Girlhood in the Digital Age: The Role of Social Media in the Mental Wellbeing of Girls in Curaçao

Abstract

This thesis explores how adolescent girls in Curaçao navigate mental health challenges through life skills, particularly in the context of social media. By identifying the specific needs, strategies, and interpretations of life skills among girls living in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), the study contributes to broader discussions on culturally and gender-responsive youth development. Drawing on the life skills framework, it examines how the cultural dynamics of Curaçao shape these coping strategies. The study uses qualitative research methods, primarily gathering data through focus groups and in-depth interviews, utilizing creative techniques such as drawing to collect perspectives from participants across various government-funded and public high schools on the island. Findings indicate that the life skills of girls in Curacao are shaped by a complex interplay of factors, including family background, the level of support from their schools, and broader cultural attitudes. Girls from families with open and empowering discourse around social media, free from cultural stigma around mental health, demonstrate key life skills, such as emotional coping strategies. In contrast, girls from families where mental health is dismissed or denied often learn to handle issues on their own, having been taught to put problems into perspective rather than acknowledge them. Overall, the girls expressed a need for support from their schools to manage mental health challenges and to learn skills like emotional regulation. The broader structural challenges raised by teachers and reports on the Curaçao education system highlight the urgent need to improve current teaching materials and update school care plans. To create a more relevant and structured basis for teaching and supporting the socio-emotional development of Curacao’s youth. Ultimately, this research underscores the importance of collaborative, multi-level approaches that prioritize the voices of adolescent girls and foster their development within supportive environments.