We all know that adolescence is an emotionally difficult time, although it is especially so for girls . The cause? Their greatest exposure to stressful circumstances is , as revealed by a study just published in the journal Clinical Psychological Science .
At that age of life, when we leave childhood, two mental behaviors emerge that can lead to depression : the so-called negative cognitive style (the interpretation of events always in a negative way) and rumination (the unhealthy tendency to spin and think about it). more returns to the same).
The researchers analyzed the data and testimonies of 382 adolescents and found that young women who had experienced stressful situations in their interpersonal relationships, such as arguments with family members or friends, were prone to negative cognitive style, rumination and even symptoms of depression. In contrast, in boys these risk factors tended to decrease over time.
According to the researchers, the explanation lies in the fact that adolescent girls experienced a greater number of stressful experiences than boys – many times, and this is important, caused by themselves – since the psychological reaction to bad drinking was practically the same in both sexes . From this study it can be deduced that mental health specialists should try to ensure that young women live their interpersonal relationships in a less tense way.
