GovWire

The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) was commissioned by a consortium of government departments and public bodies to design, conduct and report on a study of the behaviour and attitudes of young people in Northern Ireland.

The Young Persons Behaviour and Attitudes Survey (YPBAS) is a school- based survey carried out amongst 11-16 year olds and covers a wide range of topics relevant to the lives of young people today. The main aim of the YPBAS is to gain an insight into, and understanding of, their behaviour and lifestyle. It also aims to influence various government policies and practices relating to young people and to facilitate access to research findings and expertise.

Eight rounds of the survey have now taken place: in 2000, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019 and most recently in 2022.

As in previous years, two versions of the questionnaire were created to accommodate demand for topics on the survey. With the assistance of steering group members and children of NISRA staff, draft questionnaires were tested for understanding, length and flow. NISRA provided feedback from this group to departments, allowing for changes to be made before the content was finalised. The content and structure of each questionnaire was agreed upon in consultation with clients. Schools were randomly assigned one version of the questionnaire.