Girls More Distressed By Academic Failures, Than Boys: Study

School failures are likely to hit teenage girls more deeply as compared to the male counterparts, a latest research conducted at the University of Washington highlights.

Expulsion, suspension or dropping-out from high school before graduating is likely to push adolescent girls into deeper depressiondefine by the age 21, compared to boys experiencing similar academic failures.

While school failures already associated with higher poverty, higher need for public assistance and lower job stability, the findings of the current study shows high links with mental health implications for girls, the researchers mark.

"For girls there are broader implications of school failure," Carolyn McCarty, researcher at the University of Washington said.

The study monitored over 800 people included from 18 schools in high-crime neighborhoods in Seattle, Washington.

Equally divided by gender, 46 percent of the participants were white, 24 percent black, 21 percent Asian-American, 6 percent Native American and 3 percent from other groups.

While, only 45 percent of the girls as compared to 68 percent of the boys had experienced major school failures, 22 percent of the girls were detected to suffer from the psychological condition at the age of 21, compared to 17 percent of the boys.

Moreover, besides the gender comparison, the depression rates were high intra-gender too.

• Girls expelled from school were twice more likely to suffer depression compared to girls who were not (44 percent compared to 20 percent).
• 33 percent of the girls who dropped-out from school were reportedly under depression compared to 19 percent who did not drop out.
• 28 percent of the girls who were suspended from school later suffered depression compared to 19 percent of girls who were not suspended.

"This gender paradox shows that while school failure is more atypical for girls, it appears to have more severe consequences when it does occur," McCarty said.

"One reason may be that school failure stigmatizes girls more strongly or is harder for them to overcome. We do know that girls with conduct problems, such as school failure, tend to have long-term problems with cascading effects," McCarty added.

Citing means to combat depression and unhealthy mental state in young children, McCarty highlights the need for integrated prevention programs created by communities that help children handle social, academic and behavioral problems.

The findings of the study feature in the July issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health.