Ask any child what their favorite movie is and there’s a good chance they’ll name a Disney movie, like Beauty and the Beast or Aladdin.
However, experts believe these movies give them the wrong idea of what a healthy relationship looks like.
In “Aladdin,” the hero abducts Princess Jasmine from the restrictive life of the palace, while in “Cinderella,” “Snow White,” and “The Sleeping Beauty,” a young girl is rescued by a “handsome prince.”
Researchers from the University of Exeter surveyed young people and found that they had a desire to learn skills that would help them build relationships at school.
In “Aladdin” (pictured), the hero kidnaps Princess Jasmine from the restrictive life of the palace. Experts believe Disney movies give the wrong idea of what a healthy relationship looks like
According to a study, teens who don’t date are happier than their peers
Experts have found that teens who avoid dating aren’t necessarily socially awkward.
In fact, they sometimes have better mental health than their romantically linked peers and are just as well adjusted.
Researchers from the University of Georgia studied nearly 600 tenth grade students.
The data found that teens who were not in a romantic relationship had good social skills and low levels of depression, and they performed better or as well as their dating peers.
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Study author Simon Benham-Clarke said: “Our respondents emphasized the importance of teaching skills such as relationships, communication, empathy, respect, conflict resolution and repair, and ending relationships in a friendly and safe manner.
“Our research shows that schools need improved support for relationship education, including expertise and resources, as well as guidance to refer students to outside resources.
“Positive relational behaviors should be modeled, integrated and built upon in all curricula at the national level and be reflected in a school’s ethos.”
For the study, published this week in BMC Public Health, researchers conducted focus groups with 24 young people between the ages of 14 and 18.
This included asking them questions to stimulate discussion about relationships and relationship education.
They also interviewed 10 relationship professionals and asked their opinions on what makes a strong relationship and the best way to teach older children about them.
All interactions were recorded and then the researchers identified common themes emerging among the young people and professionals and compared the two.
Many of them commented on the influence of fairy tales on how they view relationships, particularly Disney.
A teenage study participant said Disney films like Cinderella (pictured) paint a “toxic image” of relationships. She said: “It’s very likely that the woman is weak and she needs to be rescued by the man and that kind of creates a toxic masculinity.”
One participant said, “I think it actually creates that toxic image to some degree…it’s very likely that the woman is weak and needs to be rescued by the man, and it creates a kind of toxic masculinity.”
Another added, “It’s embedded in our minds that it’s always Prince Charming and it’s always the prince and princess…you don’t understand it until you actually get to it and then you realize it’s not like Disney.” -Movies or something. ‘
All said that good relationship education would help them, especially lessons on how to manage different stages of a relationship, how to end it, and how to deal with the aftermath.
They were particularly interested in learning how to communicate and resolve conflicts.
Both young people and professionals recognized that schools can play an important role in this.
co-author dr. Jan Ewing said: “While young people’s families were viewed as the primary source of learning about healthy relationships, there was clear support for the role of schools in expanding this, as not all families exhibit healthy relationships.”
The teenagers said they would like to start this type of education as early as elementary school, beginning with friendships before moving on to romantic relationships.
This has been seen as particularly important for children whose parents are fighting or who engage in other unhealthy behavior.
However, they also recognized that not everything can be learned in the classroom, with the teenagers saying that learning from one’s family should come first.
They were also concerned that teaching about romantic relationships might pressure some young people to pursue them before they are ready.
The teens said they would be happy to start relationship education as early as elementary school, starting with looking at friendships (stock image)
dr Ewing added, “Relationship professionals have felt that there are important transitional moments in life, like getting married or having a baby, when people are receptive to learning relationship skills, but that schools have a crucial role to play in teaching and embedding critical skills in Play in terms of initiating and maintaining a healthy relationship.’
According to the researchers, a “stressed” relationship has been linked to alcohol abuse, obesity, child poverty and poor mental health.
Signs of a broken relationship include dissatisfaction, regret, regular arguments, and contemplating separation or divorce.
As a result, they conclude that teaching children from an early age about how relationships work can reduce these cases.
This will also help them reject the idea that a Disneyfied couple is a normal or ideal relationship template.
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According to a study, teenagers who are on good terms with their families are less depressed later in life
Maintaining good relationships with your family during childhood and adolescence can protect against depression later in life, a new study finds.
Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that teens who didn’t fight with their families and reported having a close-knit family unit were less likely to report feeling anxious or sad.
Women in particular were twice as likely to report depressive symptoms when they did not have a good relationship with their family, especially when they were young.
The team says their study provides evidence that teens who learn problem-solving and coping skills from their parents — and “know there’s someone they can count on in times of emotional distress” — are better equipped to cope coping with stress in adulthood.
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