Compilation: Szymon Grzelak, PhD, Agata Balcerzak, MA
Introduction
Our expertise in research on youth has developed since the second half of the 1990s. The EIIP staff have conducted numerous research projects concerning the positive potential of youth, the level of intensity of risk and problem behaviours, and the whole array of their underlying intentions, convictions, attitudes, and knowledge.
Instruments
The Pro-Inte Questionnaire (Polish: "Prozint" Quetionnaire) developed under the supervision of Dr. Szymon Grzelak in 2006 is used in the research. The questionnaire is comprised of a set of questions and research scales that have been under development since 1996. The questionnaire is periodically modified and updated, and its last update took place in January 2016.
The relevance of the tools and the reliability of scales used (e.g. sexualization scale) are high and were all verified with appropriate analyses and confirmed by practice.
One of the early versions of the Pro-Inte Questionnaire has been translated into English and Spanish and used in the research in the USA, Chile and Uganda.
The recent version updated in 2016 has been translated into English and can be used as a model version for other translations.
Research Methods
Research is conducted in accordance with the auditory method. A specially trained surveyor from the Institutes's research centre carries out anonymous surveys of school classes. The course and conditions of the survey are described in detail in a study report in order to evaluate the reliability of the results. Reports on the diagnosis of the positive potential and problem behaviours of adolescents, which also contain cumulative data from a given school, are developed on the basis of the research findings. The reports are then conveyed to the schools concerned, as well as to their managing authorities.
Study Group
The studies are conducted mainly among 14-17 year old youth. Since the start of 2010, EIIP staff have interviewed over 23,000 pupils and have prepared over 200 reports based on the results for schools and local government units.
Ethical Standards
The relevant survey questions concerning engagement in risk and problem behaviours have been formulated in a discreet manner that is appropriate for the age and possible experiences of the respondents. Research is always conducted in connection with an integrated prevention programme which the young people participate in some time after the completion of the survey.