For more information about teens, be sure to check out the related resources and news releases featured on this page. Also, watch for new information to be added to this archive in the months to come.

Family

• 57% of teens live in the same home with both of their natural parents. (1999)
• 43% talk to family or friends about religious matters in a typical day. (1998)
• 41% talk to family or friends about politics in a typical day. (1998)
• 70% of teens have daily conversations with their mothers about an important issue in their life, compared to the 53% of teens who have a similar type of conversation with their fathers. (1998)

Adults and Teens

• Teens describe themselves as “happy” (92%); “responsible” (91%); “self reliant” (86%); “optimistic about my future” (82%); “trusting of other people” (80%); “very intelligent” (79%); and “physically attractive” (74%). (1998)
• Teens believe adults would describe young people as "lazy" (84%); "rude" (91%); "sloppy" (70%); "dishonest" (65%); and violent (57%). "Friendly" (63%) and "intelligent" (58%) also were chosen by a majority of teens. (1998)
• 47% say their parents have the greatest influence on their spiritual development; 16% listed their church; 8% named peers; 4% said relatives (1998)
• 85% say their parents approve of all or most of their close friends (1998)

The Future

Desires teens hold for their future: (1998)

• having a college degree (88%)
• having good physical health (87%)
• having close personal friendships (84%)
• having a comfortable lifestyle (83%)
• having one marriage partner for life (82%)
• having a clear purpose for living (77%)
• living with a high degree of integrity (71%)
• having a close relationship with God (66%)
• influencing other people's lives (56%)
• making a difference in the world (56%)
• having a satisfying sex life with their marriage partner (55%)
• working in a high paying job (55%)
• having children (54%)
• being deeply committed to the Christian faith (50%)
• living close to family and relatives (49%)
• being personally active in a church (43%)
• owning a large home (28%)
• owning the latest household technology and electronic equipment (27%)
• achieving fame or public recognition (18%)

Spirituality

• 34% of teens are born again Christians. (1999)
• In 1997, 88% of teens say they are Christian. This number dropped to 82% in 1999.
• Of those who call themselves Christians, 26% said they are “absolutely committed” and 57% said that they were “moderately committed" to the Christian faith. (1999)
• Nearly 2 out of 5 teens (39%) believe the Bible is totally accurate in all of its teachings. (1999)
• Almost two-thirds describe themselves as “religious” (64%). (1999)
• Three out of every five call themselves “spiritual” (60%). (1999)
• Three out of five say they are “committed Christians” (60%). (1999)
• One out of every three teens (33%) is born again. (1999)
• Only 4% of U.S. teens are evangelicals (1999)
• 28% of teens feel a personal responsibility to tell others about their religious beliefs (56% of born again Christian teens feel this way). (1999)
• 56% of teens feel that their religious faith is very important in their life. (1999)
• 37% of teens believe that the devil, or Satan, is not a living being but is only a symbol of evil. (1999)
• 37% of teens believe that you can earn a place in heaven. (1999)
• 22% of teens believe Jesus Christ committed sins while on earth (compared to 10% of born again Christian teens who believe that Jesus committed sins while on earth). (1999)
• 30% of teens believe that all religions are really praying to the same God, they are just using different names for God. (1999)

Religious Activities

• Nearly 9 out of 10 (89%) teens pray weekly. (1999)
• Over half of teens (56%) attend church on a given Sunday. (1999)
• 38% of teens donate some of their own money to a church in a given week. (1999)
• 35% of teens attend Sunday school in a given week. (1999)
• 35% of teens read the Bible each week, not including when they are in church. (1999)
• More than seven out of ten teens are engaged in some church-related effort in a typical week: attending worship services, Sunday school, a church youth group or a small group. (1999)
• 32% of teens attend youth group, other than a small group or Sunday school, each week. (1999)
• 29% of teens attend a small group each week that meets regularly for Bible study, prayer or Christian fellowship, not including Sunday school or a 12-step group. (1999)
• 18% read from a sacred text other than the Bible in a given week. (1999)