Baseline Positive Social Norm Survey Data

In the spring of 2025, Skowhegan Area Middle School Students took a survey

What Are Students Asked in the Survey?

Descriptive norms - how people in a group actually behave or are perceived to behave.

actual use
perceived use,
how youth avoid use,
coping strategies.

Injunctive norms - how people in a group feel or believe that others ought to behave.

perceptions and attitudes towards peer use, and
reasons for not using.

Baseline Survey Results

Demographics

Total SAMS Population

● 6th Grade

● 7th Grade - 172

● 8th Grade - 135

Total Responses - 204

● Opt Out - 24

● 6th Grade - 0

● 7th Grade - 99 (57%)

● 8th Grade - 80 (59%)

Gender

● Boy - 41%

● Girl - 58%

● Other - 1%

What types of grades do you usually get?

● As - 41%

● Bs - 38%

● Cs - 29%

● Ds - 2%

● Fs - 3%

Tobacco

Student Attitudes About Tobacco Use (Including Vaping)

Students were asked about their own beliefs about tobacco use and what they think peers believe.

This table shows that most students believe that using tobacco products is never OK for people their age. However, fewer students think that this belief is shared by most of their peers.

This gap shows a misperception of the norm: students believe their peers are more accepting of tobacco and nicotine use than they actually are.

This misperception matters, because what students think others believe can influence their own choices.

Actual Use & Perceived Use of Friends, Classmates, & High School Students

Students were asked about their own use of tobacco and asked how frequently they believe their friends, classmates and high school students are using.

The first bar in this graph shows that most students (90%) have never used tobacco. The other 3 bars show what they believe about their peers’ behavior. The takeaway: students consistently overestimate use.

Closing the gap between perception and reality is the primary goal of the positive social norms campaign. Knowing the true norm supports healthier decisions.

Cannabis

Student Attitudes About Cannabis (Marijuana) Use

Students were asked about their own beliefs about cannabis use and what they think their peers believe.

This table shows, similar to the tobacco graph above, that most students believe that using cannabis products is never OK for people their age. However, fewer students think that this belief is shared by most of their peers.

This gap shows a misperception of the norm: students believe their peers are more accepting of cannabis use than they actually are.

This misperception matters, because what students think others believe can influence their own choices.

Actual Use & Perceived Use of Friends, Classmates, & High School Students

Students were asked about their own use of cannabis and asked how frequently they believe their friends, classmates and high school students are using.

Most students report never using cannabis themselves (92%) but assume far fewer peers (38%) and even fewer high schoolers (21%) abstain.

The takeaway: students consistently overestimate use.

The primary goal of the positive social norms campaign is to expose students to true norm messages that will close the gap between perceived and actual use.

How Students Avoid Using Tobacco & Cannabis

Students were asked about the strategies they use for avoiding tobacco and cannabis.

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