Researchers from The University of Manchester have worked directly with teenage girls to uncover what they believe could help turn the tide on rising rates of anxiety and low mood.
From their early teenage years, girls are more likely to experience low mood and anxiety. They are twice as likely as boys to experience depression by age 15, and new evidence suggests this gap has been growing for more than a decade.
To find out what could make a real difference, a team of experts sat down with 32 teenage girls across England to ask a simple but vital question: What would actually help?
Key findings
- Teenage girls want practical, long-term changes rather than quick fixes
- Girls highlighted pressures from school, social media and gender expectations
- They called for safer, more supportive schools and communities
- Researchers worked with young women as part of the study team itself
- The findings could help shape future policy and funding on girls’ wellbeing
What did the girls say would help?
The study found that teenage girls want practical, culture-changing solutions rather than quick fixes.
Their ideas were developed into some key approaches to improve mental health and wellbeing for girls in schools and communities.
Changes girls want to see
- Better support and regulation around social media
- Help recognising that what they see online is not always real, alongside advice on how to care for themselves digitally
- Challenge gender stereotypes in schools
- Training for teachers and changes in school culture to tackle stereotypes that shape girls’ daily lives
- Zero tolerance on sexual harassment
- Clearer, more consistent responses to sexual harassment in schools, with proper support for those affected
- More places to relax and belong
- More social hobby spaces in schools and communities where girls can relax, connect and have fun without pressure
- Mental health to be valued as much as grades
- Schools to become more caring and relationship-focused, where wellbeing is valued as highly as academic success
Why this matters now
The study’s insights come as schools and health services grapple with an unprecedented rise in mental health difficulties among young people.
The research team say they hope the findings will help shape future policy and funding decisions on girls’ wellbeing.
What the researchers said
“We talk a lot about girls’ mental health and why it might be worsening, but a lot of the available research does not engage with girls’ own views on this,” said Dr Ola Demkowicz, senior lecturer at the Manchester Institute of Education and co-lead author of the study.
“Here, we wanted to work with girls as a starting point to explore how we can approach this issue in ways that can meet their needs. The girls we spoke with made it clear that they don’t just want coping strategies – they want real changes in the environments where they live and learn.”
“The girls spoke powerfully about pressures from school, social media and gender expectations,” said co-author Dr Rebecca Jefferson, who helped to run the focus groups.
“They had thought-through, actionable ideas – not just for support, but for changing the systems that affect them.”
Girls helped to lead the research
The research also brought young women into the project team itself. Young researchers worked as a core part of the team to design the study, lead discussions and interpret findings – helping ensure the work stayed grounded in girls’ real experiences.
Final word
“If we truly want to improve girls’ mental health, we must start by asking them what they need – and then we can further explore, test and expand,” said Dr Demkowicz.
“This research shows that teenage girls and young women are able to play an important role in how we understand and approach the issues facing them.”
Publication details
The study was published in the NIHR Public Health Journal.
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