In a survey among 620 young people ages 13 to 18 conducted in October, the Barna Research Group of Ventura, California discovered that the widespread talk about teenagers as "slackers" and "pessimists" is borne of adult perceptions, but does not at all seem to mirror the self-perceptions of teenagers.

Most teenagers have a very positive self-image. The survey offered teenaged respondents eighteen adjectives they could choose from to describe themselves. Among the most popular terms were "happy" (selected by 92%); "responsible" (91%); "self-reliant" (86%); "optimistic about my future" (82%); "trusting of other people" (80%); "very intelligent" (79%); and "physically attractive" (74%). Other terms chosen by a majority included "seen by others as a leader" (69%); "religious" (64%); "a committed Christian" (60%); "spiritual" (60%); "very popular" (57%); and "emotionally sensitive" (55%). Notably smaller numbers of teens portrayed themselves as "skeptical" (45%), "stressed out" (36%) or "lonely" (11%).

However, when teens were asked to identify how they believe adults would describe young people, the most common responses included "lazy" (chosen by 84%); "rude" (74%); "sloppy" (70%); "dishonest" (65%); and "violent" (57%). A majority admitted that most adults would likely describe teenagers as "friendly" (63%) and "intelligent" (58%). A minority of young people said adults would characterize teenagers as "trustworthy" (36%); "family-minded" (33%); "making America a better place" (31%); "hard working" (29%); and "spiritual" (21%).

George Barna, president of the research firm that conducted the survey, stressed the significance of the findings as they relate to the future of the nation. "The real issue is not whether teenagers have an accurate understanding of how adults view young adults. Perception is reality, and teens will act on the basis of their perceptions. The fact that teenagers so overwhelmingly perceive adults to possess negative views of young people creates a major chasm between young and old people. Most teenagers believe they cannot get a fair shake from those who hold the power in our society. Consequently, their choices and behaviors reflect their sense of being unjustly judged and rejected by adults."

Barna also pointed out that the self-descriptions of adults and teenagers are nearly identical on measures that his firm has recently explored with both of those age groups. Adults and teens showed little difference in describing themselves as "religious," "committed Christians," "seen by others as a leader," "stressed out," "self-reliant" and "optimistic about my future." The only significant differences were that adults are more likely to be optimistic about America’s future – but not by much – and teenagers were more likely to be searching for meaning in life. Given their stage in life, however, the heightened emphasis upon discovering meaning in life is to be expected.

The survey results support prior research from Barna Research showing that individuals from the Baby Bust generation have a sense of uneasiness about adults – especially Baby Boomers, the generation that precedes them. Many businesses and social institutions, such as churches, have experienced difficulty building effective cross-generational teams. The new survey data indicate that one of the keys to breaking down relational barriers will be the development of more realistic assessments of young people and more intentional and open communication about such matters. The data also help to explain why so few organizations have effectively rallied young people around a vision, cause or purpose that might ordinarily appeal to young adults: more often than not, those organizations are led by adults perceived to hold negative views about teens and young adults. Without a sense of acceptance and respect, young people are not prone to submitting themselves to the leadership of people or organizations that have failed to embrace them.

The emotional gap between the young and old may be gaping, but Barna identified some practical steps that can be taken to bridge the gap. "Our most recent surveys among teens also underscore their overwhelming desire to be unconditionally accepted by their family, particularly by parents. The first step toward healing the generational cold war may be for parents to assert their love for their teens and to honestly reassess their views about young people. Progress can be made if parents initiate honest substantive interaction with their young people regarding mutual feelings and perceptions. That’s pretty simple advice, but the research shows that parents spend surprisingly little time in meaningful dialogue with their teens designed to build relational bridges and work through conflict and mistrust. The answer to the perceptual gap is not more programs, more events or more materials. Teens need unconditional love from their parents, and they need it to be expressed in a variety of very tangible ways."

Different Groups, Different Self-Perceptions

The survey also showed that certain subgroups of the high school population are more likely to describe themselves in some ways than are other subgroups.

Compared to a similar study conducted by Barna Research among teenagers in 1995, there has been little change in their self-perceptions. The areas of significant change included increases in the percentage of teenagers who describe themselves as "optimistic about my future" (up from 75% in 1995 to 82% in 1997); "religious" (up from 56% to 64%); and "physically attractive" (up from 66% to 74%). A survey among teenagers conducted by Barna in 1990 shows that the proportion of young people who say they are "stressed out" has risen from 25% in 1990 to the current level of 36%.

Survey Methodology

This information is based on telephone interviews among a national sample of 620 teenagers between the ages of 13 and 18. The interviews were conducted in October 1997. The sample was a random, representative sample of teenagers from across the nation. Multiple callbacks were used to increase the probability of including a reliable distribution of all teenagers in the sample. All of the interviews were conducted from the Barna Research Group telephone interviewing facility in Ventura, CA. The maximum sampling error associated with this survey is +5 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.