How Social Media Damages Girls’ Confidence
By Movieguide® Contributor
One of the most common trends among young girls is a lack of self-confidence, and social media is to blame.
A survey taken by Ruling Our Experiences (ROX) found that in 2017 only “9% of 5th grade girls spent 6 or more hours each day using social media.”
Now, 46% of girls spend more than six hours a day on social media.
“Why does this matter? The Girls’ Index™ found there is a relationship between confidence and social media use,” ROX wrote on Instagram. “Lower levels of social media use correlate with increased reports of confidence among girls. Increased time spent on social media is correlated with reports of lower levels of confidence.”
ROX explained that “girls who spend the most amount of time on social media (10+ hours per day) are 25% less likely to describe themselves as confident than those who spend the least amount of time on social media (under 2 hours per day).”
Social media use also goes hand-in-hand with decreased mental health.
“For girls, their mental health from 2000 to 2010, 2011 is actually pretty stable,” NYU professor Jonathan Haidt explained earlier this year. “Then, all of a sudden, around 2013, we have a very sharp curve where the girls get very, very depressed and especially [turn to] self-harm. Self-harm rates go up more than 100%. For the pre-teen girls, it’s closer to 200%, so something was happening to girls, and it seems to be related to social media.”
Ultimately, all humans struggle with some form of self-confidence, whether it’s in the way they look, talk, act or even the job they have, and social media only compounds those insecurities.
However, God’s word tells us in Psalm 139 that He knows everything about us.
God knows “when I sit and when I rise.” He is even able to “perceive my thoughts from afar.”
But most importantly, for those struggling with self-confidence, verses 13-14 remind us that God created us “wonderfully”:
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
Movieguide® previously reported on how to curb social media use and screentime:
- Set Screen Time Limits: Establish clear and consistent screen time limits for different activities, such as TV, video games and social media. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children aged 2 to 5 years should have no more than one hour of high-quality screen time per day, and children under 18 months should avoid screen time altogether.
- Create Screen-Free Zones: Designate specific areas in your home, such as the dining room or bedrooms, where screens are not allowed. This helps prevent screens from intruding on family time and sleep.
- Be a Role Model: Children often emulate the behavior of adults. If you want your child to spend less time on screens, be a positive role model by reducing your own screen time and engaging in non-screen activities.
- Provide Alternative Activities: Encourage your child to engage in alternative activities like reading, outdoor play, creative arts and crafts or board games. Make these activities readily available and appealing.
- Plan Screen Time: Instead of allowing unrestricted screen access, plan screen time as a part of your child’s daily routine. Set specific times for screen use, such as after homework or chores are completed.
