new construction and to compensate for segments where housing was partially or totally demolished

to make room for highway construction or urban redevelopment.

Advanced planning for the examinations at the various locations, or stands, provided for about 17 days of

examinations, which limited the number of examinees

per location to approximately 200.

In Cycle HI, as in Cycle 11, twins who were deleted

in the sample selection were also scheduled for exam41
ination, time permitting, as were youths deleted from

the Cycle III sample who had been examined in Cycle

II. The sample was selected in Cycle III, as it had been

for the children in Cycle II, so as to contain the correct

proportion of youths from families having only one eligible youth, two eligible youths, and so on to be representative of the total target population. However, since

households were one of the elements in the sample

frame, the number of related youths in the resultant

sample was greater than would result from a design

which sampled youths of 12-17 years without regard

to household. The resultant estimated mean measurements or rates should be unbiased, but their sampling

variability will be somewhat greater than those from

a more costly, time-consuming, systematic sample

design in which every kth youth would be selected.

The total probability sample for Cycle 111included

7,514 youths representative of the approximately 22.7

million noninstitutionalized U.S. youths aged 12-17

years; The sample contained youths from 25 different

States and had approximately 1,000 youths in each

single year of age.

The response rate in Cycle HI was 90 percent, with

6,768 youths examined out of the total sample. These

examinees were assigned weights to make the group

representative of the entire U.S. population studied with

respect to age, sex, race, region, population density,

and population growth in area of residence.

Measures used to control in general the quality of

the data from these surveys have been described in

previous reports~-b additional measures specifically

related to the particular examinations, tests, or measurements are outlined in the analytic reports describing and presenting the respective initial findings.

Reliability

While measurement processes in the surveys were

carefully standardized and closely controlled, the correspondence between true population figures and survey results cannot be expected to be exact. Survey data

are imperfect for three major reasons: (1) results are

subject to sampling error, (2) the actual conduct of a

survey never agrees perfectly with the design, and (3)

the measurement processes themselves are inexact

even though standardized and controlled.

The first report on Cycle HIb describes in detail

the faithfulness with which the sampling design was

carried out.

Data recorded for each sample youth are inflated

in the estimation process to characterize the larger

universe of which the sample youths are representative.

The weights used in this inflation process area product

of the reciprocal of the probability of selecting the youth,

an adjustment for nonresponse cases, and a post-stratified ratio adjustment which increases precision by

bringing survey results into closer alignment with known

U.S. population figures by color and sex within single

years of age 12 through 17 for the youths’ survey.

In the third cycle of the Health Examination Survey (as for the children in Cycle 11)the samples were

the result of three principal stages of selection—the

single PSU from each stratum, the 20 segments from

each sample PSU, and the sample youth from the eligible persons. The probability of selecting an individual youth is the product of the prababilit y of seIection at each atage.

Since the strata are roughly equal in population

size and a nearly equal number of sample youths were

examined in each of the sample P SLPs, the sample

design ia essentially self-weighting with respect to the

target population, that is, each youth 12 through 17

years had about the same probability of being drawn

into the respective stages of selection.

The adjustment upward for nonresponse is intended

to minimize the impact of nonreaponse on final intimates by imputing to nonrespondents the characteristics

of “similar” respondents. Here “similar” respondents

were judged to be examined youths in a sample PSU

having the sams age (in years) and sex as youths not

examined in that sample PSU.

The post-stratified ratio adjustment used in the

third cycle achieved most of the gains in precision

which would have been attained if the sample had been

drawn from a population stratified by age, color, and

sex and makes the final sample estimates of population

agree exactly with independent controls prepared by

the U.S. Bureau of the Census for the U.S. noninstitutionalized population as of March 9, 1968 (approximate midsurvey point for Cycle III) by color and sex

for each single year of age 12-17. The weight of every

responding sample youth in each of the 24 age, color,

and sex classes is adjusted upward or downward so

that the weighted total within the class equals the independent population control for the survey.

In addition to the sample youths who were not

examined, for a small fraction of the group (0.6 percent), questionnaires containing the parent!s ratings

were not received. In terms of population estimates,

for one-half of 1 percent of the youths there was no

response to this questionnaire. The rate of item nonresponse was relatively low, around 1 percent, except for one question, which concerned the initial reaction of the youth on being enrolled in the first grade

(number 46, appendix II), and for which the nonresponse

rate was 7 percent (table 10).

