Flint Adolescent Study
Principle Investigator(s): Marc Zimmerman, UM-SPH
Funding: National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
Description:
The Flint Adolescent Study (FAS) is an interview study of 850 ninth graders conducted in collaboration with the Projects for Urban and Regional Affairs and Flint Community Schools. The goal of the study is to explore the protective factors associated with school dropout and alcohol and substance use. Students were sampled from the four main public high schools in Flint, Michigan. The study followed youth for four years beginning in Fall 1994. We obtained a 90% response rate from Year 1 to Year 4.
The Year 1 sample includes 679 African-American youth (80%), 145 white youth (17%) and 26 mixed African-American and white youth (3%). It is evenly divided by males and females. The sample reflects the overall student body in the Flint High Schools. In order to study those students most at risk for leaving school before graduation, individuals with grade point averages of 3.0 and below were selected.
Information obtained from the youth includes
• participation in church, school and community organizations
• social support and influence of family and friends (including mentoring)
• self-esteem, stress and psychological well being
• delinquent and violent behaviors; alcohol and substance abuse
• sex behavior and child bearing
• school attitudes and performance
• family structure and relationships
• driving behavior (beginning in Year 3)
• attachment style (beginning in Year 3)
• racial identity (beginning in Year 3).
We have also collected information about parental education and occupation. Census tract and block information is also linked to the youths' data based upon the home address they report.