National Study of American Social Norms About Adult Engagement with Children and Youth
Purpose: To learn about the nature and workings of underlying shared social expectations that govern how American adults relate with children and youth, and apply the lessons in products, trainings, and consultations to help communities strengthen asset building initiatives.
Status: A nationally representative telephone survey of 1,400 adults, using survey items developed by Search Institute, was conducted by the Gallup Organization in spring 2000.
Duration: 2000
Findings:
The initial report was titled Grading grown-ups: American adults report on their real relationships with kids, Peter C. Scales, Ph.D., Peter Benson, Ph.D., and Eugene C. Roehlkepartain (2001), Minneapolis, MN: Lutheran Brotherhood and Search Institute.
Peter C. Scales, Peter L. Benson, Marc Mannes, Nicole R. Hintz, Eugene C. Roehlkepartain, & Theresa K. Sullivan. (2003) Other people’s kids: Social expectations and American adults’ involvement with children and adolescents. New York: Kluwer/Plenum.
Two journal articles were also published:
- Peter C. Scales, Peter L. Benson, Eugene C. Roehlkepartain, Nicole R. Hintz, Theresa K. Sullivan, and Marc Mannes. (2001). The role of neighborhood and community in building Developmental Assets for children and youth: A national study of social norms among American adults. Journal of Community Psychology, 29, 703-727.
- Peter C. Scales, Peter L. Benson, Eugene C. Roehlkepartain, Nicole R. Hintz, Theresa K. Sullivan, and Marc Mannes (2004). The role of parental status and child age in the engagement of children and youth with adults outside their families. Journal of Family Issues, 25(6), 735-760.
