Social media pressures 'driving up exam stress in girls'

Ahead of GCSE results, Girlguiding warns of expectation to post online and schools seeking acclaim

Publicity-hungry schools and pressure to post results on social media are driving up exam stress among girls, the Girlguiding movement has said, after it found that close to two-thirds of girls now believe there is too much pressure to succeed.

On the eve of the GCSE results the charity said girls were facing a perfect storm of pressures, with well over half of those aged 11 to 21 fearing a bad performance in exams could ruin their futures.

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The proportion of 17-to-21-year-olds wanting to be leaders in their profession has fallen from 66% in 2016 to 53%.

More than a third of girls aged 11 to 21 have faced bullying about how they look, rising to almost half among those aged 17 to 21.

71% of girls apply filters to the pictures they post on social media some or all of the time.

A third said they had seen upsetting or harmful pictures or videos online that they wish they hadn’t.

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In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international suicide helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.

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from Children | The Guardian https://ift.tt/30iYoWc