Dr. Julie Yonker on Mental Health for Boys vs. Girls
Nov 6, 2024
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In this engaging conversation, Dr. Julie Yonker, a devoted educator in psychology and public health at Calvin University, explores the differences in mental health between boys and girls. She highlights how girls often internalize their struggles, leading to anxiety, while boys might externalize through irritability. The discussion emphasizes tailored approaches for treatment, recognizing behavioral changes, and the need for ongoing emotional resilience tools. Dr. Yonker also shares valuable online resources for parents and teens to navigate mental health challenges effectively.
Mental health issues manifest differently in boys and girls, with girls typically internalizing emotions and boys externalizing their struggles.
Social dynamics and media use significantly influence mental health challenges, urging tailored support strategies for young men and women.
Deep dives
Gender Differences in Mental Health Expression
Mental health issues often manifest differently between young men and young women, with distinct patterns of expression. Girls typically internalize their emotions, which may lead to depression and anxiety, often turning negative feelings against themselves and affecting their self-esteem. Conversely, boys are more likely to externalize their struggles, which can result in anger, irritability, or even conduct disorders. This means that while girls may appear withdrawn and introspective, boys might act out in visible ways, making it essential for parents and caregivers to identify these differences in symptoms.
Impact of Social Media on Mental Health
The triggers for mental health challenges differ between genders, particularly influenced by social dynamics and social media use. For young women, relational aggression—often manifesting through social media—can intensify stress and anxiety, creating a more significant impact than it does for young men. In contrast, boys often experience mental health issues related to competition and self-worth, primarily through performance in sports, academics, and social status amongst peers. Recognizing these trends helps in understanding how to approach mental health support and interventions tailored to each gender.
Navigating Treatment and Support Strategies
Treatment approaches for mental health issues vary between young men and women, particularly in how they seek help. Girls are more likely to reach out to trusted adults for support, whereas boys may engage in distractions or require someone to initiate contact for them. Once in treatment, acknowledging individual differences is crucial, as each child's experiences and responses to therapy will vary. Building a mental health toolkit that equips young people with strategies to cope with daily challenges fosters resilience and helps maintain mental wellness over time.
Welcome to The Culture Translator podcast. Today, we are posting an interview with Julie Yonker. Julie is a professor and Public Health Department Chair at Calvin University, where she teaches classes in psychology, gender studies, and public health. She received her B.A. from Calvin in Biology and Chemistry; then pursued teratology research (the study of birth defects) at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and Procter & Gamble; received her Ph.D. from Stockholm University in cognitive and experimental psychology; and completed a post-doctoral fellowship in substance abuse at the University of Cincinnati, Department of Psychiatry. We’ll be talking today primarily about how mental health issues show up differently between young men and women—and how to help them get the help they need.