Supportive Relationships for Youth

Among youth in NM, over 40% of youth report strongly supportive relationships with family or with peers. 18% high school students and 17% of middle school students also report strongly supportive relationships within a school. These indicators from the 2023 Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey (YRRS) were generated from a number of survey questions from each of these domains.  Students were considered to have supportive relationships if they responded that they “strongly agree” with the following statements.  Other responses to each statement include, “strongly disagree”, “disagree”, “neither agree or disagree”, “agree”.

Family (Home)

• My relationships with my parents or other adults at home are satisfying and supportive.

School

• I have relationships with adults at my school that are satisfying and supportive.

Community (Outside my home and school)

• I have relationships with adults outside of my home and school that are satisfying and supportive.

Peers (Friends my own age)

• I have relationships with friends my own age that are satisfying and supportive.

Youth who have a high level of support from a caring and responsible adults in the home, in the school, or in the community, and those who have a caring relationship with a friend their own age, are less likely to engage in high risk behaviors than youth who do not have these strong relationships with adults or peers. Some of these high-risk behaviors are smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol or binge drinking, and using drugs like cocaine, heroin, or marijuana. These positive relationships are also associated with lower rates of risky sexual behaviors and increased physical activity. For most risk behaviors, protective factors in the home have a stronger protective effect than protective relationships in the school, community, or with peers.