We don't want to grow up so fast, say 'stressed' girls

Girls are being psychologically damaged by the pressure to grow up too quickly, researchers say.

Sexual images in adverts and teenage magazines are contributing to mental health problems such as eating disorders, panic attacks and self-harming, the study found.

Girls as young as ten said that the social pressure to grow up was among the greatest influences on their wellbeing.

They felt they had to wear clothes which made them look older, and they had to deal with sexual advances from boys, according to the study by the Girl Guides.

Concerns were also raised over magazines and websites which tell youngsters they should lose weight, wear make-up or even consider plastic surgery.

Two-fifths of girls polled said they felt worse about themselves after looking at pictures of glamorous models, pop stars or actresses. One said: 'When I was eleven I read a teenage magazine for the first time and that is when it kind of clicked  -  "I should be like this".'

The youngsters told researchers that they faced an ever-growing checklist of appearance and behaviour 'ideals' which led to stress and anxiety.

Bullying and friendship breakdown were also major factors in girls' emotional difficulties, according to the study, which was carried out in conjunction with the Mental Health Foundation charity.

Alarmingly, the survey found that self-harming was perceived as normal behaviour  -  as long as it occurred infrequently.

Two-fifths of those surveyed knew someone who had self-harmed and almost the same number knew someone who experienced panic attacks.

One girl said: 'I think cutting your arm the first time you do it is OK  -  it might just be stress.'

A third of those questioned said they had a friend with an eating disorder.

The report, called A Generation Under Stress?, was based on focus groups involving 54 Guides between the ages of ten and 14, as well as an online survey of 350 girls aged ten to 15.

It warned that youngsters were under pressure from a 'new generation of potential triggers for mental health problems' as well as longstanding issues such as family breakdown and exam stress.

Newer pressures included premature sexualisation, commercialisation and alcohol misuse.

The resulting mental health difficulties risked damaging girls' prospects and alienating them from their families and friends, the report warned. Chief Guide Liz Burnley said: 'Young girls today face a new generation of pressures that leave too many suffering stress, anxiety and unhappiness.

'All of us who care about young women have a part to play in helping them find a way through these conflicting demands.'

Dr Andrew McCulloch, chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation, added: 'We are forcing our young people to grow up too quickly and not giving them the spaces and experiences they require to be safe and confident.'