The Unique Path of Adolescent Girls

Adolescent girls often experience heightened social awareness. This makes them more susceptible to peer influence and social comparison. Research by Dr. Leonard Sax shows that adolescent girls today face a “crisis of identity,” which is amplified by social media and cultural pressures to conform to unrealistic beauty standards, body images, and social expectations (Girls on the Edge, Sax, 2010). EAP’s Girls Rising Strong program counters this by promoting self-compassion, building resilience, and virtuous character development. These tools help girls foster a positive self-image that is grounded in character rather than external validation.