The purpose of this research design is to explore the meaning of death for the female adolescent. A qualitative design was used as the method of research. Twelve participants were selected from a snowball sample ten females and two males. Four participants reported witnessing the death of an individual, five reported a moderated death experience in which they were not present but were told after the fact and three reported no significant experience with death. The study indicated relationships and cause of death as among the pre-conditions towards meaning development for the adolescent female. The two main themes derived from the pre-conditions are an understanding of the inevitability of death for themselves and the experience of death as qualia. Consequences to the experience of death include increased emotional tolerance under stress and a perceived increased maturity suggesting resilience in the adolescent female following a loss. Future areas of research are also addressed.

No description available.

Research on colorism continues to gain momentum across several disciplines. However, while varied studies have explored the social phenomenon among adult populations, especially those of African ancestry, few have systematically investigated the extent to which African American youth are exposed to or endorse hierarchical perceptions of skin color. The current study addresses this void in colorism literature. Employing a grounded theory approach, the present investigation examines African American female adolescents’ perceptions of skin color, aiming specifically to understand the sociocultural factors that underpin and contribute to colorist socializations as well as sources of skin color messages. Five focus groups and nine interviews were conducted with 30 African American girls ranging in age from 12-16. Participants were recruited from local Boys and Girls clubs, neighborhood centers, and nonprofit organizations. Participants were asked such a priori based questions as: 1) What do people think about light skin Black girls? 2) What do people think about dark skin Black girls? 3) What messages about skin color do you hear from Rap music? and 4) Do Black men and boys prefer girls of certain skin colors. Constant comparison data analysis and coding revealed African Americans girls are, in fact, exposed to and endorse hierarchical perceptions of skin color, the central phenomenon Three core categories related to the central phenomenon emerged: 1) sources of skin color messages, e.g. family and rap music 2) skin color messages, e.g. skin color governs social standing, physical attributes, and personality/behavioral traits and 3) effects of skin color messages, e.g. mate preferences, desires to change one’s appearance, and within-race division. From these three core categories emerged seven subcategories and themes that offer additional information and insight into the central phenomenon. Findings from this study indicate African American young females are significantly influenced by skin color preferences, and thus may stand to gain from the development of curricula or programs designed to counter colorist stereotypes, reduce the effects of skin color biases, and promote a greater sense of self-satisfaction and wellbeing.

Master of Science / Department of Family Studies and Human Services / Karen Myers-Bowman / Female adolescent sexual behavior has several potential negative life consequences including: pregnancy, sexually transmitted infection, and HIV/AIDS. Educating parents on how they play a role in the decision-making process regarding the sexual behavior of their adolescent daughters has important implications for Family Life Educators. This thesis explores maternal influence on the risky sexual behavior of female adolescents related to age at first sexual intercourse, contraceptive use, and number of partners. ANOVA was used to explore the relationships between a variety of aspects in the mother-daughter relationship. Findings show there are associations between time spent together, perceptions of closeness, and communication in mother-daughter relationships, and contraceptive use at first and most recent intercourse and total number of partners.

The commercial and sexual exploitation of children has become a global multi-billion dollar industry over the past several decades. Throughout history, therapists from various backgrounds have not only advocated against child trafficking but also provided therapeutic services to victims of such an inhuman crime—most of whom are female adolescents. Compared to their female counterparts, male therapists have been assigned CSEC cases involving female clients in excessively lower ratios. Researchers, however, have not fully captured what has prevented the female CSEC population from drawing interests from male counselors. This study explored potential reluctance in male therapists with regard to working with female CSEC clients. Under the qualitative research paradigm, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight male therapists in Southern California. Results from the thematic analysis of the interview data demonstrated that male counselors are reluctant to work on a one-on-one basis with female CSEC clients due to (1) fear of sexual accusations and (2) lack of training. However, results also revealed that support from female colleagues can help dissipate the heavy clouds of fear associated with sexual allegations. Implications for social work and human service agencies were discussed. Keywords: male counselor, commercially and sexually exploited children, social work, colleague support.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Special Education, Counseling and Student Affairs / Judith K. Hughey / Adolescence is a time when many experience challenges in life to which they have not been previously exposed. Complicating the transition to adolescence is the perception that they are “on stage” and everyone is watching and evaluating their transition through puberty (Woolfolk, 2019). Youth face the challenge of separating themselves from their parents, gaining more independence, and growing into their own identity (Erikson, 1968; Woolfolk, 2019). With this independence arises more reliance on peers, friends, and outside influences. They are faced with decisions to make about their postsecondary choice, career path, goal setting, body image issues, identity, sexual selves, and peer relationships. Gender differences in self-esteem have also been shown to emerge during adolescence, with girls displaying lower levels of self-esteem than their male peers (Impett, Sorsoli, Schooler, Henson, & Tolman, 2008). The emphasis on fitness, thinness, and outward beauty, increases the pressure on adolescents, specifically for this study, females to have the “perfect” body to fit with society ideals (Hartocollis, 2013). The study explored self-esteem, self-efficacy, life satisfaction, social comparison, and body image in 8th and 12th grade girls from a rural middle school and a rural high school in a mid-size Midwestern city. The study population included 97 participants among the two schools and utilized a cross-sectional design, causal-comparative. Survey results indicated 12th grade girls do not have higher self-esteem, life satisfaction, or self-efficacy and reported lower “how I look” and “how I feel” body image than 8th grade girls. However, 12th grade girls reported engaging in social comparison less than 8th grade girls. It is significant that girls in the study who reported school-based curriculum exposure to nutrition, goal setting, and respecting their sexual selves reported higher life satisfaction, self-esteem, and self-efficacy. The girls also reported engaging in less social comparison. The results from this study indicated the need and strong support for intentional school-based curricula. Self-esteem, self-efficacy, body image and social comparison are factors in life satisfaction and should be addressed as part of a comprehensive, standards based social-emotional curriculum.

