The Bratz line of dolls has four main characters, all girls, who don the latest, sexy fashions and receive almost constant criticism from parents who feel the dolls are too sexy. Several studies have found that over-sexualized images such as these reinforce unhealthy behaviors, like eating disorders, in young girls.

"Criticism was building even before several studies mentioned Bratz dolls by name. This year, the American Psychological Association piled on, citing Bratz in a report that analyzed about 300 studies on the relationship between media images and mental health."

Many parents try, instead, to buy dolls with more wholesome images, like the wildly popular American Girls line.

New Leaf Academy, private middle school for girls, helps struggling girls ages 10-14 with therapy and accredited academics.

Labels: behaviors, influences, role_models