Teen Girls Increasingly Vulnerable to Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Jun 29, 2010
Teenage girls are more likely than teenage boys to perceive potential benefits from drug use and drinking, making teen girls more vulnerable to drug and alcohol abuse. According to a new research analysis of the 2009 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study, teen girls are more likely to associate “self-medicating” benefits with drinking and getting high. More than two-thirds of teen girls responded positively to the question “using drugs helps kids deal with problems at home” and more than half reported that drugs help teens forget their troubles.
Stress has been identified as a key factor leading to drinking, smoking, and drug use among girls. More than three times as many young girls as boys reported having symptoms of depression in 2008. These findings make early parental action with daughters even more critical.
“Parents of teen girls have to be especially attentive to their daughters’ moods and mental health needs, which can have a direct effect on their child’s decision to risk her health by getting high and drinking,” said Partnership President and CEO Steve Pasierb. “Parents can help prevent alcohol and drug abuse by recognizing and addressing their daughters’ worries and stresses, by supporting her positive decisions, and by taking immediate action if they suspect or know she has been experimenting with drugs and alcohol.”
Learn more: Prevent Drug Abuse
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Source
The Partnership for a Drug-Free America