NCJ Number
177268
Date Published
1999
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This article challenges the opinions of William Pollack and Michael Gurian that a major crisis exists with respect to the development of male children and adolescents; the author argues that normal male traits are not personality disorders and that only a small proportion of boys are actually suffering from a recognized disorder and need help.
Abstract
The author reports that many psychologists state that boys today are plagued by depression, isolation, despair, and fragile self-esteem; are performing poorly in school compared with females; and have become dangerously aggressive. These psychologists are talking about all boys, even those who seem to be normal. They attribute boys' current trauma to both the traditional sex-role stereotypes attacked by feminists and to the androgynous society proposed to rectify them. However, the data reveal that females also have the problems described by the boy advocates; neither sex is experiencing an emotional or behavioral epidemic. In addition, the evidence does not support the suppositions of boy advocates and feminists regarding the relationship between sex roles and personal well-being. Moreover, major reviews have also found little evidence in support of the idea that parents handle boys and girls differently. The disparity in aggression among males and females has always existed; certain kinds of home environments can exaggerate aggressive behavior in boys. Sex differences in behavior have persisted over time and across cultures. The analysis concludes that the boy advocates may cause good parents of healthy boys to have doubts about their own competence and the well-being of their sons and may deprive youth of the chance to overcome life's challenges. Instead, they should have more respect for children's resiliency and learn to appreciate the difference between raising girls and raising boys.