The Child Welfare League of America, in a summary of the report findings, said that teens cite television as the major influence on their opinions about the world, but that they turn to parents and family members to gain perspective on the news. (Friends and peers were a distant second, followed by clergy.)

Asked to grade adults' performance on a variety of issues, teens gave adults a "B-" in fighting the war on terrorism; a "C+" in how well they discipline young people; a "C" in stopping teens from running away; and a "C-" in understanding why teens leave home.

For the sixth straight year, parents got the worst grades for stopping young people from drinking -- an "F." Failing grades ("D"s and "F"s) were also consistently given for "Really Listening to and Understanding Young People," "Getting Rid of Gangs," "Stopping Young People from Smoking," and "Stopping Young People from Using Drugs."

Parents got the best grades for "Providing a Quality Education for Young People," "Creating Job Opportunities for the Future," and "Spending Quality Time with their Families."

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