Girls are raised across societies with some fixed notions of how they should sit, talk, laugh, walk and behave as well as what kind of clothes they should wear. The pressure to do better in society and getting fit to the criteria of an ‘ideal girl’ as per social norms can lead to mental health issues in teenage girls, a new study suggests. Researchers from the University of Exeter in England have claimed in their study that the pressure from school friends and family to become an ideal girl and live up to the expectations of society could lead to mental health problems.
Dr Lauren Stentiford, lecturer of Education at the University of Exeter and author of this study stated that the team studied research papers published on the mental health of girls from 1990 to 2021, wherein they found that adolescent girls are more prone to mental health issues.
Dr Stentiford said, “We hope that our work will draw attention to the increasing dangers of girls’ mental health. It will inspire to increase discussion on this serious subject towards the education system and environment.”
https://www.exeter.ac.uk/news/research/title_890615_en.html
According to this study, published in the journal Educational Review, school and family environments can be a cause of stress in girls from all backgrounds. The pressure of getting good grades, being active and popular and participating in post-teaching activities affect the mental health of adolescent girls.
The study shows that the expectation of parents at home and the pressure of competition in school create fear about the future among adolescent girls.
