Celebrities Kids | Celebrity Obsession: Are our teens too star-struck?
Following the lives of teen celebrities such as Taylor Lautner or Miley Cyrus are part of the normal past time for the average teenager today. While on the surface this may sound like the sort of thing we'd expect a young person to be doing with their time, this behavior can also lead to some major psychological issues that have far-reaching effects. In a recent study of adolescents between 11 and 16 years of age, two major categories were identified that pertain to how teens relate to celebrities.
The first category, called "entertainment social celebrity worship", consisted of teens that viewed celebrities as sources of entertainment and talked frequently about celebrity news. This was considered completely normal for the everyday teenager. These teenagers displayed healthy emotional independence. However, the second category called "intense personal celebrity worship" showed teenagers who were seeking a personal connection to the celebrity and often developed an unhealthy obsession. These teens, while trying to go through the normal maturity cycle, seemed to suffer from lower self-esteem and confidence than their peers. Their relationships with family and friends were extremely poor.
So this begs the question, "How can we prevent our teens from becoming too often with the lives of celebrities?" Well, there are a few things that can help. First, teens should be actively involved or engaged in school activities. Teens who have responsibilities such as an after school job or specific household responsibilities have less idle time on their hands. Also, teens should be encouraged to volunteer their time to serve in the community to develop an awareness of others who are less fortunate. Lastly, teens who are encouraged to have a spiritual foundation often have a healthier self-confidence and thus feel less inclined to seek out celebrities to idolize.
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Author: Traci S Campbell
Website: www.traciscampbell.com
