Purpose
So what is upward social comparison? It can be described as comparing oneself to those they perceive to be better or more successful in various aspects of life. Social media has made upward social comparison even more prevalent in modern society. This type of comparison can have adverse effects on a teenager's self-esteem, leading to unhealthy and detrimental outcomes. When teenagers constantly compare themselves to others who are perceived to be doing better, it can lead to a sense of inadequacy and low self-esteem. Teenagers are constantly bombarded with images and posts of seemingly perfect lives, which can create unrealistic expectations and a distorted sense of reality. That is why for our project we have created three activites that can hopefully help young adolescenets navigate this dificult time in their lives.
What is Self Help?
Self-help refers to the process of improving oneself through personal development and growth. It is the act of taking personal responsibility for one's own well-being and growth. It is a process of self-directed learning and self-improvement that focuses on achieving specific goals and developing skills to improve one's quality of life. Self-help can involve a variety of practices, including meditation, journaling, exercise, therapy, and reading self-help books. The ultimate goal of self-help is to empower individuals to take control of their lives and achieve personal success, happiness, and fulfillment. While self-help can be a powerful tool for personal growth, it's important to recognize that it is not a replacement for professional mental health services when needed.
Activity 1 Reflective Journaling
Why this would Work
By regularly challenging negative thoughts and replacing them with positive ones, teens will begin to reshape the habits of adaptive correspondence and coherence such that their self reflections will start to default to positive self-event connections.
Activity 2 Confidence Building
Why this will work
As teens start to default to more positive self-event connections and continue to challenge their negative thoughts we want them to be able to have a positive narrative about negative interactions on social media so that they build their identity formation and decrease psychological distress. A study by Kingle and Van Vliet (2017) reveals that adolescents experience self-compassion as a form of self-care, a way to cope with stress, and a means of self-acceptance. Further, they concluded that self-compassion is an important skill for adolescents to learn and practice. It can help them to develop a positive self-image, manage stress, and cope with challenges. Self-compassion can also help adolescents to recognize their own worth, appreciate themselves for who they are, and build resilience.
Activity 3 Coping Skills toolbox
Additional Resources for Teens
Suicide and Crisis Holtine Cards.pdfMeet Us
Aspen Roberts
Hello! I am currently a junior at Pacific University. I am majoring in Psychology with a minor in Psychological health and well-being . I plan to continue my education to get my masters after I graduate
Paige Rancourt
Hello. I am a senior at Pacific University. I am double majoring in social work and psychology with a minor in psychological health and well-being. I work at the Forest Grove Community School as a Student Support Coach. I plan on taking a few years off of school before getting my MSW and doing social work in the criminal justice system.
Zane Staszkow
Hello. I am currently a senior at Pacific University. I am majoring in Psychology. I plan on going to graduate school for school counseling. I hope that our projects will be able to help teens better navigate the internet world. I think this really connected to what I want to do next and helps me apply my knowledge to my future career field.
Yanet Villa
Hello! I am currently a senior at Pacific University. I am majoring in psychology with a minor in communication sciences and disorders. After graduation I plan to take a gap year and gain more experience as well as traveling. Eventually I plan to continue my education and get my masters. I hope to work with kids and will take what I have learned thus far into my chosen field.
References
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