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APA Press Release February 19, 2007
SEXUALIZATION OF GIRLS IS
LINKED TO COMMON MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS IN GIRLS AND WOMEN—EATING
DISORDERS, LOW SELF-ESTEEM, AND DEPRESSION; AN APA TASK FORCE
REPORTS
Psychologists call for replacing sexualized images
of girls in media and advertising with positive
ones
WASHINGTON,
DC—A report of the American Psychological Association (APA) released today
found evidence that the proliferation of sexualized images of girls and
young women in advertising, merchandising, and media is harmful to girls’
self-image and healthy development.
To complete the report, the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of
Girls studied published research on the content and effects of virtually
every form of media, including television, music videos, music lyrics,
magazines, movies, video games and the Internet. They also examined
recent advertising campaigns and merchandising of products aimed toward
girls.
Sexualization was defined by the task force as occurring when
a person’s value comes only from her/his sexual appeal or behavior, to the
exclusion of other characteristics, and when a person is sexually
objectified, e.g., made into a thing for another’s sexual
use.
Examples of the sexualization of girls in all forms of media including
visual media and other forms of media such as music lyrics abound.
And, according to the report, have likely increased in number as “new
media” have been created and access to media has become omnipresent.
The influence and attitudes of parents, siblings, and friends can
also add to the pressures of sexualization.
“The consequences of the sexualization of girls in media today are very
real and are likely to be a negative influence on girls’ healthy
development,” says Eileen L. Zurbriggen, PhD, chair of the APA Task Force
and associate professor of psychology at the University of California,
Santa Cruz. “We have ample evidence to conclude that sexualization has
negative effects in a variety of domains, including cognitive functioning,
physical and mental health, and healthy sexual development.”
Research evidence shows that the sexualization of girls negatively
affects girls and young women across a variety of health domains:
Cognitive and Emotional Consequences: Sexualization
and objectification undermine a person’s confidence in and comfort with
her own body, leading to emotional and self-image
problems, such as shame and anxiety.
Mental and Physical Health: Research links
sexualization with three of the most common mental health problems
diagnosed in girls and women—eating disorders, low self-esteem, and
depression or depressed mood.
Sexual Development: Research suggests that the
sexualization of girls has negative consequences on girls’ ability to
develop a healthy sexual self-image.
According to the task force report, parents can play a major role in
contributing to the sexualization of their daughters or can play a
protective and educative role. The APA report calls on parents, school
officials, and all health professionals to be alert for the potential
impact of sexualization on girls and young women. Schools, the APA says,
should teach media literacy skills to all students and should include
information on the negative effects of the sexualization of girls in media
literacy and sex education programs.
“As a society, we need to replace all of these sexualized images with
ones showing girls in positive settings—ones that show the uniqueness and
competence of girls,” states Dr. Zurbriggen. “The goal should be to
deliver messages to all adolescents—boys and girls—that lead to healthy
sexual development.”
Full text of the Executive Summary, Report, and tips on “What
Parents Can Do” are available at: http://www.apa.org/pi/wpo/sexualization.html
Members of the APA Task Force:
Eileen Zurbriggen, PhD
(Chair) Associate
Professor of Psychology, Psychology Department, University of California,
Santa Cruz Expertise: Associations between power and sexuality,
including rape, childhood sexual abuse, and mental connections between
power and sex (such as eroticizing dominance and submission). She is
currently conducting a study to investigate the ways in which college
students link power and sex, and the messages concerning these linkages
that they receive from parents, peers, and the
media. Available for
interviews Work: (831) 459-5736
Sharon Lamb,
EdD Clinical
Psychologist, Associate Professor, Psychology Department,
Saint Michael's College Co-Author: Packaging
Girlhood: Rescuing Our Daughters from Marketers'
Schemes Expertise: Licensed psychologist, Professor of Psychology
at Saint Michael's College, and co-author with Lyn Mikel Brown of the book
“Packaging Girlhood: Rescuing Our Daughters from Marketers' Schemes” (St.
Martin's Press, 2006). She has also written on "normal" sexual
development in girls and on how therapists can treat sexual issues as they
arise in the therapeutic encounter with children and teens. Her
research on girls' development, teenagers and sex, and abuse and
victimization is widely cited. As a clinical psychologist, she also works
with girls in her private practice. Available for
interviews Cell: (802) 578-3437 Work:
Monday and Wednesday (802) 654-2638 In Italy February 16 -
24: 011 44 402 5487
Tomi-Ann Roberts,
PhD Psychology
Department, Colorado College Expertise:
Psychology of gender and emotions. She studies girls' and women's
attitudes and emotions toward their own bodies and body functions in a
sexually objectifying culture. Available for
interviews Cell: (719) 440-6590 Available
except February 16
Deborah Tolman,
EdD Center for Research
on Gender and Sexuality, San Francisco State University Expertise:
Adolescent sexuality, specifically the sexuality of girls, focused on
their experiences of their own sexuality; gender and its development in
adolescence, specifically in tandem with sexuality; how boys' sexuality
development and girls' sexuality development co-occur through adolescence;
mental health as it relates to gender and sexuality; sexual content on
television; sexualization of adolescent girls; and both mental health and
healthy sexuality. Available for
interviews Cell: (415) 515-1933
(Best) Work: (415) 437-5110 Available except
February 16; February 17 - 19 available at (802) 824-5280
Monique Ward,
PhD Psychology
Department, University of Michigan Expertise: In general, her
research examines contributions of parents, peers, and the media to sexual
socialization. She has focused on the role of the media in this
process, examining how media portrayals shape adolescents' attitudes,
expectations, and behaviors related to gender roles, sexual roles, and
sexual relationships. She also explores intersections between gender
ideologies, body image, and sexuality. Available for
interviews Office: (734)
764-0430
Rebecca Collins, PhD RAND
Corporation Expertise: The causes and consequences of health
risk behavior, including sex and substance use, in adolescents and adults
(in particular, the role of the media in these
behaviors). Unavailable for interviews.
Jeanne
Blake, Public Member Words Can Work Jeanne Blake
is a medical journalist and president of Blake Works, Inc. which produces
research and evidence-based multimedia (DVDs, the Words Can Work® series
of booklets, wordscanwork.com, and abouthealth.com) about the challenges
young people face growing up. She is an affiliated faculty member with the
Division on Addictions at Harvard Medical School. Not a
researcher, not recommended for interviews
# # #
The American Psychological Association (APA), in Washington, DC, is
the largest scientific and professional organization representing
psychology in the United States and is the world’s largest association of
psychologists. APA’s membership includes more than 145,000
researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students.
Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology and affiliations with
60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to
advance psychology as a science, as a profession and as a means of
promoting human welfare.
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