Understanding girls circle

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UNDERSTANDING GIRLS CIRCLE AS ANEVTERVENTION ON PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT,

BODY IMAGE, SELF EFFICACY, LOCUS OF CONTROL,AND SELF ESTEEM

Steph anie Ste ese, Maya DoUette, W illiam P hillips,Elizabeth Hossfeld, Gail M atthews, and Giovanna Taormina

ABSTRACT

The Girls' Circle is a support group for adolescent girls developed by BethHossfeld and Giovanna Taormina as a unique program that addresses the

needs of girls by focusing on increasing connections, building empathic skills,and developing resiliency. The present study evaluates tbe effectiveness of theGirls' Circle intervention on improving social support, body image, locus ofcontro l, self-efficacy, an d self-esteem. S ixty -tbree girls from 9 supp or t group s{comprising 5 to 15 girls eacb) across the U nited St ate s completed tbe M ultidi-me nsiona l Scale of Perceived Social Suppo rt, tbe Body Par ts Satisfaction Scale,tbe Nowicki-Strickland Personal Reaction Survey, Scbwarzer's General SelfEfficacy Scale, and tbe Rosenberg Self-Esteem scale both before and after tbe10-week Girls' Circle prog ram . R esults revealed a significant in crease in socialsupport, body image, and self-efficacy after completion of tbe program.

• Adolescent girls face num erous challenges during the transitionfrom childhood to adulthood (Feldman Ehot, 1990; Gunnar Collins1988; Lerner Foch, 1987). Threats to adolescent females' health andwell-being include suicide, substance abuse, sexually transmitted dis-eases, dieting, eating problems, and eating disorders (Millstein, Pet-ersen, Nightingale, 1993). Girls are three times more likely than

Stephanie Steese, Maya Dollette, and William Pbilhps, Department of Psy-chology, Dominican University of California; Elizabeth Hossfeld, Girls' CircleAssociation, Cotati, California; Gail Mattbews, Department of Psychology,Dominican University of California; Giovanna Taormina.Girls' Circle Associa-tion, Cotati, California.

Special thanks to all the girls wbo participated in this study, tbeir parentsor guardians, the organizations and individual group facilitators. Lee AnnBartolini, Dominican University of California, Norrine Russell, and all wbocollaborated to make this study possible.

Re print req uests sbould be addressed to Giovanna T aonnina, Executive Di-rector, an d B etb H ossfeld, A ssociate Director, G irls' Circle Association: A Proj-

ect of The Tides Center, 458 Cbristensen Lane, Cotati, California 94931.Emeul; www.girlscircle.com





critical need for girls to hav e the opp ortunity to experience au the ntic itywithin relation ships with peers and ad ults, to counter the crisis ofconnection which cha racte rizes adolescen t female experience.

Within the relational-cultural theory, the Girls ' Circle model aims

to increase protective factors and reduce risk factors in adolescentgirls, as defined by resiliency re sea rch ers such as B ena rd, (2004). Ha ll-marks of the development of resiliency in youth are high expectations,caring and support, and meaningful participation within their commu-nit ies . Positive identification with one's own cultural ethnic, or racialgroup increases resiliency traits as well (Benard, 2004). To this end, akey component of the model is the council type format of one groupme mb er speakin g at a time, w ith the expectation of atten tive listeningfrom other participants. This form of communication intends to in-

crease em path y skills on the pa rt of th e listeners, as well as a m utu alempathic unders tanding among the entire group. From the relat ionalperspective, the dee pest sen se of one's being is continuously formedin connection with others and is inextricably tied to relational move-men t. The primary feature, rath er tha n s truc ture m arked by separate-ness and autonomy, is increasing empathic responsiveness in thecontext of interperso nal m utu ality (Jordan, 1997). Em pathic connec-tion is an integral aim of the Girls ' Circle model, to increase girls 'psychological h eal th , inc ludin g self-efficacy, self-esteem , locus of con-

trol, social support, and body image.Self efficacy A growing body of rese arc h indica tes th e powerful role

