The Problem: Alarming trends among today's young adults
Suicide is
the third leading cause of death for teenagers aged
15-19. The rates have tripled in the last 40 years. A
survey of 12,000 high school students showed that students
admitting they cheated on an exam at least once in the
past year jumped from 61% in 1992 to 74% in 2002. Thirty-five
percent of young women become pregnant at least once before
they reach the age of 20 — about 850,000 a year. Eight
in ten of these pregnancies are unintended and 79 percent
are to unmarried teens. 98
percent of teenagers spend eleven hours per week watching
TV. Teenagers
spend an average of 3.5 hours alone every day. The
American Council of Life Insurance did a survey which
revealed that the loneliest people are college students. 75%
of high school graduates who have been involved in church
activities will leave the church and set aside their Christian
convictions when they leave home for college or the workplace.
