Читать книгу Counseling the Contemporary Woman - Suzanne Degges-White - Страница 64

Adolescent girls may experience many more stressors growing up compared to their male counterparts. For example, body image, double standards in sexuality, female gender roles being valued less than male roles, lower expectations of success for girls, earlier onset of puberty, and rumination tendencies are only some of the factors influencing girls’ self-esteem and self-perceptions, which tend to decline in adolescent years. As young girls are trying to figure out who they are, they are constantly bombarded with messages about who they need to become. Their relationship to self is rather fragile and often unacknowledged due to frequent peer and media pressure of expected norms for looks and behaviors. There is little room for introspection on their own strengths, talents, and values.

Social media plays a significant role in the world of adolescent girls and it can have a significant impact on their sense of self. Nowadays, the majority of adolescents are connected to social media through technology (e.g., computers, smart phones). What they see and hear on social media platforms shapes their views, perspectives, and experiences significantly. Research indicates that 71 percent of adolescents use more than one social media platform, and the average time spent on social media is about nine hours a day (Department of Health and Human Services, 2016). The most common platforms are Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. Girls were found more likely than boys to use visually oriented platforms such as Instagram, Pinterest, and Tumblr. Social media use is consistently and positively associated with negative body image, and longitudinal studies suggest that this association may strengthen over time; young women who spend a significant amount of time viewing music videos are especially at risk for increased perceived importance of appearance and increased weight concerns (Fardouly & Vartanian, 2016). The majority of social media platforms expose adolescents to violent, sexual, and materialistic images, which often serve as a social comparison; this creates expectations for normative behaviors and values that might be incongruent with those of most families (Comstock & Scharrer, 2006). In the last few years, text messaging and chat rooms have become a norm for communicating not only with friends but also with the larger society, often anonymously. This presents another opportunity for risk taking and aggressive behaviors, such as cyberbullying. To navigate such a complex and challenging environment while establishing an identity, adolescent girls require support and guidance primarily from their immediate family circle but also from school personnel and the larger community. It is through constant negotiations between all factors mentioned above (e.g., risk factors and protective factors) that young girls will develop a clear sense of self and continue with healthy biopsychosocial development. It is a team effort to raise a child and support a growing adolescent. No school or family can do it alone. Parents, professionals, and nonprofessionals have a huge obligation to create environments that promote healthy growth opportunities for all adolescents.