HBSC ESPAÑA

The 2009-2010 edition of the Spanish HBSC Study was supported and financed by the Ministry of Health, Social Policy and Equality.

In this edition, data was collected from 11,230 boys and girls between the ages of 11 and 18 in a total of 135 educational centres.

The sample selection procedure (random multi-stage sampling, stratified by conglomerates) makes it possible to extrapolate the results to a national level. The results are representative for age levels, geographic areas (northern, central, eastern and southern area) and educational centre types (public or private).

Schools were randomly selected to take part in the study from an educational centres' census provided by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science.

An outstanding characteristic of the data collecting procedure in this edition was that Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) were incorporated.

Three different questionnaires were used: one for students aged 11 or 12 years (5th and 6th year of primary education), other for teenagers aged 13 or 14 years (1st and 2nd year of secondary school) and another questionnaire for teenagers between the ages of 15 and 18 (3rd and 4th year of secondary education and the two post-secondary education years).

Questionnaires included common questions for the more than 40 countries participating in the international research project, as well as specific ones that had been agreed by the Spanish HBSC team and the Spanish Ministry of Health, Social Policy and Equality.

Regarding common questions, a translation and counter-translation process was used in order to ensure the accuracy between languages.

Questionnaires were filled in during school hours with teachers' support and supervision. Clear and specific instructions about the collecting data process had previously been sent to the educational centres. Students' anonymity was guaranteed.