Standard Error

In the present report reference has been made to

efforts to minimize bias and variability of measurement

techniques.

The probability design of the. survey makes possible the estimation of standard errors. The standard

error is primarily a measure of sampling variability,

that is, the variations that might occur hy chance because only a sample of the population is surveyed. As

42
1-

2Z

ul

ilKu

ILL0

CE0

lxaw

E! <c1~$

PERCENT

Figure 1, Standard error chart.

43
calculatedforthisreport,thestandarderroralsoreflectspartofthevariationwhicharisesinthemeasurementprocess.Itdoesnotincludestimatesofany

biaseswhich might be inthedata.The chancesare

about68 outof 100thatan estimatefrom thesample

woulddifferby lessthanthestandarderrorfrom the

valueobtainedfrom an examinationof allpersonsin

the population.The chancesare about95 outof100

thatthedifferencewouldbe lessthantwicethestandard errorand about99 outof100thatitwouldbe less

than2Mtimesas large.

Generallytheratesor percentageshown inthe

detailedtablesfortheentiregroup,allthemales,or

allthefemalesare accompaniedby theirrespective

standarderrors.Intheinterestofsimplicityandbrevity,specificstandarderrorsforestimatesby single

year ofage are notpresented;however,an approximate standarderrorforeach can be estimatedfrom

thecurvesinfigureL The curvelabeled4.0(populationbase inmillions)providesestimatesofstandard

errorsforpercentagesor ratescitedforalltheyouths

(malesand females)groupedby singleyear ofage,

Table I. Guide to use of standarderror chart

Number

of table in

which

shown

4

7, 25

8, 26

11

12

1;4 20,

14, 15,

L7, 2:

16, 24

19, 28

20

21

22

27

Topic

mount of food eaten

~reauencvof overnightvisits

to“friehds’houses-

?arent’sacquaintante

youth’s friends

intendanceat nursery

with

school

ktendance at kindergarten

>resenceof health problems

iateof mental development

loweasily youth makes friends

?resenthealth status

]edwetting

~ttitudetoward food

)egreeof nervousness

Lateof physicalgrowth

Category

a. About right----------------

b. Too little-----------------

C. !foo much-------------------

a. Never visited--------------

b. Visited once or twice------

c. Visited quite a few times--

a. Knows most of them---------

b. mows half or less---------

c. Knows almostnone----------

Did attend--------------------

Did attend--------------------

Health problems---------------

::

c.

a.

b.

c.

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

Too fast-------------------

About right----------------

Too slow-------------------

Easily---------------------

Has a little trouble-------

Has a lot of trouble-------

Excellent------------------

~~ good------------------

-------------------- ----

Poor-----------------------

Wet bed during past 12 monthsa. Not fussy at all-----------

b. A little fussy-------------

c. Very fussy-----------------

a. Not nervous at all---------

b. Somewhatnervous-----------

c. Very nervous---------------

a. About right----------------

b. Too fast-------------------

C. Too SIOW -------------------

Percent

of

youths

12-17

years

zf age

81.5

1::;

17.7

27.6

54.7

77.0

17.2

5.8

9.3

66.3

14.6

9$2

3.7

& ;

1:1

33.0

33.9

29.5

M

4.7

48.3

44.3

7.4

49.8

4:.;

.

92.7

4.1

3.3

Number of

youths 12-17

years of age

in millions

Single

year

of

agetotal

3.3

0.3

0.5

:::

2.2

;:$

0.2

0.4

2.7

0.6

3.:

0.1

3.3

0.7

*

1.3

:::

0.1

*

0.2

1.9

1.8

0.3

2.0

::;

3.7

0.2

0.1

Single

year

age

groupeither

sex

1.6

::;

;:2

1.1

;:;

0.1

0.2

1.3

003

1.:

0.1

1.6

0.3

*

0.7

0,7

0.6

0.1

*

0.1

:::

0.2

1.0

:::

1.9

0.1

0.1

44
e.g., all 12-year- olds. Similarly, the 2.0 curve gives

estimutes for either sex class grouped by single year

of age, e.g., 16-year-old girls.