The history of association soccer dates back to the 1800's, and all indications are that prospects for the female athlete was scarce in all sports. The researcher has arranged an environment where young females can train with males in a soccer setting that has all the necessary elements for the athletes to learn, improve and compete with their own gender as well as opposite gender. The female group has been noticeable underachievers in this sport and is not aware of their potential. The research methodology is ethnographic in nature and study could easily be related to a traditional way to learn and develop in this sport. The method stresses the importance of reproducing procedures that were taught to the researcher. The employment of this method was to provide motivation and additional teaching resources to assist and enhance development of the research participant's potential. This was an ethnographic endeavor that accumulated several sources of data on 13 elite male and female athletes. Based on the data collected interpretations were made regarding their perceptions of the opposite gender. Ethnography was combined with descriptive statistics and employed to elicit and compile the data in the soccer specific testing components and the interviews. Merging techniques of observation (participant observation), field notes, video analysis, individual and group interviews were the sources of rich information for the researcher. This was a practical approach to bring out or discover any overt or covert trends, and to determine what possible barriers to learning would limit and reduce participation in the sport of soccer. The theoretical nature of the research, formal sociology is very much related to observational methods, choosing to gather data in a controlled and organized approach. The researcher's decision to tape the interview process and his preference to videotape events would thereby collect a complete and accurate account of the training progression subject matter. The results in the soccer specific testing indicated that the males were generally faster on sprint runs and had more endurance on the distance runs. However, a few of the females did better some of the males' scores in the aerobic and anaerobic events. The technical and tactical data indicated a slight improvement for the females when comparing pre and posttest results. Once more, the males were more advanced than the females. The psychological data showed the females progressed on the posttest scores. However, there was no overall male domination on the 20 categories. There are different areas on the inventory where females scored higher and other areas where the males would top the females. The interviews provided some enlightening information that confirmed aspects of male domination exist in sport and the feminist's role in sport as bringing attention to many gender issues, the positive and negative aspects of education and sport, the goals and motivation to participate in sport. Finally, the contrasting viewpoints between the American adolescent in this study and the English adolescent in Flintoff's (1993) dissertation and Flintoff and Scraton's (2001) study on physical education and gender issues. The most important finding was that learning had occurred in the training milieu. Learning was accomplished through the males' ability to facilitate the dynamics of attention and discipline required throughout the training sessions that were offered. The soccer specific test results indicated a much more motivated female group and the females' spring season was very successful; the team went undefeated in all competitions. The males in the study began to shed the superior attitude to one of more respect and tolerance of their female counterparts. The female differs emotionally from the male as the interview data illustrated and the co-education environment was both positive and productive, but there are limits to the inclusion of the female gender in the male training sessions. More planning would be necessary to assure that both groups develop. The study not only provided training and testing, but also made the participants more aware of many gender issues and how the research attempted to bridge the gap in sport between the sexes. If adopted, the psychological data could mean major benefits for the player who wants to know exactly what their strengths and weaknesses are; and when actions of strength are required and the capacity to work on weaknesses.

No description available.

