Why Teen Girls Are Being Hit Hardest
November 6, 2026
If you are raising a teenage girl right now, you have probably asked yourself whether her worry is "just being a teenager" or something more. You are not imagining the change. New research confirms that anxiety in adolescent girls has climbed sharply, and older teen girls are carrying the heaviest load.
As a licensed clinical social worker in East Brunswick who specializes in adolescent girls, this is one of the questions I hear most from parents. Here is what the newest studies show, why girls in particular are struggling, and how to tell everyday stress apart from anxiety that deserves support.
What the newest research shows
A Stanford study published in Pediatrics in April 2026 reviewed primary care visits for children and teens at 362 clinics from 2017 through 2023. After the pandemic, monthly anxiety visits rose 71% for girls ages 12 to 17, compared with 62% for boys the same age. Older girls were also the only group with a significant rise in mood disorder diagnoses.
There is hopeful news, too. The pace of those increases has slowed since the height of the pandemic. Even so, teen girls still had the highest rates of anxiety and mood diagnoses at the end of the study period.
Social media plays a part, especially early on. A 10-year study in the Medical Journal of Australia (June 2026) found that girls ages 12 to 13 who used social media more than two hours a day had about 11 more cases of high depressive symptoms per 100 girls a year later. For girls that age, risks showed up at even one hour a day.
Why girls? Listen to what they say
A 2025 study in BMC Women's Health did something refreshing: researchers asked teen girls themselves. The girls described anxiety and low mood as so common among their friends that it felt normal. They pointed to pressure to live up to gendered expectations and to intense academic pressure as major causes.
That matches what I see in my office. Many of the girls I work with are the "good students," the ones who seem to have it all together. Underneath, perfectionism is often doing the heavy lifting.
Here is the key distinction for parents. Research on teens shows that high standards alone are not the problem. What predicts rising anxiety over time is perfectionistic concern: intense fear of making mistakes and the belief that others expect her to be perfect. Striving for excellence by itself did not predict more anxiety.
Normal worry or anxiety that needs support?
A simple rule of thumb: when anxiety starts making her world smaller, it is time to talk to someone. If symptoms have lasted several weeks and are affecting school, friendships, or family life, a professional evaluation can help.
If your daughter talks about hurting herself, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or go to your nearest emergency room.
How I help teen girls at Waypoint Therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with gradual exposure is the most studied treatment for teen anxiety. The idea is simple: we practice facing what feels scary in small, manageable steps, so her brain learns she can handle it.
At Waypoint Therapy, I add virtual reality (VR) exposure to that process. In VR, your daughter can rehearse situations like speaking up in class or walking into a crowded room in a safe, controlled setting before trying them in real life. A 2026 review of studies in European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry found VR exposure was linked to significant drops in anxiety for children and teens, especially social and public speaking anxiety.
Ready to talk? I work with teen girls and their families from East Brunswick, West Windsor, Marlboro, and throughout Middlesex, Mercer, and Monmouth Counties. Call 732-333-8671 or email denine.bruzzo.lcsw@gmail.com to schedule a consultation.
References
1. Lowenstein C, et al. Published online April 13, 2026. Pediatrics. 2026. doi:10.1542/peds.2025-072305
2. Demkowicz O, et al. Adolescent girls' explanations of high rates of low mood and anxiety in their population: a co-produced qualitative study. BMC Women's Health. 2025;25:49. doi:10.1186/s12905-024-03517-x
3. Vijayakumar N, et al. The effects of social media on adolescent mental health: findings from a population-based cohort study in Australia. Medical Journal of Australia. 2026;224(6):e70220. doi:10.5694/mja2.70220
4. Perfectionism and adolescent anxiety, longitudinal findings. European Association for Research on Adolescence research spotlight
5. Baschab JF, et al. Facing fears in virtual worlds: a systematic review and meta-analysis on immersive VR therapy for children and adolescents with social anxiety and related disorders. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 2026;35:1079-1092. doi:10.1007/s00787-025-02945-w
Denine Bruzzo, LCSW, CCATP, is the founder of Waypoint Therapy LLC in East Brunswick, NJ, and has more than 20 years of clinical experience. She specializes in helping adolescent girls with school anxiety, perfectionism, and social media pressure.
This post is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment.