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Abstract

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) administered its 75-item 1991 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance survey to a nationwide random sample of 12, 248 high school students. In a secondary analysis of their data, one item on students' perceived class standing, was compared with selected health risk-taking practices. The 7.7% of students who indicated that they were “below the middle” in comparison with their classmates reported more participation in all risk-taking behaviors than students who reported being “in the middle” (28.6%) or “above the middle” (63.7%). Students' grades, ages, and ethnicity showed significant differences, with younger students and selected ethnocultural minority students more likely to report being “below the middle.” Perceived class standing may be a proxy measure for estimating participation in health-compromising practices.

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An Academic Paradox: High School Students' Perceptions of Their Class Standing and Self-Reported Risk-Taking

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