Mental Health Awareness Month
May is Mental Health Awareness Month.
Did you know that nationwide, 1 in 4 girls report that they are sad or depressed four or more days per week (Rox Institute for Research & Training)?
In North Dakota, 1 in 7 girls have attempted suicide (North Dakota Youth Risk Behavior Survey).
Mental wellness is one of four pillars the BIO Girls program is rooted in. BIO stands for Beautiful Inside and Out. That is exactly what BIO Girls is teaching it’s participants they are: Beautiful Inside, and Out.
BIO Girls is a 12-session program with a mission to improve the self-esteem of adolescent girls… and it’s working. Proven through independent research, 7 in 10 BIO Girls participants experience a significant increase in self-esteem after going through the program (BIO Girls Research.)
Why is this important?
When girls have low self-esteem, they feel unhappy or unsatisfied with themselves most of the time. Low self-esteem is one of the strongest predictors of behavioral & emotional problems (Leary et al., 1995), such as depression and anxiety.
Reaching girls grades 2-6, BIO Girls is a preventive approach to equipping girls with the tools to navigate the ups and downs of adolescence. BIO Girls is a part of the solution to the mental health struggles girls will face throughout their adolescent years.
In 2022, BIO Girls will reach over 1,500 North Dakota girls, and 2,500 region-wide.
Follow along with us throughout the month of May for information, resources, and tips regarding mental health.
