Adolescence can be both a rich and challenging time for girls as they confront new ideas, explore life's possibilities, and navigate through the stormy seas of physical, social, behavioral, and emotional changes.

How are girls meeting these challenges? The research and policy studies reviewed and analyzed for this report provide a mixed picture of progress and continuing struggles.

Several large-scale national studies suggest that girls are as likely as boys of the same age to smoke cigarettes, that they have inadequate access to sports programs that offer physical, social, and psychological benefits, that they are twice as likely as boys to be depressed, and that they often are the victims of violence.

On the other hand, new evidence identifies other, more encouraging trends. In school, girls continue to do well in reading and language, and their math achievement now almost matches that of boys. The teen birth rate has declined steadily since 1992, after rising by 25 percent between 1986 and 1991, and although access to contraception and abortion services has been restricted in many states, more teens appear to be using contraception than ever before.

These are some of the key findings of this report, which is a sequel to Risks, Resiliency, and Resistance: Current Research on Adolescent Girls, produced by the National Council for Research on Women for the Ms. Foundation in 1991.

The current report strives to present a balanced picture of the status of adolescent girls today. Its goal is to provide useful information about what we do and don't know about adolescent girls that can guide future research, policy decisions, and programs designed to improve the climate and life possibilities for all girls, regardless of where they live, their racial or ethnic background, or their social or economic status.

The report contains three additional sections that will be helpful to people who want to advocate for girls. "What Do Adolescent Girls Need for Healthy Development?" outlines specific actions that individuals and groups, including parents, teachers, and funders, can take to support girls. The "Resource Guide" includes descriptions of diverse programs created by NCRW member centers and related organizations aimed at improving the situation of girls, as well as publications that illuminate adolescent girls' development. "Looking Ahead: Developing a New Research Agenda" points to areas that need future research. These range from further investigation of girls' needs to the impact of programs and policies addressing those needs.

INTRODUCTION

What exactly do adolescent girls need for healthy development? What do we know about these needs? What can families, schools, other public agencies, and private organizations and communities do to ensure that girls thrive as they make the transition from adolescence to adulthood? These are the basic questions addressed throughout this report. Its structure and findings should be interpreted with the following context in mind:

	Adolescent boys face many of the same issues and challenges that confront girls. The report focuses on girls because they and their issues traditionally are underrepresented in research and policy debates, but it also recognizes that measures to improve the climate for girls almost inevitably benefit boys as well.
	Girls face gender-related issues throughout their development, but many of these issues come into especially sharp relief during adolescence.
	Research on girls often has focused on risks and negative trends, rather than exploring positive aspects of their lives.
	Research often does not take into account the social and cultural context--for example, the availability of health care in inner-city neighborhoods--that influences girls' life experiences.
	The voices of girls are rarely heard in research reports or in discussions of policies that affect their lives.

FRAMING GENDER, IDENTITY, AND ADOLESCENCE

Adolescence traditionally has been characterized as a period of "storm and stress." However, recent research suggests that many of the difficulties associated with adolescence are due more to social factors such as poverty, family stresses, and societal ambivalence toward youth than to some inevitable, internal process or characteristics of adolescents themselves.

Discussions of girls' identity development are based too often on narrowly defined notions of self-esteem, tending frequently to emphasize overall gender differences without probing the interconnections among race, culture, social class, and sexuality. The structure of future research and of programs and policies devised to improve girls' lives must strive to understand and account for these complexities.

PERSPECTIVES ON GIRLS' LIVES

Health: Adolescence is a potentially healthy time for girls, but the leading causes of premature death among women--including lung cancer, other cancers, heart disease, and AIDS--are associated with behaviors that often begin during adolescence. Evidence that sparks concern includes the rise in the percentage of girls who smoke (from 13 percent of eighth graders in 1991 to 21 percent five years later); a report that 30 percent of adolescent girls have thought about suicide, compared with 18 percent of boys; and the fact that 90 percent of cases of eating disorders are found among girls and young women. Society must search for ways to encourage young women to take a holistic approach to their health, educate them to take responsibility for their behavior, and provide universal access to reliable information and health services.

Sexuality: National data exist on the age of first intercourse, but little or no data has been gathered on the prevalence of other types of girls' sexual experiences. The rate of births to teens is declining and teens' use of contraception is increasing, but many adolescents are still not using contraception or are having abortions. More quantitative information about sexual behaviors among adolescents, and more qualitative research on the nature of their experiences, is needed, as are affordable and confidential access to both sexuality education and health services.

Violence and Victimization: Girls are a proportionally higher percentage of victims of violence--including rape--than boys. Their perception that rape is committed by strangers may inhibit girls from reporting rape or other violence perpetrated by family members or acquaintances. Other causes for concern include the rate of arrest for violent crimes, which is rising more quickly for girls than for boys, and the inadequate preparation of the justice system to address the special needs of girls, especially those who are pregnant or who have children. Schools as well as parents need to play a role in educating children about violence, and schools must have strictly enforced policies against sexual harassment on the premises.

Schooling: As in other aspects of girls' lives in recent years, the record of change in schooling is mixed. Girls' performance has improved in math (on standardized tests) but not in science. Girls say that they like these subjects less than do boys and that they have less confidence in their abilities in these areas. In general, girls are less likely to drop out of school than are boys. However, female dropouts are much more likely than their male counterparts of the same race or ethnic group to live in poverty. Researchers need to explore further the positive and negative effects of single-sex schools, classes, and programs. Educators should create learning environments that practice gender equity and are peopled by strong female role models and mentors from diverse cultural backgrounds. Schools should offer sexuality education as well as opportunities for critical discussion of issues including racism, class distinctions, and sexism.

Economic Realities: Women and children account for more than three-quarters of households with incomes below the poverty level. Contrary to stereotypes, only 11 percent of mothers on welfare are teenagers. Children from racial minority groups are much more likely to live in poverty than are white children. Recent changes in the welfare system discourage some girls from continuing their education and becoming economically self-sufficient. Unmarried teen mothers should not have to live in a home situation that is dangerous to receive a benefit; they need access to day care, transportation, and other supports that will enable them to work and pursue their education.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This review of an extensive body of recent work on key issues in the lives of adolescent girls leads to five overarching conclusions. These perspectives should underlie efforts by adults, communities, and all others working to meet the needs of adolescent girls and enrich their opportunities.

	Girls are multidimensional individuals with diverse perspectives, needs, and developmental contexts. Researchers, policymakers, and people who work directly with girls must be sensitive to the interactions of gender with other aspects of their identities--including race, ethnicity, social class, sexuality, (dis)ability, and the communities where they live--that influence girls' actions, attitudes, and, ultimately, their futures.
	Girls can benefit from programs and strategies that build on their strengths and encourage them to explore meaningful possibilities for their futures. In many fields, including education, health care, athletics, and juvenile justice, adults have worked successfully over the last decade to create school- and community-based programs that provide support to many girls and that could be replicated.
	Research must continue to play a role in deepening our understanding of girls' needs and how to respond to them. Researchers, advocates, public officials, and funders should collaborate to articulate, fund, and promote a research agenda.
	Girls require and deserve the awareness, attention, and commitment of a wide range of individuals and institutions to promote their healthy development. Parents should continue to play the primary role in supporting girls' development. However, educators, a range of professionals, public officials, and other members of the community should strengthen their efforts to create a safe and supportive climate that nurtures girls and encourages them to develop and pursue their goals.
	Adults should listen to what girls have to say about their own lives. Adults who want to help girls must collaborate not only with one another, but also with girls themselves. Adults should listen to girls' concerns and perspectives and include girls as partners in designing and implementing programs and research that address their needs.