Youth Leaders working on the Fresno County Social Norms campaign came together last night to analyze the results of over 1100 surveys. Surveys measured norms around underage drinking among local youth as well as actual drinking and binge drinking behaviors. Five Fresno County schools participated in the survey including Edison High, Sunnyside High, Roosevelt High, and Reedley College.
The results of the surveys revealed that nearly 75% of students never or hardly ever consumed alcohol. However, over 70% of students believed that the average student used alcohol sometimes or often in the last year. False perceptions around drinking behaviors can influence actual behaviors. Armed with data, youth leaders will create school-wide campaigns exposing the truth about underage drinking while promoting the positive and factual norm that most students are not drinking despite assumptions that most of them are.
Youth kicked off the campaign by posting messages on facebook and sending texts to friends about their findings.
