2012
METROWEST ADOLESCENT
HEALTH SURVEY RESULTS
HOPKINTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Grades 6-12
A collaboration between the Hopkinton Public Schools and
Hopkinton Youth Services Department
MetroWest Adolescent Health Survey 2012
Participants:
Dr. Cathy MacLeod
Superintendent of Schools
Dr. Mary Ann DeMello
Assistant Superintendent of Schools
Evan Bishop, MS
High School Principal
Alan Keller, MS
Middle School Principal
Jane Gomes, MA, LMHC
Counseling / Adjustment Counselor
Phil Powers, SRO
Hopkinton Police Department
Jean Vallera Vazza, M.Ed.
Bruce Elliott, MS, CSCS, FNS
Hopkinton Youth Services Coordinator Wellness Teacher / Subject Matter
Leader (K-12)
MetroWest Adolescent Health Survey 2012
Benefits of MetroWest Health Foundation Survey
 The MetroWest Youth Risk Behavior Survey is a 10 year initiative of the
Massachusetts based MetroWest Health Foundation.
 The goal is to address adolescent health needs in the MetroWest region (25
communities & 40,000 students).
 Large amount of student data enables each district to consider differences in
behavioral reports by gender and grade (6-12).
 Identifies emerging health issues that are Hopkinton specific versus MetroWest
region.
 Results guide prevention strategies and lead interventions.
Hopkinton Schools Participation
Survey Key Facts
 Survey content based on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) and the Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey (MYRBS).
 Survey is self administered, voluntary, and anonymous.
 Middle School: 748 students grade 6-8, representing 95% of students.
 High School: 1069 students grades 9-12 representing 95% of students.
 Next MWAHS administration will be Fall 2014.
MWAHS – 7 Risk Categories
 Substance Use (tobacco, alcohol, illegal substance use, and prescription
misuse)
 Violence (weapons, physical fighting, bullying and cyber bullying)
 Behaviors related to Unintentional Injuries (seatbelt use, helmet use,
and drinking and driving)
 Sexual Behaviors related to Unintended Pregnancy and Sexually
Transmitted Infections
 Mental Health (Stress, Depression, Self Injury, Suicidal Ideation, Suicide
Attempts)
 Dietary Behaviors and Physical Activity
 School Attachment and Adult Support
Middle School Survey Results
 Survey is self administered, voluntary, and
anonymous.
 Middle School: 748 students grade 6-8,
representing 95% of students.
Middle School Alcohol Use
Patterns:
 9% of students drank alcohol in their lifetime, 4% drank in the
past 30 days, and 1% reported recent binge drinking.
 More males than females initiate alcohol use in during the
middle school years (13% compared with 5%).
 Alcohol use increases substantially by grade: Lifetime use
increases from 2%in 6th grade to 16% in 8th grade.
Trend:
 Lifetime alcohol use among middle school youth remained
steady from 2010 to 2012 at 12% after decreasing from a high of
26% in 2008.
Middle School Marijuana & Inhalants
Marijuana:
 2% of youth have used marijuana in their lifetime, and 2% of youth
used marijuana in the past 30 days.
 Males are slightly more likely than females to initiate marijuana use
(3% compared with 1%).
Inhalants:
 5% of youth used inhalants in their lifetime (defined as sniffing glue,
breathing the contents of spray cans, or inhaling any paints or sprays to
get high).
 Lifetime inhalant use increases from 6th grade (3%) to 8th grade (8%).
Middle School Bullying & Cyber-Bullying
Bullying:
 31% of youth have been bullied in the past 12 months, and 25% have
been bullied on school property. 15% of students report bullying other
students.
 31% of youth have intervened as bystanders and 10% have told an adult
at school that someone else was being bullied.
Cyber-Bullying:
 13% of youth report being victims of cyber-bullying in the past 12
months, and 6% report cyber bullying someone else.
 Females are more likely to report cyber-bullying victimization (16%
compared with 10%) while reports of cyber-bullying are similar among
males and females.
Middle School Mental Health
Patterns:
 10% of students reported that their life was “very” stressful in the past 30 days. 9%
reported depressive symptoms and 6% reported self-injury.
 8% of youth said they had considered suicide in their lifetime, and 1% had made a
suicide attempt.
 Females are more likely than males to report recent stress (13% compared with 7%).
Reports of self-injury and suicidality do not differ substantially by gender.
 Reports of stress, depressive symptoms, and self-injury increase from 6th to 8th
grade.
Trend: (Grades 7-8)
 Reports of mental health problems decreased slightly from 2008 to 2012 and are
now similar to 2006 levels . Reports of depressive symptoms decreased from 19% in
2008 to 11% in 2012, and are similar to 2006 reports (13%).
High School Survey Results
 Survey is self administered, voluntary, and
anonymous.
 High School: 1069 students grades 9-12
representing 95% of students.
High School Alcohol Use
Patterns:
 51% of students drank alcohol in their lifetime, 28% drank in the past 30
days, and 16% reported recent binge drinking.
 Alcohol use increases substantially by grade: Current drinking increases
from 13% in the 9th grade to 58% in 12th grade.
 16% of students report being a passenger in a car driven by someone who
had been drinking alcohol in the past 30 days.
Trends:
 Drinking in high school has declined. From 2006 to 2012, lifetime alcohol
use decreased from 63% to 51% and current us decreased from 34% to 28%.
 Binge drinking remained similar from 2006 to 2010 at 19-21%, and then
decreased to 16% in 2012.
High School Marijuana Use
Patterns:
 30% of youth have used marijuana in their lifetime, and 21% used
marijuana in the past 30 days.
 Males are more likely than females to initiate marijuana use (36%
compared with 24%) and report recent use (27% compared with 15%).
Trend:
 Lifetime marijuana use increased from 30% in 2006 to 37% in 2010, and
then decreased to 30% in 2012.
N-1069 = 9%
High School Bullying
Pattern:
 28% of teens have been bullied in the past 12 months, and 23% have
been bullied on school property.
 More females than males are victims of bullying and cyber-bullying.
 Reports of bullying decrease during the high school years, from 40%
in 9th grade to 19% in 12th grade.
Trends:
 Reports of bullying on school property decreased from 30% in 2008
to 23% in 2012.
 31% in 2008 to 19% in 2012. During this time, victimization among
females decreased slightly from 29% to 26%.
High School Cyber-Bullying
Patterns:
 24% of youth report being victims of cyber-bullying in the past 12
months, and 11% report cyber-bullying someone else.
 Females are more likely than males to be cyber-bullying victims.
However, reports of cyber-bullying perpetration are similar by
gender.
Trends:
 More youth are reporting cyber-bullying: Victimization has increased
from 13% in 2006 to 24% in 2012.
 The increase in cyber-bullying victimization is greater among
females (from 15% in 2006 to 30% in 2012) than males (from 11% to
18%).
Slide for US on bullying & cyber-bullying - Jean
High School Mental Health
Patterns:
 29% of students reported that their life was “very” stressful in the past
30 days. 18% reported depressive symptoms in the past 12 months
(defined as feeling sad or hopeless for two or more weeks in a row).
 15% of youth reported self-injury (defined as cutting, burning, or
bruising oneself on purpose) in the past 12 months.
 Reports of stress range from 22% to 39% during the high school years
and are highest in 12th grade.
Trend:
 Overall reports of mental health problems have remained similar from
2006 to 2012.
Strategies for Improvement
 Curriculum: Michigan Model for Health (K-12)
Skills based curriculum founded by Central Michigan
University
 Linking grades levels in 5 keys areas:
 (Social & Emotional, Physical & Nutrition, Safety,
Illicit Substances, and Personal Wellness)

