Teenagers: Girls Report More Emotional Problems Than Boys

By Margarita Nahapetyan

Young girls are more likely to struggle with higher levels of emotional problems and less emotional well—being than boys, finds a new major Canadian study that conducted a though analysis of the mental health of teenage girls and boys. According to the new findings, interpersonal relationships at home, school, with friends and within their local neighborhoods turn out to be critical for positive mental health among young generation.

The study of more than 26,000 teenagers from 436 schools and aged between 11 and 15 years old was commissioned by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and authored by scientists at Queen's University. It is the most recent report in the ongoing Health Behavior in School—aged Children study, which has been conducted every 4 years since 1989 in collaboration with the PHAC and Health Canada.

It was revealed that about one—fifth of teenage boys (22 per cent) and one—third of teenage girls (28 per cent) reported feeling depressed or low at least once during a week. And one—quarter of boys and almost one—third of girls said that they wished to be someone else. By Grade 10, there is a 14 per cent gap between boys and girls, researchers said noting that by Grade 10, 24 per cent of boys and 38 per cent of girls report feeling depressed at least once a week.

Still, most teenagers in the survey rated satisfaction with their lives as 8 or higher on a scale of one to 10, and the overall proportion of teenagers who feel understood by their parents today is higher than in recent years. Also, at least three—quarters of boys and girls reported to find it easy communicating to their mother about life problems.

In addition to all this, the investigators found striking differences in the mental health of girls and boys. While boys are more likely than girls to have problems with their behavior, such as skipping classes at school, answering back to teachers and getting into fights, girls are more likely to experience emotional problems like feeling nervous, frustrated, helpless, feeling left out of things or feeling lonely.

Boys tend to externalize their unhappiness with things, while girls internalize it, said Juniper Glass, director of development at Girls Action Foundation, a national organization that helps develop community initiatives and programs for girls. Boys express their emotions with bad behavior, while girls are more likely to keep them inside and keep the negativity inside themselves, Glass said. Girls have low self—esteem, they self—harm and can expose themselves to risky and dangerous situations or they put up with not—healthy relationships with their boyfriends.

The survey also found that more girls than boys are not happy with their body, believing that it is too fat. By Grade 10, 39 per cent of girls think that they are overweight — a greater percentage when compared to those who are actually fat or obese. Between 19 and 26 per cent of boys exercise or engage in sports for at least one hour every day, and only 11 to 20 per cent of girls are. Girls are socialized to please other people, to be successful in everything they do and to look beautiful, like magazine images.