Table I shows population base estimates for those

percentages that pertain to less than all youths in an

age or sex-age class, e.g., those 14-year-old boys

who had attended nursery school.

Employing the information contained in table II,

the following example shows how the graph (figure

I) and the guide (table I) may be used to obtain estimates of standard errors for percentages based on

these subpopulations. The first estimated standard

error shown in table H (1.8) was obtained by locating

the appropriate percentage value (11.3) on the horiTable II. Tabulation of infmanation relatingto exampleof estimation of standard errors for subpopulations

I I i

Per- POpu- S~dcent lation

said base error

Subcategory to be in (e5::-

Over- milweight lions from

(t;;le (t;;le figure I)

Girls 16 years of

age who:

Eat about

right amount- 11.3 1.6 1.8

Eat too

little------- 0.1 :.;

Eat too much-- 7;:2 0.2 .

zontal scale of figure I, reading vertically on the 1.0

and 2.o (million) curves, and interpolating for 1.6

million, using the scale to the left. Values for the

errors related to 5.4 percent and 73.6 percent may

be read directly from the appropriate curves, using

for 73.6 percent the value of its complement, 26.4.

An approximation of the standard error of a difference d = x - Y of two statistics x and Yis given by the

formula (s: +s; )% where S, and SY are the standard

errors, respectively, of x and Y . Of course, where

the two groups or measures are positively or negatively correlated, this will give an overestimate or

underestimate, respectively, of the actual standard

error.

Certain tests of the statistical significance of the

association between responses to related questions

in this report made use of Pearson’s classic chisquared test with modifications to adapt the original

procedure for use with the complex sample design of

the survey. These adaptations, which follow an approach suggested by McCarthy, 1; are explained by

Baird in a previous series 11 report.:]

Small Values

In some tables magnitudes are shown for cells for

which the sample size is so small that the sampling

error may be several times as great as the statistic

itself. Obviously in such instances the statistic has

no meaning in itself except to indicate that the true

quantity is small. Such numbers, if shown, have been

included in the belief that they may help to convey an

impression of the overall story of the table.

—000

45
APPENDIX II

MEDICAL HISTORY QUESTIONNAIRE

PHS 4733-4 (Page I)

REV. 3/GG

FORM APPROVED

BUDGET BUREAU NO. 68- R 1700

CONFIDENTIAL - All in~orrnatim which would permit identification o/ the indiuidua[ wilI be held strictly

confidential, will be used cwl;I by persons engaged in and for the purposes of the survey and will not

be disclosed or released to others for any other purposes (22 FR 1687).

DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE

PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE

NATIONAL HEALTH SURVEY

MEDICAL HISTORY OF YOUTH

Parent’s Questionnaire Y

NAME OF CHILD (Last, First, Middle)

I I

SEGMENT SERIAL COL. NO.

I 1 I

NOTE: Please answer the questions by checking the correct boxes or by filling in the blanks,

as required. If a question is unclear leave the answer blank and draw a line around the question. A representative of the Public Health Service will collect your filled in questionnaire

in a few days and she will help you answer the unclear questions. Thank you for your

cooperation.

I I

1.

4.

5.

6.

7.

SEX 2. AGE 3. DATE OF BIRTH (Month, Day, Year)

1❑ Male 2 n Female

PLACE OF BIRTH (City or Town, State)

Was this youth born in a hospital? , ❑ Yes z ‘n No 3❑ Don’t know

Did you ( the motheT) have unusual medical problems or complications while pregnant or

giving birth to this youth? 1

Q

Yes 2CIN0 s ❑ Don% know

IF YES: What was wrong?

Was anything wrong with him or her at birth?

1 7

Yes 20No 3 ❑ Don’t know

IF YES:

a. What was it?

b. What did the doctor say caused this?

FOR PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE USE ONLY

I ❑ Mccher

This form completed by: 2 a Father I

Interviewer

3 ❑ Other (Speci/y) Date reviewed

46
8. Was there anything wrong with this child as a baby (that is, before he or she was one

ydar old)? 1

Q

Yes ZDNO 3 ❑ Don’t know

IF YES:

a. What was the matter?

b. Did you see a dochr about it? 1 •1 Yes 2DN0 3 ❑ Don’t know

!3. Has there been any serious health problem since he or she was one year old?

