FCD CWI
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CWI
The Foundation
for Child Development
Child and Youth Well-Being Index (CWI)
1975 to 2005 with Projections for 2006
A Social Indicators Project Supported by the Foundation
for Child Development
New American Foundation Presentation, April 4, 2007
Kenneth C. Land, Ph.D., Project Coordinator
Duke University
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FCD CWI
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What is the CWI?
• It is a composite measure of trends in the
quality of life, or well-being, of America’s
children and young people since 1975.
• It consists of 28 social indicators organized
in seven quality-of-life domains.
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What Does the CWI Tell Us?
• Did overall child and youth well-being in the United
States improve or deteriorate over the last two
generations?
• By how much?
• In which domains or areas of social life?
• For which age groups?
• For boys and girls equally?
• For which racial and ethnic groups?
• Did disparities between groups increase or decrease?
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Methods of CWI Construction
• The CWI places 28 national level indicators into
seven quality-of-life domains
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Family Economic Well-Being
Health
Safety/Behavioral Concerns
Educational Attainment
Community Connectedness
Social Relationships (with Family and Peers)
Emotional/Spiritual Well-Being
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• Each of the 28 indicators uses annual time
series data from vital statistics and sample
surveys
• Each indicator is indexed by percentage change
from the base year, 1975.
• The base year is assigned a value of 100.
– A value greater than 100 in subsequent years means
the social condition measured has improved. A
value less than 100 means the social condition has
deteriorated.
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• The 28 indicators are grouped together into
seven domains to construct domain-specific
summary well-being indices.
– Within these summary indices, each indicator is
equally weighted.
• The seven domain indices are combined into
the Child and Youth Well-being Index (CWI).
– Each domain is equally weighted in the construction
of the CWI.
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Composite Index of Child and
Youth Well-Being
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Figure 1: Child Well-Being Index, 1975-2005, with Projections for 2006
110
100
95
90
Year
20
05
20
03
20
01
19
99
19
97
19
95
19
93
19
91
19
89
19
87
19
85
19
83
19
81
19
79
19
77
85
19
75
Percent of Base Year
105
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Domain-Specific Indices
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Figure 2. Domain-Specific Summary Indices, 1975-2005, with Projections for 2006.
150
Family Economic Well-Being
Health
140
Safety/Behavioral Concerns
Educational Attainment
Community Connectedness
130
Social Relationships
Emotional/Spiritual Well-Being
110
100
90
80
70
Year
20
05
20
03
20
01
19
99
19
97
19
95
19
93
19
91
19
89
19
87
19
85
19
83
19
81
19
79
19
77
60
19
75
Percent of Base Year
120
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Trends in Child and Youth
Well-Being by Race and Ethnicity
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Figure 3. Total and Race/Ethnic-Group Summary CWIs as a Percent of Total
CWI for all Children and Youth at Base Year, 1985-2005
120
White
African American
Hispanic
110
Total CWI
105
100
95
90
85
80
75
Year
20
05
20
04
20
03
20
02
20
01
20
00
19
99
19
98
19
97
19
96
19
95
19
94
19
93
19
92
19
91
19
90
19
89
19
88
19
87
19
86
70
19
85
Percent of Base Year for All Children and Youth
115
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Figure 3a. Suicide Rates, Ages 15-19, 1985-2005.
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White Suicide Rates
Black Suicide Rates
Hispanic Suicide Rates
10
8
6
4
Year
20
05
20
04
20
03
20
02
20
01
20
00
19
99
19
98
19
97
19
96
19
95
19
94
19
93
19
92
19
91
19
90
19
89
19
88
19
87
19
86
2
19
85
Deaths per 100,000
12
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Figure 3b. Rates of Cigarette Smoking Prevalence in the Past 30 Days, Grades 12, 10, and 8,
1985 (or 1992)-2005.
55
50
45
White 12th Graders
Black 12th Graders
Hispanic 12th Graders
White 10th Graders
Black 10th Graders
Hispanic 10th Graders
White 8th Graders
Black 8th Graders
Hispanic 8th Graders
40
30
25
20
15
10
5
Year
20
05
20
04
20
03
20
02
20
01
20
00
19
99
19
98
19
97
19
96
19
95
19
94
19
93
19
92
19
91
19
90
19
89
19
88
19
87
19
86
0
19
85
Percent
35
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Figure 3c. Median Family Incomes for Families with Children in 2005 Dollars,
1987-2005.
90,000
White Median Income for Families with Children 0-17
80,000
Black Median Income for Families with Children 0-17
Hispanic Median Income for Families with Children 0-17
60,000
50,000
40,000
30,000
Year
20
05
20
04
20
03
20
02
20
01
20
00
19
99
19
98
19
97
19
96
19
95
19
94
19
93
19
92
19
91
19
90
19
89
19
88
20,000
19
87
Year 2005 Dollars
70,000
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Figure 4. Race/Ethnic Group-Specific Summary Indices of Child and Youth
Well Being, 1985-2005
115
White
Black
Hispanic
105
100
95
Year
05
20
04
20
03
20
02
20
01
20
00
20
99
19
98
19
97
19
96
19
95
19
94
19
93
19
92
19
91
19
90
19
89
19
88
19
87
19
86
19
85
90
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Percent of Group's Base Year
110
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Conclusions
 The CWI shows that children and youth in the United States
are doing slightly better today than in 1975.
 But, progress in child and youth well-being has stalled.
 The gap in overall quality of life between white, African
American, and Hispanic children narrowed between the
mid-90s and 2002. That progress, too, has stalled.
Disparities among the groups remain.
 We are doing better in areas of social life that reflect
cultural values and over which parents and community
institutions can exercise some influence and control.
 America’s children are doing less well in areas that have to
do with policy and the role of government.
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The CWI on the Web:
http://www.soc.duke.edu/~cwi/
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