Monday, 20 August 2007 01:39

Teens Say Family is Important to Happiness

What makes young people happy and secure? It turns out that according to an AP and MTV survey spending time with family was the top answer to that open-ended question. The extensive survey asked more than 100 questions of 1,280 people ages 13-24 on the nature of happiness among America's young people. Next was spending time with friends, followed by time with a significant other.

And even better for parents: Nearly three-quarters of young people say their relationship with their parents makes them happy. Other results are more disconcerting. While most young people are happy overall with the way their lives are going, there are racial differences: the poll shows whites to be happier, across economic categories, than blacks and Hispanics. A lot of young people feel stress, particularly those from the middle class, and females more than males. And parents, here's some more for you: Most young people in school say it makes them happy. Overwhelmingly, young people think marriage would make them happy and want to be married some day. Most also want to have kids. Finally, when asked to name their heroes, nearly half of respondents mentioned one or both of their parents. The winner, by a nose: Mom.