1

7

Yes 20No 3❑ Don’t know

IF YES: What and when?

10. Is there anything about his or her health that worries you now?

1 QYes 20No

IF YES: What is it?

11.

IC)O

1:3,

How would you describe his or her present health?

* ❑ Poor 2 Fair

T

3 ❑ Good 4 ❑ Very Good

+

5 ❑ Excellent

IF POOR OR FAIR: What is the matter?

Does he or she now use any medicine regularly (not counting vitamins)?

1

7

Yes 20No 3 ❑ Don’t know

IF YES:

a..

b.

(1.

d.

What is the name of the medicine? z ❑ Don’t know

What is it for? z ❑ Don’t know

Did a doctor say he or she should use it?

I ❑IYes z ❑ NO 3CI Don’t know

How long has he or she been using it?

Has he or she ever broken any bones?

1 ❑ yes ZDNO 3 ❑ Don’t know

47
14. Has he or she ever had any other serious injuries or accident?

15.

16.

17.

1 9

Yes x ❑ NO (IF NO, SKIP TO WESTION 15)

IF YES:

a. How many? •l One 5 Two H Three oFouror more

b. As a result of any accident did he or she have to stay in a hospital (overnight or Ionqer)?

I •l Yes 20No

c. What lasting handicaps or damages, if any, did the accident(s) produce?

Has he or she ever been unconscious?

1

F

Yes 2 ❑NO 3❑ Don’t know

IF YES: For how long?

1❑ One hour or less 3 ❑ A day or more

2 n More than an hour 4 ❑ Don’t know

but less than a day

Which of the following operations or surgery has he or she had? (Check all that Gppby.)

1

2

3

4

9

DTonsils and/or adenoids taken out

nAppendix taken out

❑ Hernia (Rupture)

❑Other; what?

G None

Has he or she ever been in a hospital (overnight or longer)?

1

Y

Yes ZDNO

(IF NO, SKIP TO QUESTION 18)

IF YES:

a. What was the longest time he or she ever spent in a hospital?

I a A night to a week

2 ❑ Over one week but less than six months

3 ❑ Six months or longer

b. How old was he or she at that time? years

c. Why was he or she there?

d. Did an adult family member spend the night with him (her) in the hospital most of the time?

1 •l Yes ZONO

48
18.

19.

Has he or she ever had (CHECK YES —. OR NO IN EVERY LINE).

a. Measles

b. Mumps

c. Chickenpox

d. Whooping cough

e. Scarlet fever

f. .4sthma

g. Hay fever

h. Other allergies

i. Kidney trouble

1 •l Yes

I El Yes

I •l Yes

1 ❑ Yes

, •1 Yes

20No

2 c1 No

20No

20No

2DN0

2UN0

j. Heart murmur or anything else wrong

with the heart lnYes ZDNO

k. Fit, convulsion, or seizure 1 •l Yes ZDNO

1. Pneumonia In Yes 2DNcI

Below is a list of other diseases. Please read through it carefully and check the YES

box if-he or she ever had any of the following:

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)

Diabetes or sugar diabetes (f)

Rheumatic fever (g)

Polio (Infantile Paralysis) (h)

Epilepsy (i)

Chorea or St. Vitus dance

1 •l Yes 20

t

Diphtheria

Tuberculosis (T. B.)

Cerebral palsy

Meningitis or sleeping sickness

None of these

IF YES: Which?

.

49
20.

21.

22.

23.

24’.

What is the most serious illness or disease he or she has ever had?

a. How old was he or she when it started? years

b. What did the doctor say about it?

The doctor said it was:

I ❑ a mild case 4 H I d~.’t remember what he said

z n a moderate case 5 ❑ No doctor saw the child

3CI a severe (critical) case

c. Did the illness (disease) leave any lasting effects?

1 Cl Yes ZONO 3❑ Hard to say

t

IF YES: What were or are.they?

Has he or she wet the bed during the past year?

1 Cl Yes ,DNo

Does he or she wear glasses

1 Cl Yes, glasses

n

3 n Don’t know

or contact lenses?

3 •l Yes, contact lenses

2 U No, don’t wear either

IF NO: Do you think he or she needs glasses? .