[pt] A presente tese, Gênero, sexualidade e as meninas em privação de liberdade: um estudo sobre a política de atendimento socioeducativo no estado do Rio de Janeiro, analisa a organização desta política após a aprovação da Resolução número 119, de 11 de dezembro de 2006, do Conselho Nacional dos Direitos da Criança e do Adolescente (Conanda), que estabelece as diretrizes básicas para a organização e o funcionamento do Sistema Nacional de Atendimento Socioeducativo (Sinase) aos(às) adolescentes a quem se atribui a autoria de ato infracional. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa, que utiliza o método de análise de conteúdo para examinar documentos normativos e conteúdo de entrevistas, grupos focais e rodas de conversa com operadores(as) do Sistema de Garantia de Direitos (SGD), com as meninas e seus familiares sobre o tema e cujo referencial teórico tem como foco as abordagens de gênero e as formas como a opressão de gênero se expressa na prática do atendimento, assim como seus efeitos. A autora analisa como adolescentes do sexo feminino entre 12 e 18 anos, em cumprimento de medida de internação, são percebidas e atendidas em seus direitos e demandas, ressaltando as questões de saúde física e mental, os direitos sexuais e reprodutivos, a maternidade e as relações familiares, em razão de sua identidade ou expressão de gênero. Ela conclui que o atendimento hoje ainda segue uma lógica masculina, que desde a formulação da política socioeducativa até a execução da medida invisibiliza e secundariza as meninas, nega seus direitos, agrava suas condições precárias de vida e fortalece os sistemas vigentes de opressão. Até a década de 2000 os estudos sobre o atendimento socioeducativo estavam centrados nos adolescentes do sexo masculino, uma vez que historicamente constituem a maioria em cumprimento de medida, tanto em regime aberto, quanto privativo de liberdade. A partir da aprovação da referida Resolução, porém, o tema da diversidade étnico-racial, de gênero e de orientação sexual foi definido como norteador da prática pedagógica e transversal a todo o sistema. Nos anos seguintes o debate avançou em relação ao atendimento às especificidades das meninas, desvelando um cenário de desigualdades, discriminações e punições baseadas no gênero, na cor da pele e na classe social. A autora define, portanto, três pontos para a compreensão da política em questão: o processo de construção das percepções sobre as adolescentes infratoras e as formas de produção de desigualdades de gênero, enfatizando os estereótipos que reforçam os sistemas de opressão; os impactos das percepções construídas sobre elas na política de atendimento; e o modo como se opera a precarização de suas vidas de forma individual ou coletiva, por meio da invisibilização ou secundarização de suas necessidades. Para ilustrar alguns dos temas destacados nesta análise, a autora seleciona relatos de agentes públicos(as) que interagiam com adolescentes infratoras na única unidade de atendimento de internação feminina no estado do Rio de Janeiro, no ano de 2019, a partir de entrevistas, grupos focais e rodas de conversa realizadas em pesquisa sob sua coordenação. / [en] This thesis, Gender and girls in deprivation of liberty: a study of the socio-educational care policy in the state of Rio de Janeiro, analyses the organization of this policy following the approval of Resolution 119 of 11 December 2006 by the National Council for the Rights of Children and Adolescents (Conanda), which establishes the basic guidelines for the organization and operation of the National Socio-Educational Care System (Sinase) for adolescents who are accused of committing an offence. This is a qualitative study, which uses the content analysis method to examine normative documents and the content of interviews with operators of the Rights Guarantee System (SGD), with the girls and their families on the subject and whose theoretical framework focuses on gender approaches and the ways in which gender oppression is expressed in the practice of care, as well as its effects. The author analyzes how female adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18, who are serving a detention order, are perceived and attended to in terms of their rights and demands, highlighting physical and mental health issues, sexual and reproductive rights, motherhood and family relations, due to their gender identity or expression. She concludes that care today still follows a masculine logic, which from the formulation of socio-educational policy to the execution of the measure makes girls invisible and secondary, denies their rights, aggravates their precarious living conditions and strengthens existing systems of oppression. Until the 2000s, studies on socio-educational care were centered on male adolescents, since they have historically been the majority of those serving both open and custodial sentences. However, with the approval of this Resolution, the theme of ethnic-racial diversity, gender and sexual orientation was defined as the guiding principle of pedagogical practice and transversal to the entire system. In the following years, the debate advanced in relation to meeting the specific needs of girls, revealing a scenario of inequalities, discrimination and punishments based on gender, skin color and social class. The author therefore defines three points for understanding the policy in question: the process of building perceptions about adolescent offenders and the ways in which gender inequalities are produced, emphasizing the stereotypes that reinforce systems of oppression; the impact of the perceptions built about them on the care policy; and the way in which their lives are made precarious, either individually or collectively, by making their needs invisible or secondary. To illustrate some of the themes highlighted in this analysis, the author selects reports from public agents who interacted with adolescent offenders in the only female detention center in the state of Rio de Janeiro in 2019, based on interviews conducted in research under her coordination.

The purpose of this study was to examine sociocultural and psychological correlates of bulimic symptomatology and drive for thinness in a sample of nonclinical female adolescents.