NCJ Number
224932
Editor(s)
Michael C. Roberts,
Gabriele S. Clune
Date Published
1999
Length
30 pages
Annotation
This booklet provides excerpts from the study, “Beyond Appearance: A New Look at Adolescent Girls,” which identifies and reviews the psychology and related research/literature on the strengths, challenges, and choices of adolescent girls.
Abstract
Some issues discussed are gender roles; gender and self-esteem; body image concerns and disordered eating; issues distinctive to adolescent girls of color and to adolescent girls of color who are immigrants; and issues for American-born Asian, African, Latina, and American-Indian adolescent girls. Other topics discussed are relationships with significant adults, friendships and peer relationships, sexuality and sexual decisionmaking, school and community, dating violence, and teen prostitution. Also discussed are health care for teens, public policy and adolescent sexuality, psychologist education and practice issues, and vision for the future. The discussion of the latter issue notes that although progress in gaining equal right for women and girls has significantly broadened the range of choice for girls, adolescent girls lack guidance and expectations as they consider the variety of roles now open to them. Interventions with adolescent girls must address this predicament, since it is an important factor for adolescent girls’ transition. Questions from a research survey conducted by the task force on adolescent girls, “the State of the Hearts of Adolescent Girls,” concludes the paper. At the conclusion of each section of the paper, research questions on adolescents that remain to be addressed on the topic discussed are listed.