I Cl Yes 20No JO Don’t know

Has he or she ever had eye trouble (except what is corrected by glasses or contact lenses)?

1

T

Yes ZONO

IF YES: What was it?

Has he or she ever had an eye operation?

1

Y

Yes 20No

IF YES: What was it for?

.

50
25. Have his (her) ears ever been damaged or injured in any way?

1

Y

Yes 20No

IF YES: In what way?

96. Have his (her) ear drums ever been opened or lanced?

1 7

Yes

IF YES:

XDNO

a. How many times: I •l Once 2❑ hlore than once

b. In which ear? ~❑ Left 2 ❑ Right 3 ❑ Both 4 ❑ I don’t remember

Z7. Has he or she ever had any other kind of ear operation?

1

~

Yes 2UN0

IF YES: a. What. was it for?

b. Which ear?

~~, Has he or she ever had a running ear or any discharge from the ears (-except wax in the

ears)’?

1Y

Yes XDNO

IF YES:

a. How often? I ❑ Once z ❑ More than once

b. From which ear? I ❑ Left z ❑ Right 5 ❑ Both 4 ❑ I don’t remember

Z9. In the past year has he or she had an earache?

I •l Yes 20No

30. Does he or she have any difficulty hearing?

I El Yes ,DNo

31. Has he or she had any other ear trouble?

1 v

Yes 20No

IF YES: What?

51
32. Does he or she have any speech defect (Zike stuttering,

1 c1 Yes ZDNO

33. Does he or she have a limp or other trouble walking?

I •l Yes 20No

stammering,lisping, etc. )?

34. Is there anything that prevents complete use of his (her) legs?

1

?

Yes ZDNO

IF YES: What is it?

35. Is there anything that prevents complete use of his (her) arms?

n ,DNo ‘ t ‘es

IF YES: What is it?

36. Is he or she now prevented for reasons of health from taking part in hard exercise or play?

1

7

Yes x ❑ No (IF NO, GO ON TO QUESTION 37)

IF YES:

a. What are the reasons?

b. Did the doctor advise this?

1 D Yes 20No

37. Was he or she ever prevented for reasons of health from taking part in hard exercise or play?

I •l Yes 2CIN0 s ❑ Don’t know

38. Have his (her) teeth been straightened or have bands been put on them?

lDYes 2 NO

7

IF NO:

a, Do you think they need straightening?

In Yes 20No

b. Has a dentist said they need straightening?

1 El Yes 20No

52
39. At the present time is he or she:

1 ❑ Underweight 2 ❑ About the right weight 3 ❑ Overweight

40. As far as physical growth is concerned, is he or she coming along:

10 Too slowly 2 ❑ At about the right rate 3 n Too fast

41. As far as mental development is concerned, is he or she coming along:

1 ❑ Too SIOWly

M. How often has he or she

I ❑ Never

2 ❑ .At about the right rate 3 ❑ Too fast

stayed overnight at a friend’s house?

2 •l Only once or twice 3 n Quite a few times

HERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT SCHOOL:

43. Did this youth go to nursery school?

I •l Yes 20No

44. Did he or she go to kindergarten?

1

9

Yes 2DN0

IF YES: Was it: I •l Compulsory 2 •l Voluntary

45. At what age did he or she start first grade?

❑ Five or younger ❑ Six D Seven or older

46. What was his or her reaction to school during the first few weeks of 1st grade?

I ❑ Was quite happy

2 ❑ Was a little upset

3 ❑ Was quite upset

4 ❑ Was so upset, he or she got sick

5 ❑ I don’t remember or don% know

47. In general, how easily does he or she make friends?

I ❑ Easily

2 ❑ Has a little trouble

3 ❑ Has a lot of trouble

53
48. How many of his or her friends do you know well?

I ❑ Most of them

.2❑ Half or less

30 Almost none

49. How much trouble was he or she to bring up?

~ ❑ None

2 ❑ Just a little

3 •l Some

40 Alot

s D Don’t know

50. Some people are calm, others

her best?

, ❑ Not nervous at all

20 Somewhat nervous

3 •l Very nervous

are nervous (tense, high-strung). Which describes him or

!51. Has this youth ever been to a mental hospital or guidance clinic?