self-efficacy plays in shaping individual behavior and the successfulachiev em ent of goals. Self-efficacy refers to beliefs in one's ca pab ilitiesto organize and execute the course of action required to manage pro-spective situa tion s (Ba ndura , 1995). In the research based on Band-ura's social cognition theory, notions of one's personal competence aremore important to academic achievement, for example, than actual

ability (P intric h & Sch un k, 1996). Self-efficacy beliefs hav e been show nto be one indicator of adolescent development in family environments,school achievement, and peer or social self-efficacy (Bradley Corwyn,2001). A Study of European American and African American childrenaged 10 to 15 ye ar s sou ght to un de rs tand th e role of self-efficacy inmediating and moderating the relat ion between home environmentand well-being. Self-efficacy beliefs were found to be important influ-ences in the home environment. Family self-efficacy beliefs were afactor in healthy adolescent development, and related to overall home

environment experiences. For the European Americans, family selfefficacy beliefs w as also rel ate d to achievem ent in school. For th e Afri-





levels of body ima ge dissatisfaction and dieting also report poorer self-

esteem and are generally dissatisfied with other aspects of their lives(e.g., Folk, Pederson, Cullari, 1993; Kelly, Ricciarde llil, Clarke,1999; Law rence Thelen, 1995; M endelson W hite, 1982; M endelson,

White, Mendelson, 1996).Body image. Body image is a person's mental concept of h is or her

physical appearance, constructed from many different influences. Fe-

male adolescents ' body imag es are often distorted due to peer and self-

esteem (having a good opinion of one's self; self-complacency) influ-ences. Negative body image can lead to eating disorders (Cash La-

vallee , 1997), dep ression, soc ial-evaluative anx iety, sexu al difficulties,an d poor self-esteem (Cash, 1990). Perce ption of one's physical app ear -ance has been consistently recognized to be the number one factor in

predicting self-esteem (Harter, 2000), as well as being associated withthe onset of adolescence and pubertal development (Fabian Thomp-son, 1989; Shore Porter, 1990). C ur ren t researc h indicates th at girlsas young as 8 to 9 ye ars of age hav e neg ative views of being overweightand high levels of body image d issatisfactio n (Hill, 1993; Koff Reir-dan, 1991; Rolland, Fam hill , Griffiths, 1997).

McCabe Ricciardelli (2003) examined the perceived influence of

parents , peers , and the media on body image and weight loss among

adolescent boys and girls. The results indicated a consistency in theperceived messages received from mother, father, best male friend,and best female friend in relation to body image and body changestrategies for adolescents . Fumham, Badman, Sneade (2002) stud-ied 235 adolescents to determine whether gir ls who are dissatisfiedw ith their bodies hav e lower self-esteem. T he study found t h a t dissa tis-faction with body image and weight was significantly correlated withlow self-esteem. Similarly McCabe and Ricciardelli (2003) surveyed507 adolescents aged 8 to 11 to examine the role of gender, age, and

body mass index in the development of self-esteem, body image con-cerns, and weight loss. The resea rche rs found th at children w ith poorself-esteem were more dissatisfied with their bodies. The authors sug-

gested that self-esteem is more likely to influence body image amonggirls than boys.

Locus o control. Intemal locus of control, the sense that one has

influence over one's own ex periences, has been widely researched in

recent years . It has been identified as a key determinant of resilience(Benard, 2004). However, relatively few studies have examined the

relationship between age and locus of control behefs, and little is







Self Esteem. This variable was assessed using the Rosenberg SelfEsteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965), a 10-item self-report instrument mea-suring the individual's feeling of self-worth. ocus of Control The 21-item Nowicki-Strickland Personal Reaction

Survey (Nowicki & Strickland, 1972) measures the extent to whichpeople believe that their lives are determined by external circum-stances or the ir own hehavior.

Self efficcicy. Schw arzer's Greneral Self-Efficacy Scale (Jerusalem &Schwarzer, 1992), a 10-item questionnaire, was administered to deter-mine participants' attitudes regarding self-reliance.

