Life at age 14: initial findings from the Growing Up in Scotland study

Executive summary

Introduction and background

This report presents findings about the lives of 14-year-olds living in Scotland. It uses data collected from Birth Cohort 1 (BC1) of the Growing Up in Scotland study (GUS)^[1]. GUS BC1 was originally comprised of a nationally representative sample of 5217 children born between June 2004 and May 2005. A boost sample was included at Sweep 9.

This report presents high level findings from the most recently available data sweep (Sweep 10). The report aims to provide an overview of the data available and encourage other researchers to conduct further and more detailed analysis. Data can be accessed through the UK Data Service.

Methodology

Sweep 10 fieldwork took place in two phases; phase 1 between January and July 2019 and phase 2 began in January 2020, was paused in March 2020, resumed in August 2020 and ended in August 2020. Data were collected from 2943 families. The original methodology used face-to-face in-home interviewing (CAPI) with a self-completion section (CASI). Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, fieldwork was paused and later restarted using an alternative methodology, where a web survey (CAWI) replaced the CASI element and a telephone survey (CATI) replaced the CAPI portion. This change had implications on the data collected and the survey response rates, more information on this can be found in section 1.2.

Data were collected from the study child (referred to as the 'young person' throughout this report) and their main carer or parent (also referred to as 'parent'). Subgroup analysis has been conducted, looking at differences by gender, disability of the young person and SIMD quintiles.

Overview of key findings

Views on school were largely positive amongst young people; 84.8% said their teacher 'always/often' treats them fairly and 61.3% said they 'always/often' enjoyed learning at school. Furthermore, 91.9% said they 'always/often' tried their best at school and 70.5% of young people said they felt 'not at all/a little' pressured by their school work. Just over half (56.4%) said that they 'sometimes/ never' looked forward to going to school, however only 19.6% had ever skipped school.

Looking towards the future, 79.5% of young people said they wanted to stay on at school or college full-time after S4. The most commonly chosen options for what they saw themselves doing when they left school were 'going to University' (47.7%) or 'going to College' (15.1%), although a substantial minority (21.1%) were 'not sure'.

Young people's views of their parents were generally positive; the majority said their parent 'always' listened to what they had to say, that they can count on them to help them with a problem, that their parent would ask if they knew something was bothering them and that they 'paid attention to them'. Just over one quarter (27.3%) of young people had at least one parent who lived elsewhere. Over half (57.5%) saw this parent once a week or more, whilst 15.1% said they never saw this parent.

The vast majority of parents (93.9%) felt either 'very competent and confident' or 'moderately competent and confident' in their parenting and 87.2% felt either 'extremely' or 'very' close to their child. However, over half of parents (53.3%) said it was 'very/somewhat' true that they are 'overprotective of their child'.

Relationships with peers also appeared to be largely positive; 85.1% reported their friends 'always/often' paid attention to them, and 84.4% said it was 'always/often' true that their friends 'listened to what they had to say'. The majority of young people felt 'not at all' pressured by their friends. However, 32.9% felt 'a little' or 'a lot / quite a lot' pressured to act tough or hard, whilst 40% felt 'a little' or 'a lot / quite a lot' pressured to look or dress a certain way.

Half of young people (49.1%) had been bullied by being picked on, called names or been made fun of, and just under one in five were picked on in this way at least once a week or more. The majority (70.4%) of young people said they had not been treated unfairly because of any of their characteristics. However, 22% said they were treated unfairly because of their body shape, size or physical appearance.

Two thirds of young people reported having no sexual experience, whilst 9.5% said they had 'some experience, but not sexual intercourse' or 'more experience, including sexual intercourse'. The majority of parents had spoken to their child more than once about 'sex, including sexual intercourse' and 'how to behave in relation to people he/she might be sexually attracted to, and/or how to respond to sexual advances.'

Spending time on screen activities and social media was common; 85.6% of young people spent at least one hour per day watching videos, television programmes or films, 59% spent at least one hour playing online or electronic games, whilst 69.2% spent at least one hour on social media or messaging people they know.

