11 Facts About Teen Self-esteem
- Low self-esteem is a thinking disorder in which an individual views him/herself as inadequate, unlovable, and/or incompetent. Once formed, this negative view permeates every thought, producing faulty assumptions and ongoing self-defeating behavior.
- Among high school students, 44% of girls and 15% of guys are attempting to lose weight.
- Over 70% of girls age 15 to 17 avoid normal daily activities, such as attending school, when they feel bad about their looks. Brighten someone’s day by posting encouraging messages on your school’s bathroom mirrors. Sign up for Mirror Messages.
- More than 40% of boys in middle school and high school regularly exercise with the goal of increasing muscle mass.
- 75% of girls with low self-esteem reported engaging in negative activities like cutting, bullying, smoking, drinking, or disordered eating. This compares to 25% of girls with high self-esteem
- About 20% of teens will experience depression before they reach adulthood.
- Teen girls that have a negative view of themselves are 4 times more likely to take part in activities with boys that they've ended up regretting later.
- The top wish among all teen girls is for their parents to communicate better with them. This includes frequent and more open conversations.
- 38% of boys in middle school and high school reported using protein supplements and nearly 6% admitted to experimenting with steroids.
- 7 in 10 girls believe that they are not good enough or don’t measure up in some way, including their looks, performance in school and relationships with friends and family members.
- A girl’s self-esteem is more strongly related to how she views her own body shape and body weight, than how much she actually weighs
Sources - 1 Neuman, M.D., Fredric. "Low Self-esteem." Psychology Today. Accessed March 3, 2014. http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fighting-fear/201304/low-self-esteem.
- 2 Council On Alcoholism And Drug Abuse. "Image and Self Esteem." Mentor Resource Center. Accessed March 3, 2014. http://mentor-center.org/image-and-self-esteem/.
- 3 "Brands in Action: Dove." Unilever USA. Accessed March 3, 2014. http://www.unileverusa.com/brands-in-action/detail/Dove-/298217/.
- 4 Quenqua, Douglas. "Muscular Body Image Lures Boys Into Gym, and Obsession." The New York Times. Accessed March 3, 2014. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/19/health/teenage-boys-worried-about-body-image-take-risks.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0.
- 5 PR Newswire Association LLC. . "New National Report Reveals the High Price of Low Self-Esteem." Dove Self-Esteem Fund. Assessed March 2, 2014. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-national-report-reveals-the-high-price-of-low-self-esteem-65355592.html.
- 6 Borchard, Therese J.. "Why are so Many Teens Depressed?." Psychcentral. Accessed March 3, 2014. http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2010/03/04/why-are-so-many-teens-depressed/.
- 7 Council On Alcoholism And Drug Abuse. "Image and Self Esteem." Mentor Resource Center. Accessed March 3, 2014. http://mentor-center.org/image-and-self-esteem/.
- 8 Shapiro, Hannah. "Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty boosts girls' self-esteem for Back to School." Examiner.com. Accessed March 3, 2014. http://www.examiner.com/article/dove-s-campaign-for-real-beauty-boosts-girls-self-esteem-for-back-to-school.
- 9 Quenqua, Douglas. "Muscular Body Image Lures Boys Into Gym, and Obsession." The New York Times. Accessed March 3, 2014. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/19/health/teenage-boys-worried-about-body-image-take-risks.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0.
- 10 Shapiro, Hannah. "Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty boosts girls' self-esteem for Back to School." Examiner.com. Accessed March 3, 2014. http://www.examiner.com/article/dove-s-campaign-for-real-beauty-boosts-girls-self-esteem-for-back-to-school.
- 11 Linton, Melissa. "Teens & self-esteem: Your teen's self-esteem dependent on you." Examiner.com. Accessed March 3, 2014. http://www.examiner.com/article/teens-self-esteem-your-teen-s-self-esteem-dependent-on-you.
- 1 Neuman, M.D., Fredric. "Low Self-esteem." Psychology Today. Accessed March 3, 2014. http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fighting-fear/201304/low-self-esteem.