Problems With Teen Girls

Body Image

• Adolescent girls go through a myriad of changes and adjustments during the teen years. Some of these changes include new perceptions of self-image and self-esteem. When self-esteem increases, teens have more confidence and feel better about themselves over all, which can impact behavior. Girls with higher self-esteem will probably make better choices. Body image and self-esteem can be intertwined. Teen girls especially compare themselves with their peers and with those they see on television or in the media. Family factors may also influence a girl's self-perception. Teenage girls watch their mothers for cues about body image, whether negative or positive. A girl may mimic her mom's yo-yo dieting or hours spent putting on make-up. On the other hand, moms can model a self-accepting view of their bodies, which will positively impact their daughters.

Puberty

• Puberty, or the changes the body goes through as it matures, usually lasts two to three years, and girls generally complete this process between ages 11 and 16. Changes include breast development, mild acne, pubic hair, body odor and a slight vaginal discharge. The menstrual cycle usually begins after these initial changes.

Mental Health

• Social pressures can cause depression in teen girls who may already struggle with churning emotions. This may be a time when teen girls battle suicidal thoughts or even attempts. Depression can also manifest itself through self-mutilation behaviors, such as cutting. Mixed messages about role expectations can also confuse adolescents. For instance, parents expect their teen girls to get good grades, but they may still cling to the stereotype that men should be smarter than women. Developing teen brains may not be aware of all the consequences of some of their choices. Girls can respond to these pressures through conformity, withdrawal, depression or anger, or a combination of two or more of these response. Concerned adults can encourage teens to know themselves and remain true to their own identity and values.

Relationships

• Many teen girls spend much of the time thinking about or dealing with relationship issues, ranging from family issues to peers to sexuality. Family pressures impact teens, including parental substance abuse and domestic violence to divorce to struggles with job loss and financial difficulties during these tight economic times. The media portrays some tweens and teens, such as Miley Cyrus, in overtly sexual poses and, in some cases, glorify teen pregnancy, such as that of Jamie Spears. Teen girls begin to group date and, eventually, date in couples. Pressure about sex from both female friends and boyfriends runs rampant, with concerns about serious health risks. In 2008, according to the Center for Disease Control, one in four girls between the ages of 14 and 19 had a sexually transmitted disease.