The most common activities undertaken outside of school were 'team sports' (39.4%), 'art, music, performance' (28.2%), and 'individual sport' (26.4%). The majority of young people had not participated in any youth work activities. However, one in five were 'involved in a group working towards a youth award', whilst 15.5% were 'members of uniformed youth'

Parents generally knew where their child was and what they were doing; three quarters said they knew 'all of the time' where their child was after school. 11.1% of parents said their child had caring responsibilities. Of those, the majority (62.6%) reported that their child spent less than 4 hours a week providing help.

Looking at risky behaviours; just over half of young people had tried alcohol (54.9%), whilst around one in five had tried smoking a cigarette or vape. Only a small minority had tried cannabis or other drugs. 69.2% of young people had not engaged in any of the anti-social behaviours. However, the most commonly named behaviours were 'hit, kicked or punched someone' (17.1%) and 'been rowdy or rude in a public' (14%).

Almost half of young people (47.2%) had had a period in their life lasting several days or longer when on most of the days they felt depressed, and just under three quarters of those who experienced depression said they had a lot more trouble concentrating than usual and felt down on themselves, whilst half thought a lot about death.

Furthermore, 13.9% of young people said they had experienced any emotional or mental health difficulties to the extent that they had received a diagnosis or sought help for it, and 11.6% reported having hurt themselves on purpose in any way in the last 12 months.

However, life satisfaction was overall high; just under two thirds (63.6%) said they 'always' or 'often' felt their life was just about right, and three quarters (74.8%) said they 'always' or 'often' felt they had what they wanted in life. The vast majority of young people also said that it was 'completely' (73.8%) or 'somewhat' (20.8%) true, that they had a trusted adult to talk to.

When rating their general health, 65.1% of young people said it was 'excellent' or 'very good'. A third of young people said they either met or exceeded the minimum physical activity hours recommended by the NHS (7 hours).

Around half thought their body size was about right, however more than one third thought they were 'a bit too fat' or 'much too fat', whilst a smaller proportion thought their body was 'much too thin' or 'a bit too thin'. Furthermore, three quarters (75.6%) said they felt 'very happy' or 'quite happy', about how they look, whilst the remainder (24.4%) felt 'not very happy' or 'not at all happy'

Over half (62.1%) of young people said they got between eight and ten hours sleep on a school night. Two out of five (37.2%) said they got less sleep than the recommended eight to ten hours. Young people got more sleep when they did not have school the next day; only 24.7% got less than eight hours of sleep, whilst 14.5% got more than ten hours of sleep.

Summary of key differences across subgroups

A range of statistically significant differences were observed between different subgroups (sex, SIMD quintiles and (not) being disabled). Key findings are briefly described below and further detail can be found in the relevant sections.

In general, boys were more likely than girls to say:

• They 'agreed strongly' that they were good at maths.
• They were not sure what they see themselves doing after they leave school.
• It was 'always true' that they can count on their parents to help them when they have a problem and that their parents pay attention to them.
• They felt pressure to act tough or hard, to break rules at school and home and to cause trouble or get into fights.
• They had experienced bullying through name calling and shoving, pushing, hitting or picking a fight and that they had picked on others.
• That they spend time playing online/electronic games and had taken part in teams sports.
• They had tried an e-cigarette or vape and that they had engaged in any of the anti-social behaviours.
• That their life was 'always' or 'often' just right and that they were 'very happy' with how they look.
• They keep it to themselves when they worry about something.

In general, parents of boys were more likely than parents of girls to say:

• Their child receives additional help or support at school through support from teacher, equipment provided, special classes and special school.
• They had been contacted about their child's behaviour at school and their attitude towards school.
• They worry their child will become ill or hurt and that they are overprotective of their child.
• They had never talked to their child about sex and sexual intercourse, sexual attraction and contraception.
• Their child takes medication for their mental health.

In general, girls were more likely than boys to say:

• They 'always' enjoy learning at school and 'always' try their best at school.
• They felt 'a lot' of pressure or 'quite a lot' of pressure by schoolwork and that they had skipped school.
• They 'agreed strongly' that they were good at English.
• They saw themselves going to University or to College after they leave school.
• They felt pressure to look or dress a certain way.
• They had experienced bullying through name calling, being left out of games/chats and message posting.
• They had been treated unfairly because of their body shape and their gender.
• That they spend time on social media or messaging and it was 'extremely true' or 'very true', that they worry they might miss something friends have seen on social media.
• They had felt depressed and, to say they had ever experienced any emotional or mental health difficulties to the extent that they had sought help for it and that they had hurt themselves on purpose in any way in the last 12 months.
• They talk to a friend when they worry about something and say they had spoken to a counsellor.
• They thought they were a bit too fat or much too fat.

