Madison youth survey finds asset gains, lower self-reported substance use and new concerns about gambling and sophomore use
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Summary
Madison Youth and Family Services presented 2025 survey results showing increases in developmental assets and declines in several risky behaviors, while noting a spike in 30-day use among sophomores and 108 students reporting recent gambling—25% of those showed problem-gambling indicators. Board members pressed for follow-ups.
Madison Youth and Family Services presented findings from the Search Institute attitudes and behavior survey and a locally developed addendum to the Madison Board of Education on the district’s recent meeting night.
The presenters said the survey (administered online in October) averages 160 core questions plus a local addendum and provides consistent multi-year trend data. “The tool itself, it’s a 160 questions,” the presenter said, describing why the district keeps much of the instrument to preserve longitudinal comparisons.
Why it matters: presenters reported that average developmental assets increased to 22.7 per student (up two assets from 2023) and that several indicators—self-reported school safety and caring school climate—improved, which the presenters tied to strong extracurricular programming and family supports in Madison. At the same time, the addendum revealed issues the board plans to track: 108 students reported gambling in the last 30 days, 95% of those respondents identified as male, and 25% of that subgroup reported behaviors consistent with possible problem gambling.
Board members pressed presenters on interpretation and follow-up. One member asked whether Connecticut’s legalization of cannabis had produced clear changes in student cannabis use; the presenter answered that Madison’s data remained relatively flat while statewide data showed an increase in some years. On the unusual grade-level pattern, a presenter highlighted that “for the past two surveys we are now seeing where you see a higher percentage of 30-day [use] in sophomores and then a little lower in juniors,” and recommended closer monitoring of that cohort.
On mental health, presenters summarized PHQ-4 screening results: 23.7% of respondents fell in the mild category, with moderate and severe at roughly 8.5% and 8.1% respectively, and self-reported attempted suicide rates trended down overall but remained highest among ninth graders. Presenters said those figures guide immediate school-level interventions: “this information directs our programming,” a presenter said, and health teachers and counseling staff receive the data for curricular and support planning.
Questions remained about measurement limits. Board members and presenters acknowledged possible underreporting for illegal behaviors; several trustees recommended follow-up analysis (for example, breaking out online gambling vs. scratch tickets) and requested that some addendum items be reported by subgroup where possible. District leaders said they would make follow-up data available to the board and that Youth and Family Services will use the findings to inform near-term programming and curriculum.
What’s next: presenters said they will provide requested breakdowns after their paternity-leave schedule allows and reiterated that the board and district staff will track cohorts over time to measure the effect of interventions.
