A new study on mental health among teenage girls came out a couple of days ago, and is summarised in this piece from the Guardian. Here's a snippet:
According to the report, A Generation Under Stress?, two in five felt worse about themselves after looking at pictures of models, pop stars and actresses in magazines. Some teens also felt under pressure from such publications to be thin, take drugs and even have plastic surgery. Many were self-conscious about their appearance and weight, with a number citing the pressure of the "size zero" culture. The girls questioned described being put under sexual pressure from boys at school or feeling obliged to wear clothes that made them look older.
Pressures to own material goods such as iPods, mobile phones and expensive clothes are also having a negative impact on the lives of many young girls, according to the report. The perceived need to own expensive gadgets left one in five girls feeling angry or sad. "To an extent teenagers have always felt isolated but new pressures, such as the need to buy expensive gadgets and school exams, are making the situation worse," said Murray. Exams made 74 % of the girls questions feel worried, and 19% felt negatively about themselves.
You can download the full report here, and there are summary articles with comment at Shrink Rap, BBC, the Telegraph and there's a page on the Girlguiding website (who commissioned the report) with a couple of related reports published recently.
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