In general, parents of girls were more likely than parents of boys to say:

• They had attended a school event that their child had participated in.
• Their child talks to them when they are having a problem and that their child shares their thoughts and feelings with them.
• They felt 'extremely close' to their child.
• It was 'very true' that they help their child to become an independent person and that they encourage their child to do things by themselves.
• They knew where their child is after school 'all of the time'.

In general, disabled young people were more likely than non-disabled young people to say:

• They never misbehaved or caused trouble in class.
• They were not sure what they saw themselves doing after they leave school.
• They had been treated unfairly because of their disability or support needs, their body shape, their sexual orientation or gender identity.
• They had no sexual experience.
• They had felt depressed.
• They had ever experienced any emotional or mental health difficulties to the extent that they had sought help for it and that they had hurt themselves on purpose in any way in the last 12 months.
• They 'always', 'often' or 'sometimes' wish their life was different.

In general, parents of disabled young people were more likely than parents of non-disabled young people to say:

• Their child receives additional help or support at school.
• They had been contacted by the child's school about different issues, including the child's behaviour at school and the behaviour of other pupils towards the child.
• They felt 'extremely close' to their child.
• It was 'very true' that they worry their child will become hurt or ill and that they are overprotective of their child.
• They knew all of the time who their child is with when they are not at home, how their child spends their free time and what their child spends their money on.
• Their child had experienced several significant life events, including death of a pet and mental disorder in the immediate family.
• Their child had caring responsibilities.
• They themselves had ever sought help for, or been diagnosed, with a mental health condition.
• They themselves were not physically active.

In general, non-disabled young people were more likely than disabled young people to say:

• It's always true they can count on their friends to help when they have a problem.
• They had a boyfriend or a girlfriend and had more sexual experience.
• They had use of a bank account in their own name or use of a debit card.
• They spend time on social media or messaging and have taken part in team sports.
• They feel that they have a good life.
• They talk to a friend when they worry about something.
• Their health was 'excellent' or 'very good'.
• They were active for more than 7 hours a week.

In general, parents of non-disabled young people were more likely than parents of disabled young people to say:

• They felt 'very competent and confident' about their parenting.
• It was 'very true' that they help their child to become an independent person.
• Their child's health was very good.
• That their own health was either 'excellent' or 'very good'.

In general, young people in more deprived SIMD quintiles were more likely than young people in less deprived SIMD quintiles to say:

• They had skipped school.
• That they saw themselves going to college after they leave school.
• They had a boyfriend or girlfriend.
• They got less than 8 hours sleep and that it took them more than 60 minutes to fall asleep.

In general, parents of young people in more deprived SIMD quintiles were more likely than parents of young people in less deprived SIMD quintiles to say:

• Their child received support through special schools.
• They had been contacted about their child's behaviour at school and about their child's attendance at school.
• It was 'very true' that they are always telling their child what to do and how to behave and that they are overprotective of their child.
• Their child had caring responsibilities.
• They themselves were not physically active.

In general, young people in less deprived SIMD quintiles were more likely than young people in more deprived SIMD quintiles to say:

• They 'agreed strongly' that they were good at maths.
• They saw themselves going to University after they leave school.
• They had an allowance and have access to their money in different ways.
• They took part in team sports; art, music, or performance; classes or extra lessons; and classes to learn new skills.
• They 'always' have a good life.
• They talk to their parents when they worry about something.
• Their health was 'excellent'.
• They felt pressure to look or dress a certain way.

In general, parents of young people in less deprived SIMD quintiles were more likely than parents of young people in more deprived SIMD quintiles to say:

• Their child got support from their teacher.
• They had attended a school event their child participated in and to have attended an open meeting at their child's school.
• Their own health was excellent or very good.