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“What Girls Say” About Self-Esteem, Body Image, and Holistic Health October 17, 2007

“What Girls Say” About Self-Esteem, Body Image, and Holistic Health October 17, 2007. Judy Schoenberg, Ed.M., Director, Research & Outreach Kimberlee Salmond, M.P.P., Senior Researcher, Research & Outreach Girl Scout Research Institute. Goal for the Day

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“What Girls Say” About Self-Esteem, Body Image, and Holistic Health October 17, 2007

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  1. “What Girls Say”About Self-Esteem, Body Image, and Holistic HealthOctober 17, 2007 Judy Schoenberg, Ed.M., Director, Research & Outreach Kimberlee Salmond, M.P.P., Senior Researcher, Research & Outreach Girl Scout Research Institute

  2. Goal for the Day Help you better understand girls’ experiences in: • Self Esteem • Body Image • Holistic Health as we develop solutions to address challenges and advance the well-being of girls

  3. External Influences • “Girl-Power” media market culture • Sexualization of Girls • Ideal-body internalization Packaging Girlhood, Lamb & Brown; Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls, APA Task Force; The Prevention Researcher

  4. Age Compression “Teens Before their Time” • Pressure to be everything to everyone • Cognitive and physical development vs. emotional development Girls Speak Out and Teens Before their Time, GSRI

  5. Holistic Health • Being healthy is emotional and physical well-being. • More than just eating right and exercising • About feeling good about oneself, being supported and appearing “normal.” The New Normal?, GSRI

  6. Self-esteem, body image, and stress are core components of emotional health. • Girls are more concerned than boys about everything, especially appearance. • Stress increases with age, but nearly half of 3rd – 5th grade girls are often stressed. • 1 in 4 girls has some level of dissatisfaction with her weight. • Role of age and race in body image and attitudes. The New Normal? GSRI

  7. What worries girls the most? • Being teased or made fun of (32%) • Being gossiped about (24%) • Being called names (18%). 66% of youth have been teased or gossiped about in a mean way at least once in the past month and 57% have teased or gossiped about someone else. Feeling Safe, GSRI; Youth and Violence, Families and Work Institute

  8. Girls who do not feel emotionally safe are more likely to: • Have trouble paying attention in school • Have trouble making decisions • Often feel sad and unhappy • Often feel there is no one to talk to Feeling Safe, GSRI

  9. Body Image & Eating Disorders • Almost half (46%) of girls report significant distress about their body size and shape. • Body dissatisfaction increases risk for disordered eating, depressed mood, and low self-esteem. • Up to 10% of girls and young women might suffer from disordered eating. The Prevention Researcher

  10. Eating Disorders & Obesity • Obesity is now the most chronic health problem among American children. • The strongest correlation for overweight girls is between weight and income. • Research suggests that eating disorders tend to co-occur with being overweight. • There are benefits of collaborative efforts to curb all eating related disturbances. The New Normal? GSRI; The Prevention Researcher

  11. “Active Identities” • The more physically active girls are, the greater their self-esteem and the more satisfied they are with their weight, regardless of how much they weigh. • 83% of very active girls say that physical activity makes them feel good about themselves. The New Normal? GSRI

  12. The Mother-Daughter Connection A mother’s weight, body image, and health habits are strong predictors of whether her daughter: • Is overweight • Is satisfied with her body • Is physically active • Looks to her mother for advice on healthy living The New Normal? GSRI

  13. Girl Scouts in Action • 3 million girls + 1 million adult volunteers nationwide • 95 year history offering girls innovative programs in self-esteem, physical activity, nutrition and holistic health • More than 60 Healthy Living Earned Awards & Participation Patches • GSRI Resources

  14. Recommendations for Working with Girls • Listen to girls, take them seriously, and reward their accomplishments. • Respect girls’ experiences. • Be honest, kind, and supportive. • Provide fun, safe environments.

  15. Recommendations for Policy Makers • Policy solutions should embrace a holistic definition of health. • Community-based organizations that serve youth should be seen as vital partners.

  16. Looking Forward: Girls as leaders today and tomorrow 69% of girls currently think of themselves as leaders. Girls are leaders in three arenas: • At school (66%) • At home (44%) • In after-school groups or activities (29%) However, an important disconnect occurs as girls envision being leaders later in life. Only about 1/3 of girls (36%) are interested in being leaders when they are older. Exploring Girls’ Leadership, GSRI

  17. The New Girl Scout Leadership Development Experience • Discover, Connect, and Take Action • Exploring Girls’ Leadership Research Review, October 2007 • Original study on girls and leadership, coming Spring 2008

  18. The Girl Scout Research Institute • For more information contact the GSRI: gsresearch@girlscouts.org • Visit the GSRI web page: http://www.girlscouts.org/Research

  19. Girl Scouts of the USA

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