 Faculty initiatives and correspondence
Middle & High School Staff weekly bulletins regarding
data to better understand student needs
 District Safety Committee
 District Wellness Committee
 Crisis Response Team


School Resource Officer Helpline - (508-293-1191)
Strategies for Improvement
 Middle School Initiatives





MWHF Anti-Bullying Grant
Staff training – “Where Everybody Belongs” (WEB)
MIAA – “YOU LEAD” Conference (Student Based)
Stand Up to Bullying (MARC) – Student delegation attending
Middlesex Partnerships for Youth – “Empowering Girls”
 High School Improvement Plan



Guest speaker on stress 2nd Semester
“I WILL” campaign to minimize student harassment
Mini-Health survey in December - 850 HS student responded
 Measures to address bullying & cyber-bullying and student stress
 Planned activities to engage and lighten stress levels over the 2nd
half of year
Strategies for Improvement
 Hopkinton Youth Services
 Juvenile court diversion in conjunction with D.A. and SRO
 Prevention based work with civic and youth serving
organizations
 Parent educational coffees facilitated in homes
 Youth Commission initiatives
 Wellness Fair, March 8th, 2014
 Opportunity for community to engage in interactive dialogue
regarding MWHAS key indicators
Questions
For more information:
hopkintonma.gov/youth & hopkintonma.gov/wellness
Please contact feel free to contact:
Bruce Elliott @ belliott@hopkinton.k12.ma.us
Teacher / Wellness Subject Matter Leader (K-12)
(508) 497-9820 x 1136
Jean Vazza @ jvazza@hopkintonma.gov
Hopkinton Youth Services
(508) 497-9781
Thank You