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Risk Factors
Risk Factors
What are Risk Factors?
Risk factors are various attributes correlated with multiple levels such as cultural and biological, that lead to a higher likelihood of negative outcomes.
We have identified four main Risk Factors in our community that relate to the main issue of comparison.
1. School Environment
In a competitive school environment, students often neglect their well-being to focus heavily on grades, scores, and ranks.
Pressure from school can be overwhelming for teenagers. High academic expectations and emotional stress may lead to conflict at home, with 27% of teens experiencing parent-child conflicts, difficulty managing emotions, and lower happiness levels.
2. Lack of Support
As students start to explore their unique pathways & goals, feelings of isolation may occur. Without support from friends or an adult figure, self-comparison with peers can arise, leaving them without guidance or reassurance.
Reaching out for support is important when dealing with something challenging. Experiencing isolation without a reliable source of guidance or support can cause negative emotions to accumulate. This emotional strain often leads to a lack of self-reassurance, prompting individuals to compare themselves to the people around them. Having insight from someone you trust can open up different perspectives and significantly improve your confidence!
3. Social Media Influence
While social media can be a great source of entertainment & connection, it can also become a source of harm.
Social media is one of the most impactful influences on the teenagers of today, with most teenagers spending over 5 hours on social media daily. This constant exposure to social media can create an addiction not only to the dopamine release from social media, but from the validation people receive as well. This is dangerous, as many teens sometimes forget that not everything online is real. it’s important to recognize this in order to keep one’s confidence in themselves high as they spend time online.
4. Imposed Expectations
Experiencing unrealistic expectations can often lead to self-comparison. These expectations, which are often driven by parental influence or peer pressure, can create unattainable standards and can contrast with personal beliefs.
Unrealistic expectations are more often than not imposed by parents or other family members. When expectations are left unmet, one may experience cognitive dissonance and dissatisfaction. Cognitive dissonance is defined as the state of having inconsistent thoughts, beliefs, or attitudes, especially as relating to behavioral decisions and attitude change. Dangers of unrealistic expectations include disappointment, frustration, stress, and relationship strain. These factors typically lead to depression and anxiety.
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