APA Task Force Finds Connection Between Sexualized Images and Mental Health Problems in Girls and Young Women

On February 19, 2007, the American Psychological Association (APA) released a report on the effects of sexualized images of girls and young women on girls' psychological development. The report states that the widespread use of such images in advertising, merchandising, and media is linked to low self-esteem and mental health problems in girls and women.

The APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls analyzed existing research data on the impact of all types of media on girls, including television, music videos, music lyrics, magazines, movies, video games, and the Internet. They also studied images currently being used in advertising campaigns and product merchandising which target girls.

The task force defined "sexualization" as using sex appeal or sexual behavior to determine a person's worth and sexually objectifying a person (making them into an object for someone else's sexual pleasure).

Numerous instances of sexualization of girls and women in all kinds of media were found by researchers. According to Sawf News (http://news.sawf.org ), examples included women dressed like school girls in music videos; lyrics in songs by the Pussycat Dolls, Kid Rock, and 50 Cent; and Bratz dolls, which are outfitted in fishnet stockings, miniskirts, and feather boas and are shown wearing bikinis and mixing drinks in ads.

Sawf News pointed out that sexualizing girls is hardly a new issue, citing the 1999 murder of 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey. The case sparked a heated nationwide controversy over the practice of dressing child beauty pageant contestants like adult women. The APA Task Force surmised that sexualized images of girls have probably become even more common in recent years, given that people now have unlimited access to electronic media. The views of peers and family members can compound the influence of media sexualization on girls.