Body Image. The Body Parts Satisfaction Scale-Revised (BPSS-R;Berscheid, W alster, Bohm stedt, 1973), a 25-item questionnaire, wasused to measure the degree to which partic ipants feel comfortable w iththeir own bodies. ocial Support The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Sup-

port (Zimet, Dahlem, Zimet, Farley , 1998) is a 12-item questionnairethat evaluates pa rticipants' perception of the role tha t friends, family,and peers play in the ir lives. Also included in the battery were 8 itemsused to collect demographic information.

Procedure

A pre test-posttest design was employed to evaluate th e effectivenessof the Girls' Circle curriculum in nine separate classes. Prior to the

beginning of class, the facilitators administered the pre-test question-naire packet containing the measures described above. Participantswere given 45 minu tes to complete the packet.

Curriculum . A ten-week curriculum was utilized for each group ofgirls. Groups met once a week for either 90 or 120 minutes i>er session.The curriculum addressed areas of girls' lives including friendship,self-image, body-image, relationships, assertiveness, and self-talk.

Weekly themes were integrated into th e Girls' Circle format, and ver-bal and creative activities focused on the theme for the week. Forexample, the theme for week one was Friendships and Bonding, withobjectives such as to unite girls in their experience of getting to knowone another, to explore the meaning of true friendship; to learn fromeach other the key elements of healthy friendships; and to developtru st, bonding, and healthy friendships. Activities included: creatinggroup guidelines, and dyad interviews. On week eight, the theme was Body Image and Body Messages. Objectives were: to explore mes-

sages girls encounter in everyday life through magazines, movies, tele-vision; to critique the messages and their impact on girls' self-images;





Table 1

Mean Scores and Standard Deviationsfor Each Dependent Variable

Variable

Pre Test

S

Post Test

S

Body Image

Social Support

Self EfficacySelf Esteem

Locus of Control

107 11 24 58

58 29 14 35

27 42 5 00

22 94 2 58

12 62 3 60

113 11 24 73

65 06 16 21

30 55 4 65

23 16 3 08

13 77 3 51

F i g u r e 1M e a n P r e - a n d P o s t- T e s t S c o r e s

fo r B o d y Im a g e

= - 2 . 0 2 p < . 0 5

P R E - T E S T P O S T - T E S T



CD

o no o O C I

—

o03c o

i t<l>LiJ

ajCO

70

65

60

55

35

30

25

20

15

Figure 2

Mean Pre- and Post-Test Scores

for Perceived Social Support- f(53) -4.07,p <.O5

• - - -. ., 6 5V

58 ^ ^ H

PRE-TEST POST-TEST

Test Condition

Figure 3

Mean Pre- and Post-Test Scores

for Self-Efficacy

f(53) -5.27,p <.O5 i

31

27 ^^m

PRE-TEST POST-TEST



Figure 4

M ean Pre- and Post-Test S cores

for S elf-Esteem= - . 5 7 2 p > . 0 5

30

LU

^ 10

CO

22 9 23.2

PRE-TEST POST-TEST

TestCorxJit ion

R gu re 5

M ean R-e- and P os t-Tes t S co res

fo r Locus o f Con t ro l

= -1.34 p > .O 5

7

oo_ l

c

C

oO

FRE-TEST POST-TESTT es t C ondi tion



example, one activity instructs participants to identify negative self-statements such as I'm terrib le at school and to re-state such state-ments as positive ones, such as I can pass my classes; I can ask forhelp if need it.

