Young Persons Behaviour and Attitudes Survey

Methodology

Sample                                                                                                                              

The target population for this survey is young people at different stages in post-primary education.  A random sample of post-primary schools in Northern Ireland is drawn from a list held by the Department of Education (DE). The sample is representative of school size, selection type (i.e. Secondary, Grammar), management group (i.e. Controlled, Voluntary, Roman Catholic Maintained, Grant Maintained Integrated etc) and Education and Library Board area.

Participating schools provide details of the number of classes in years 8-12, together with class names. A class in each of the five year groups is then randomly selected to take part. Only pupils from the selected classes are included in the survey.

Data Collection

Selected pupils are assembled in class-sized groups and CSU interviewers administer each pupil with a self-completion paper questionnaire. Pupils are allowed two consecutive school periods in which to complete the questionnaire under supervision of the interviewers, after which time all questionnaires are collected immediately and returned to the CSU office.

Response  

In 2000, 62 schools and 6297 pupils took part in the survey compared to 74 schools and 7223 pupils in 2003.

Weighting                                                                                                                                        

To ensure the achieved sample reflects the composition of the population of pupils in post-primary education with regard to key characteristics (i.e. gender, year group) the data is weighted accordingly. Figures from the DE school census are used to derive the weights.