A Maritime college has received a large grant to study self-esteem in girls.
New Brunswick Community College has received nearly $250,000 to look into strategies for young women with low self-esteem.
Over the next three years, researchers will explore confidence-building strategies to share with community organizations across the province.
“I've done a lot of research being an instructor for mental health programs, and found that, statistically in Canada, that our young girls, typically start off with 48 per cent of them in 7 with positive self-esteem and by the time they've reached Grade 10 only 18 per cent of them continue to have positive self-esteem,” says Stephanie Ruckstuhl, project director.
Officials at the YWCA say the strategies can't come fast enough.
“Targeted programs are for middle schools, so Grades 6 to 8 we'll say, but more and more we see those self-esteem issues come up earlier and earlier. So prevention is really key and we're looking at targeting elementary all the way down to pre-K,” says Alicia Duffy, youth programs coordinator at YWCA Moncton.
The Atlantic Wellness Community Centre specializes in counselling young people between 12 and 21. Staff there say there is a lack of services available for girls who are struggling.
“Really the self-esteem piece is a huge component of all mental health and wellness. So if we can teach kids how to build that back up, I think it's a really good step in the right direction,” says Meredith Martell, with Atlantic Wellness Community Centre.
A 2014 survey by the United Way of Greater Moncton found self-esteem in young women at an all-time low and some say social media is playing a mixed role in the issue.
“We're gauging our self-worth on what commenters are saying about pictures and selfies that we're presenting about ourselves to the world. If we're getting anything back on that that's negative, it's what we hold on to,” says Duffy. “We've heard a lot about cutting or self-harm. A lot of time it comes out in unhealthy coping mechanisms - substance abuse, violence, aggression, bad relationships.”
Both Martell and Duffy acknowledge the strides society has taken to break down stigma around the issues, but more steps need to be taken.
“When we talk about it, it's almost like a Band-Aid fix. We're doing national campaigns, and we’re buying into national campaigns, as opposed to looking at the grassroots problems in specific communities,” says Duffy.
After applying for the grant a year ago, the researchers are ready to get to work.
“Ultimately are goal is, when we do our study, that at the end of the term that the self-esteem of our girls doesn’t have a drop, that we at least maintain the 48 per cent average for good self-esteem throughout high school. If we can get it higher than that and improve it beyond 48 per cent, then it is a double win,” says Ruckstuhl.
Two researchers from NBCC and one from St. Francis Xavier University, in Antigonish, N.S., will work together on the project over the next three years.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Cami Kepke