Self-efficacy is also enhanced through positive ethnic identity (Ber-nard, 2004; Rotheram , 1996). It is possible that the narrative and self-expressive aspects of the curriculum increase g irls' beliefs in their abil-ities and capacities, in pa rt because they have experienced themselvesas significant and effective members of their groups. These groupsoften reflect girls' varied ethnicities, and engage them in reflection,recognition, and expression of meaningful family and cultural experi-ences. One activity, for example, asks girls to write or draw and sharepersonal representations of favorite family traditions, a family hero/heroine, a challenge the family survived, and a special belonging th atsignifies one's culture. Increased positive identification and empathicinterest from the group may be factors th at promote self-efficacy. Sinceresearch has established a clear and important link between beliefsregarding one's abilities and outcomes in important domains such asacademics, home environment, and peer relationships, the positive im-provement in self-efficacy beliefs demonstrated in this study suggeststhe potential value of the Girls' Circle model in the promotion and

attainment of wellness activities for girls.Body image These findings support data in previous research thatlink body image and social support, in which girls ' self-perceptions areinfluenced by their peers and families. O'Dea and Abraham's (2000)results were consistent with previous research in regard to positivechanges in body image and intervention programs. They found signifi-cantly improved body satisfaction of the intervention students andchanged aspects of their self-esteem. Also, social acceptance, physicalappearance, and athletic ability became less important for the inter-

vention students and more important for the controls. Many of thecontrol students significantly decreased their body weight, while theweight of the intervention students increased. Further, one year afterthe intervention, positive body image and attitude changes were stillpresent. These changes were a result of participation in the program.

One goal of the Girls' Circle model is to strengthen physical self-image. The model addresses girls' body image in particular aspects ofthe curriculum, in which cultural, family, and peer messages aboutgirls' bodies are identified, explored, and challenged. Also, during ses-sions, girls are welcome to express feelings and though ts. Because a



Circle curriculum addresses feeling recognition in targeted activitiesrelated to body image, but also in numerous gender-relevant areas.This study supports research by Laszlo (2001) which showed th at sup-port from peers increased positive body image. Support and interven-

tion groups not associated with Girls' Circle also revealed improvementin body aw areness, body anxiety, self-esteem, and self-worth (Rankin,1974; O Dea Abraham , 2000).

Also, the curriculum includes facilitated discussions and activitiesthat invite girls to express experiences in verbal or creative form. Thesediscussions incorporate critical thinking strategies in which partici-pants identify and question attitudes, norms, and practices, such asmedia techniques that influence their attitudes and behaviors. The

intended outcome is for girls to recognize the influences shaping theirperceptions, the impact of those perceptions, and the capacity for per-sonal choice and decision making within such aspects of their self-image. Such awareness and problem-solving skills development hasbeen associated with better psychological and social adjustment,lower levels of depression and anxiety, greater hope, better physicalhealth, and better coping with adversity (Benard, 2004).

erceived social support The data revealed significant increases inperceived social support, supporting the hypothesis. This finding also

supports earlier studies showing that belonging and connection in-creased through support group processes (Graczyk, 2000). This re-search suggests that prevention and intervention programs promotingsocial and emotional wellness in adolescents should focus on groupsuccess and the ability to develop and maintain supportive friendsh ips.Other research has noted th at support and intervention groups shouldcontinue to promote positive messages with adolescents (Rosenbledt,2003; Benard, 2004).

Empathic interactions are hallmarks of supportive relationships

(Goleman, 1995). Resiliency research maintains that children andyouth who have supportive and caring relationships with at least oneadult in the ir community are likely to succeed despite severe hardship(Benard, 2004). According to researchers (Miller, 1991; Jord an, 1997),the key ingredient in girls' connections is mutual empathic interaction.In the Girls' Circle model, girls voice experiences in verbal or creativeform to an attentive group consisting of peers and one or two adultfacilitators. These activities are conducive to group cohesion and bond-ing, and set into motion empathic reciprocity, increasing perception ofsocial support.





CONCL USIONS

The present study provides quantitative data that show significantpositive changes for girls in key areas of their development: their sense

of belonging, their perception and acceptance of their own bodies, andtheir belief in their ability to accomplish meaningful tasks and goalsin their lives. While this is the first study of the Girls' Circle model, itis important because it provides evidence for the effectiveness of pro-viding a female-responsive circle format that serves girls' develop-mental needs. In future studies, we intend to investigate the impactof the Girls' Circle Model on such variables as drug and alcohol use,delinquency, resiliency, and social relations. We also intend to exploredifferent measures of these variables to accommodate the appropriate

age of the g irls represen ted.

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