Teenage girls at greater risk of depression

Monday, 18 April 2011 5:12 PM

Are schooldays really the best days of your life? As many as 900,000 teenage girls in the UK are "unhappy and depressed" according to new analysis by think tank Demos.

There is also a real difference between the sexes. Almost a third (30%) of girls report feeling "unhappy and depressed" "rather more than usual" and "much more than usual" - twice as much as boys (15%).

'Happiness' levels in the last three years have dropped overall, especially those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

The report is an analysis of Department of Education statistics and raises fears of teenagers becoming increasingly isolated by social networking, and potentially a rise in bullying.

A significantly higher proportion of teenage girls (aged 14-15) report feeling "worthless", "unhappy or depressed" or "low in confidence", compared to male respondents.
 
The proportion of teenage girls (16%) reporting feeling worthless "rather more than usual" and "much more than usual" was twice the number of teenage boys (7%). Almost a third (30%) of girls report feeling "unhappy and depressed" "rather more than usual" and "much more than usual" - twice as much as boys (15%).
 
Julia Margo, Demos Deputy Director, said: "It is definitely tougher to grow up in Britain as a girl and it harder having to do it now than it has been in recent years."

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