1 ❑ Yes, within past year 3 c1 No

* ❑ Yes, but not within past year 4 ❑ Don’t know

52. Has he (she) ever seen a psychiatrist, or a psychologist, or have you talked to one about

him (her)?

1 D Yes, within past year 3UN0

z ❑ Yes, but not within past year 4 a Don’t know

HERE ARE THREE QUESTIONS ABOUT EATING HABITS:

53. Would you say he or she eats:

1 ❑ Too much

2 U About the right amount

3 ❑ Too little

54. How fussy an eater is he (she):

1 ❑ Not fussy at all

2 DA little fussy

3 •l Very fussy

54
55. On a usual day (that is, schoot or work day), how many meals does he or she eat with adult

family membe&?

I ❑ Two or more 2 •l Only one 3 ❑ None

56. Who makes most of the decisions on the following: [Check one in each row).

(1) (2) (3)

a. Choosing his/her clothes

b. How to spend his/her money

c. Which friends to go out with

d. How late he/she can stay out

57. Does he or she get an allolvance? (So much mofiey per week, for f3XW7@?.)

1

7

Yes

H? YES: Who decides how much?

2

?

No

IF NO: Does he or she earn money from work?

2 •1 Yes 30No

58. Looking ahead, what would you like him or her to do about school? (Check one only.)

I ❑ Quit school as soon as possible

2 Q Finish high school

3 ❑ Get some college or other training after high school

4 ❑ Finish college and get a college degree

5 ❑ Finish college and take further training (medical, law, or other professional school, etc.)

55
59. What do you think will happen, as far as school goes? (Check one onl~.)

1 ❑ Quit school as soon as possible

, D Finish high school

3 ❑ (let some college or other training after high school

4 ❑ Finish college and get a college degree

5 ❑ Finish college and take further training (medical, law, or other professional school, etc.)

How — ““’portom’ r!= 1 thir’; it is for a young person to have each of the qualities or

.. —-. .—

characteristics listed below? (Put one oheck mark in each row.)

a. To be neat and clean

k To be able to defend oneself

s. To have self-control

d. To be happy

e. To obey o~le’s parents

f. To be dependable

g. To be considerate of others

h. To face life’s problems

calmlv

i. To obey the law

j. To be ambitious

k. To know how to keep in good

health

Extremely I

-+

1 Slightly

Important important Important ‘Unimportant

(1) (2) (8) “ (4)

—

1

—

56
61. If he or she had any of the following conditions, what would you want to do? (Place one

check mark in each row.)

a. Stomach ache

b. Sore throat

c. Hurt all over

d. Stiff neck or back

e. Headache

f. Vomit (throw up)

g. Loss of appetite

h. Overtiredness

i. Pain in chest

j. Lump in stomach or

abdomen

k. Blood in urine or bowel

movement

1. Nervousness

If my child had this condition I would:

Definitely want to Probably want to Not want to

get in touch get in touch get in touch

with a doctor with a doctor with a doctor

{1) (2) (3) I

62. Some people when they are sick talk as if they are sicker than they really are, that is, they

exaggerate a little. How often does he or she do this when he is sick?

I ❑ Pretty often 3 ❑ Almost never

20 Not very often 4 ❑ Never

68. As far as you are concerned, how often is it all right for him (her) to exaggerate a little

bit when he (she) is sick?

I n Pretty often 3 ❑ Almost never

2 c1 Not very often 4 ❑ Never

57
64.

65.

66.

67.

68.

69.

When did a doctor last ~ee him (her) for a check-up (routine examination)?

I ❑ In the last year 4 ❑ Never

2 •l One-two years ago 5 ❑ Don’t remember or don’t know

3 •l Over two years ago

When did a doctor last see him (her) for treatment?

1 ❑ In the last year 4 ❑ Never

2 •l One-two years ago 5 ❑ Don’t remember or don’t know

3 •l Over two years ago

What is the name and address of the doctor he/she goes to (or clinic if there is no regular

family doctor)?

Name

Street 2 •1 None

City and State

When did he (she) last see a dentist for a check-up (routine examination)?

1 •1

m

30

In the last year 4 •1 Never

One-two years ago 5 n Don’t remember or don’t know

Over two years ago

When did he (she) last see a dentist for treatment?

