The Monitoring the Future survey was developed in 1975 and is facilitated by the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research. It is a nationally representative survey of ado- lescents that asks participants about their involvement with and opinions about drugs and alcohol. Initially conducted only with high school seniors, the survey sample was extended to 10th graders and 8th graders beginning in 1991. An additional survey is sent to those par- ticipating in the 12th-grade sample for longitudinal follow-up. On average, 50,000 students from across the country participate in the survey each year.
The questions asked in the Monitoring the Future survey fall into four general categories:
Drug and Alcohol Use “How many occasions (if any) have you used [x substance] in your lifetime?” “How many occasions (if any) have you used [x substance] in the last 12 months?” “How many occasions (if any) have you used [x substance] in the last 30 days?”
Alcohol Use For alcohol use, the questions regarding drug and alcohol use are used as well as a similar set of questions asking participants how often they have been drunk in their lifetime, in the last 12 months, and in the last 30 days. In addition, participants are asked, “How many times in the last week have you had five or more drinks?”