Girls' mental health 'at a precipice' in UK, reveals 'alarming' report
A large number of British girls as young as 11 hide signs of "deep distress" from their parents, a new study has revealed, pointing to deep gap between the mental health of boys and girls in the country.
According to an "alarming" report published by Steer Education on Monday, a "growing gulf" is identified between the mental health of thousands of girls and boys, with experts citing the long-lasting result of the Covid-19 crisis as the cause.
The study, which consists of an investigation of 15,000 secondary pupils, reveals that girls aged 11 are 30 percent more likely to suffer from poor mental health than boys of the same age.
By 18, girls are twice as likely to experience mental health issues as boys.
With a rise of 20 percent compared to pre-pandemic period, 80 percent of girls tend to hide their problems and feelings of unhappiness from others, the survey says.
Steer Education, a platform that studies the mental wellbeing of young people, has found that girls' mental health is most at risk between the ages of 14 and 18.
Online responses from 92 state secondary schools in England from before the pandemic up to December 2021 show that girls are 33 percent more likely to experience poor mental health than those of the same age before the pandemic, while boys are 12 percent more likely to do so.
In contrast to 2018, both boys and girls are 40 percent less likely to trust people around them, while 25 percent are less able to choose an appropriate response to life challenges.
Furthermore, compared with 2019, the number of children aged under 18 needing care for mental and emotional issues increased by 77 percent between April 2021 and October 2021.
Simon Antwis, Steer Education's senior education consultant, said: "Schools are understandably deeply worried by the growing numbers of students with poor mental health. We should be particularly alarmed by the state of girls' mental health in secondary schools."
"Particularly concerning is the number of girls who are now keeping their worries and fears to themselves, making it much more difficult for their teachers to identify them as vulnerable and in need of support," Antwis added.
Record numbers of children in the UK are seeking access to NHS mental health services amid the pandemic as detailed in multiple studies over the last year.
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