I ❑ In the last year 4 ❑ Never

I

2 El One-two years ago

3 D Over two years ago

What is the name and address

J ❑ Don’t remember or don’t know

of the dentist or dental clinic he/she goes to?

Name ❑ None

Street

City and State

58
FOR GIRLS ONLY

70. Have her monthly

1

7

Yes

IF YES:

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

periods (menstruation) started ?

2 ❑ NO (IF NO, OMIT QUESTIONS BELOW)

Had she been told about them before hers began?

1 c1Yes ZDNO 3 ❑ Don’t know

How old was she when they started~ ._Years_, Months

Does she have pain or discomfort?

1

7

Yes 2

F

No 3

Y

Don’t know

(IF &O OR DON’T KNOW, OMIT

If there is pain or discomfort,

REST OF QUESTIONS)

is ih

— 1 ❑IVeryoften 2 ❑ Occasionally

is iti

1 ❑ hlild 2 ❑ Moderate 3 D Severe

At that time, does she frequently: (Check all that appty)

1 ❑ Take medicine 4 ❑ Stay home from school

2a Go to the sick room or nurse 5❑ None of theso

3 ❑ Stay in bed

f. Has she talked to a doctor about painful menstruation?

1❑ Yes 20No 3 ❑ Don’t know

59
VITAL AND HEALTH STATISTICS PUBLICATION SERIES

Originally f%blic Health Service Publication No. f 000

Series 1.

Series 2.

Series 3.

Series 4,

Sm”es 10.

Sm”es 11.

Series 12.

Series 13.

Series 14.

Series 20.

Sm”es 21.

Sm”es 22.

Programs and collection procedures. —Reports which describe the general programs of the National

Center for Health Statistics and its offices and divisions, data collection methods used, definitions,

and other material necessary for understanding the data.

Data evaluation and methods research. —Studies of new statistical methodology including experimental tests of new survey methods, studies of vital statistics collection methods, new analytical

techniques, objective evaluations of reliability of collected data, contributions to statistical theory.

Arta2vtical studies .-iieports presenting analytical or interpretive studies basedon vital and health

statistics, carrying the analysis further than the expository types of reports in the other series.

Documents and committee reports. —Final reports of major committees concerned with vital and

health statistics, and documents such as recommended model vital registration laws and revised

Mrth and death certificates.

Data J?om the Health Interview Survev.— Statistics on illness, accidental injuries, disaMlity, use

of hospital, medical, dental, and other services, and other health-related topics, based on data

collected in a continuing national household interview survey.

Data from the Health Examination Survey. —Data from direct examination, testing, and measurement of national samples of the civilian, noninstitutional population provide the basis for two types

of reports: (1) estimates of the medically defined prevalence of specific diseases in the Unfted

States and the distributions of the population with respect to physical, physiological, and psychological characteristics; and (2) analysis of relationships among the various measurements without

reference to an explicit finite universe of persons.

Data from the Institutional Population Surveys. —Statistics relating to the health characteristics of

persons in institutions, and their medical, nursing, and personal care received, based on national

samples of establishments providing these services and samples of the residents or patients.

Dati from the Hospital Discharge Survey. —Statistics relating to disc!; .+rged patients in short-stay

hospitals, based on a sample of patient records in a national sample of hospitals.

lkzta on health resources: manpower and facilities. —Statistics on the numbers, geographic distriMion, and characteristics of health resources including physicians, dentists, nurses, other health

occupations, hospitals, nursing homes, and outpatient facilities.

Data on mortility.— Various statistics on mortality other than as included in regular annual or

monthly reports —special analyses by cause of death, age, and other demographic variables, also

geographic and time series analyses.

Data on natality, mawiage, and diwrce. —Various statistics on natality, marriage, and divorce

other than as included in regular annual or monthly reports+pecial analyses by demographic

variables, also geographic and time series analyses, studies of fertility.

Data from the National Natality and Mortality Surveys. —Statistics on characteristics of births

and deaths not available from the vital records, based on sample surveys stemming from these

records, including such topics as mortality by socioeconomic class, hospital experience in the

last year of life, medical care during pregnancy, health insurance coverage, etc.

,/

For a list of titles of reports published in these series, write to: Office of Information

Nat ional Center for Health Statistics

Public Health Service, HRA

Rockville, Md. 20852