This guide provides the necessary definitions, protocols, and context for entering and interpreting data from the CHSCY 2023 cross-sectional file for youth aged 12 to 17. Statistics Canada's copy of this description (the basis of this interpreted description) is also available within the data's file.

A. Core Data Source Information

• Primary Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth (CHSCY): 2023 cross-sectional file.
• Target Population: The overall survey covers the population aged 1 to 17 living in the ten Canadian provinces. The data in this specific table is for the subset of youth aged 12 to 17.
• Key Population Exclusions: The following populations are not included in this dataset:
  • Children and youth residing in the three Territories.
  • Children and youth living on First Nation reserves and other Aboriginal settlements.
  • Children and youth living in foster homes.
  • The institutionalized population.
• Respondent: All data in this table is self-reported directly by youth aged between 12 and 17.

B. Data Entry & Handling Protocols

This section outlines the specific rules for data entry and flagging.

1. Rounding Convention:
   • Aggregate numbers (e.g., total population counts) must be rounded to the nearest hundred.
   • Percentages must be rounded to the nearest tenth (e.g., 15.3%).
2. Handling of Missing Data:
   • All estimates (percentages, averages) are calculated by excluding non-response categories (e.g., "not stated") from the denominator. Ensure any calculations performed on the raw data follow this rule.
3. Data Quality Flags: When entering or displaying data, apply the following flags as provided in the source file:
   • (E) Use with Caution: This flag indicates an estimate with poorer quality. This is due to a high coefficient of variation (CV) or a small sample size. These data points can be used but should be interpreted with caution due to high variability.
   • (F) Suppressed: This flag indicates that the data has been withheld by Statistics Canada to meet the confidentiality requirements of the Statistics Act. These fields should be left blank or marked as "Suppressed."

C. Data Dictionary: Key Variable Definitions

Use these official definitions when labeling variables in the database and in any reports or visualizations.

• Perceived Life Stress:
  • Applies to: Youth aged 12 to 17.
  • Description: Indicates youth who reported perceiving that most days in their life were "quite a bit or extremely stressful."
• Experience of Bullying (Any Form):
  • Applies to: Youth aged 12 to 17.
  • Description: Indicates youth who reported experiencing at least one of ten defined forms of bullying (which includes cyberbullying) at any frequency (from a few times a year to daily) within the last 12 months.
• Experience of Cyberbullying:
  • Applies to: Youth aged 12 to 17.
  • Description: Indicates youth who reported experiencing at least one of three defined forms of cyberbullying at any frequency within the last 12 months. This is a sub-component of the general "Experience of Bullying" indicator.

D. Methodological Notes for Analysis & Interpretation

This information is crucial for anyone analyzing the data or writing reports.

• Reporting Method: All data in this table is self-reported. This means the youth aged 12 to 17 answered the survey questions on behalf of themselves, providing a direct perspective on their experiences.
• Statistical Reliability: Estimates are accompanied by a 95% Confidence Interval (95% CI).
  • The CI illustrates the degree of variability associated with an estimate.
  • Rule of Thumb: Wide confidence intervals indicate high variability and suggest the estimate is less precise. These estimates should be used with due caution.
  • Methodology: The CIs were produced using bootstrapping techniques.
• Comparing Estimates: When comparing two values (e.g., across regions or groups), it is essential to use the confidence intervals to determine if the difference between them is statistically significant.