Little Teenage Girls EXCLUSIVE
Adolescence is a period of transition for developmental and social domains that may also be accompanied by behavioral problems. Aggressive behavior may be a mental health concern for young teens and is defined as a behavioral and emotional trait that may be distressing for others. This study aimed to understand the factors associated with aggressiveness among young teenage girls. A cross-sectional study was conducted among a sample of 707 female middle school-aged students using multistage random sampling in Tabriz, Iran. The variables of interest were aggressiveness, general health status, happiness, social acceptance, and feelings of loneliness. Structural equation modeling was employed to analyze the data. Low parental support, low satisfaction with body image, high sense of loneliness, and lower perceived social acceptance were found to be the factors influencing aggressiveness. The current study found that the school environment, home environment, individual and interpersonal factors all play a part in aggressiveness. As a result, the contributing elements must be considered when creating and executing successful interventions to improve this population's psychological well-being.
little teenage girls
While all teens reported increasing mental health challenges, experiences of violence, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors, girls fared worse than boys across nearly all measures. The new report also confirms ongoing and extreme distress among teens who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or questioning (LGBQ+).
In recent years, mental health issues among U.S. teens have increased, particularly among young women. From 2001 to 2017, adolescent depression rates increased by 60%, with the largest increases among females (Figure 1).[6] The number of adolescent girls age 12 to 17 seeking counseling or treatment for mental health disorders including anxiety, depression, and suicidal thinking increased by 11% between 2005 and 2018.[7]
Emergency room visits for self-inflicted injuries have also been on the rise among youth.[10] From 2009 to 2015, rates of self-inflicted injuries increased by 18.8% per year among 10-14-year-old girls, and increased by 7.2% for females ages 15-19 between 2008 and 2015. The largest increase in self-inflicted harms among females was for injuries by sharp object (7% annual increase from 2001 to 2015).[11] Rates of self-inflicted injury among males remained stable over that time.[12]
Overall, more adolescent girls than boys are diagnosed with mental health issues. In 2014, for example, 17.3% of adolescent girls age 12 to 17 experienced major depressive episodes, compared to only 5.7% of adolescent boys.[13]
Evidence suggests teen girls are, at minimum, reporting and being treated more frequently with mental health issues, but the question remains whether social media is causing or exacerbating these issues. One thing can be said for sure: numerous studies have found an association between time spent on social media and poorer teen mental health, especially among young women.
International studies have come to similar conclusions. A 2021 study authored by Cooper McAllister et al. using a nationally representative U.K. study, relied on contemporaneous time diaries to study the effects of digital technology on teens ages 13-15.[17] They found that while 7-8% of boys exhibited clinically significant depressive symptoms or engaged in self-harm, 20% of girls exhibited depressive symptoms or engaged in self-harm. Boys also spent less time on social media than girls, even though boys spent more time on digital media overall with other online activities such as gaming.
Digital media was consistently associated with a higher likelihood of suicidal and non-suicidal self-harm and depression among girls, but rarely among boys. Figure 2 displays the associations between time on various forms of digital media use and the likelihood of engaging in self-harm by sex.
Meanwhile, girls who spent more than two hours per day using social media were significantly more likely to engage in self-harm and more likely to suffer clinically significant depression symptoms than those using social media for less than two hours per day (Figure 3). The researchers found 29% of girls who spent three or more hours per day on social media engaged in self-harm and 31% of girls who spent five or more hours on social media were depressed. Among girls who spent less than 2 hours per day on social media, 19% engaged in self-harm and 20% experienced depression.
While these studies demonstrate a sometimes alarming association between use of social media and poorer mental health among adolescent girls, the findings cannot tell us whether social media use causes poorer mental health among young women. For example, girls who are already depressed may use extended time on social media as a coping mechanism, which is a limitation these studies acknowledge.
Polycystic (pronounced: pol-ee-SISS-tik) ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common health problem that can affect teen girls and young women. It can cause irregular menstrual periods, make periods heavier, or even make periods stop. It can also cause a girl to have excess hair and acne.
Both girls and guys produce sex hormones, but in different amounts. In girls, the ovaries make the hormones estrogen and progesterone, and also androgens, such as testosterone. The adrenal glands also make androgens. These small glands sit on top of each kidney. These hormones regulate a girl's menstrual cycle and document.write(def_ovulation_T); ovulation(when the egg is released).
Androgens are sometimes called "male hormones," but the female body also makes them. In girls with PCOS, the body makes a higher than normal amount of androgens. Research also suggests that the body might make too much document.write(def_insulin_T); insulin, signaling the ovaries to release extra male hormones.
The higher amounts of androgens that happen in PCOS can interfere with egg development and release. Instead of the eggs maturing, sometimes cysts (little sacs filled with liquid) develop. Then, instead of an egg being released during ovulation as in a normal period, the cysts build up in the ovaries. Polycystic ovaries can become enlarged. Girls with PCOS might not be ovulating or releasing an egg each month, so many have irregular or missed periods.
Still, many girls with PCOS can get pregnant if they have sex. So if you're sexually active, use condoms every time you have sex to avoid becoming pregnant or getting a sexually transmitted disease (STD). (Of course, this is important whether you have PCOS or not.)
Sometimes doctors prescribe medicines to treat PCOS. A doctor might first have a girl try birth control pills to help control androgen levels in her body and regulate her menstrual cycle. Birth control pills may help control acne and excessive hair growth in some girls, but they don't work for everyone. It may take up to 6 months to determine whether treatment with birth control is effective.
Medicines used to treat PCOS will slow down or stop excessive hair growth for many girls. Also, different types of products can help get rid of hair where it's not wanted. Depilatory creams can gently remove facial hair on the upper lip or chin. Follow the instructions carefully so you don't develop a rash or allergic reaction.
Some girls with PCOS may become depressed, in which case it may help to talk to a therapist or other mental health professional. Talking with other teens and women with PCOS is a great way to share information about treatment and get support. Ask your doctor or search online for a local support group.
Interpersonal violence is among the leading causes of death in adolescents and young people globally. Its prominence varies substantially by world region. It causes nearly a third of all adolescent male deaths in low- and middle-income countries in the WHO Region of the Americas. According to the global school-based student health survey 42% of adolescent boys and 37% of adolescent girls were exposed to bullying. Sexual violence also affects a significant proportion of youth: 1 in 8 young people report sexual abuse.
Adolescents need and have a right to comprehensive sexuality education, a curriculum-based process of teaching and learning about the cognitive, emotional, physical and social aspects of sexuality. Better access to contraceptive information and services can reduce the number of girls becoming pregnant and giving birth at too young an age. Laws that are enforced that specify a minimum age of marriage at 18 can help.
Many boys and girls in developing countries enter adolescence undernourished, making them more vulnerable to disease and early death. At the other end of the spectrum, the number of adolescents who are overweight or obese is increasing in low-, middle- and high-income countries. 041b061a72