Posted on 05/19/2006 8:31:27 AM PDT by presidio9
Teenage girls are now more likely than boys to drink, smoke, steal and take drugs, a survey has shown.
In a disturbing confirmation of the spread of the 'ladette' culture, it found violence, aggression and self-destructive behaviour has spread alarmingly among girls over the past 20 years.
Are girls really more troublesome than boys? Tell us in the reader comments below
While boys appear less likely to be drawn towards crime or drugs than they were, psychological and social problems are stacking up among teenage girls, who are now expected to compete on equal terms with boys for educational opportunity and jobs.
The study of 14 and 15-year-olds was conducted by questionnaire, in schools under exam conditions, and the results compared with a similar one from 1985.
Professor Colin Pritchard, who led the research, said: 'Girls now significantly smoke and binge-drink more than boys. They truant, steal and fight at similar rates, and start under-age sex earlier than boys.'
He said binge-drinking, which was admitted by nearly a third of girls in their early teenage years, drove other anti-social behaviour such as stealing, fighting, taking drugs and engaging in risky sex.
'There is an element of following role models set by the media,' he said 'We can look back to the Spice Girls where girls were set an example in which aggressive behaviour was considered praiseworthy.
'It is also the case that girls are expected to behave differently today than they were in the past, and that has affected the of boys too.'
The study comparison found that the number of boys admitting to smoking has nearly halved to just over a quarter, while the number of girls who smoke has risen to nearly half. The number of girls who admit having smoked cannabis has gone up nearly fourfold, to one in five.
In 1985 around half of all boys and girls drank alcohol on a regular basis. Last year the numbers had shot up to 68 per cent of boys and an astonishing 85 per cent of girls.
Because researchers in the 1980s did not believe binge-drinking could be a problem among young teenagers, they did not include the subject in their questionnaire. But in the contemporary study, 15 per cent of boys and 29 per cent of girls defined themselves as binge-drinkers.
Girls were far more likely than boys to have had sex: 31 per cent against 17.
The research, produced by academics from the Institute of Health and Community Studies at Bournemouth University, suggested there had been improvements in behaviour among boys.
The number who admitted stealing had halved, as had numbers who were regularly in fights. Truanting was also down.
Professor Pritchard said: 'One thing we found among teenagers of all backgrounds was that those who said they liked school were the least likely to binge-drink, take drugs, or otherwise engage in bad behaviour. That is a challenge to schools and parents to make sure pupils are interested.' Martin Plant, professor of addiction studies at the University of the West of England in Bristol, said British teenagers were more likely to binge-drink than those anywhere else in Europe - and the problem was worse among girls.
His wife, and co-author of the book Binge Britain, Moira Plant, said many young women drink because it gives them a sense of power, and teenagers will often see drinking and even hangovers as a 'badge of honour'.
? The relaxation of licensing laws has been criticised by some of Britain's most eminent scientists.
Professor Jonathan Montgomery, an expert in healthcare law, said alcohol was potentially more dangerous than tobacco, yet the Government was making it much more available with 24-hour drinking.
And Sir John Krebs, principal of Jesus College Oxford, attacked the marketing of alcopops specifically for young people. 'The Government has stood by and let that happen, whereas it wouldn't have accepted the alcopop equivalent of cigarettes targeted at children,' he said.
Girls have cooties!
Yes but anywhere you have a group of girls, you will find a group of boys...
Except a NOW coven........
I know girls are more difficult to raise. I have 2 boys and 1 girl. The 1 girl has caused me more headaches then both boys put together. In fact, I could have raised 4 boys with less trouble. Not sure what it is, but most other parents I talk to agree, girls aren't easy to raise.
Apparently the writer has been in Panama City during Spring Break........
ditto........
Good news for teenage boys.
teenagers will often see drinking and even hangovers as a 'badge of honour'.
My brother and I claim that Mom prayed hangovers on us. It would take me at least 3 months to forget and go get another one. Thank Goodness for Mom praying, kept us out of a lot of trouble.
This would be my nominee for "Most Disappointing Headline of 2006."
Being a high school boy once, I can vouch for the validity of that stat.
Now that I have a five-year-old daughter, it is somewhat less so.
I used to carry a empty beer can to look cool. I wouldn't dare risk coming home with alcohol on my breath.
This article is about england.
from what I've seen, in the US it is the boys who are in big trouble and the girls are doing quite well.
Not sure I can agree with you - but understand.
I have 2 daughters and a son. The older daughter and son are/were both very easy. Our youngest, while only 7 now - I see as marrying a rock star and being in the news more then Paris Hilton.
I shudder to think...
what's the girl in the closet doing? Those chicks are smoking hot!
Because all the boys are scr*wing their teachers and don't need the girls!!
Thanks, MTV!
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