Learning from girls: Family scripts, cultural context and sexual health.

Little is known about the context of social relationships in which girls construct their sexualities. The purpose of this study was to describe female adolescents' interpretations of family scripts about puberty and sexuality in order to better understand how economically and ethnically diverse families influence the developing sexuality of girls. This study explores girls' narratives about their experiences of first menses in the context of family relationships. It also explores girls' narratives about their experiences of learning about sex, sexuality and relationships through interactions with family members. In-depth individual interviews were conducted with 33 adolescent girls ages 14--18. The sample consisted of both African-American and European-American girls from higher and lower income families. Transcriptions of these recorded conversations were analyzed using an interpretive methodological approach. Findings from the narrative analysis indicate that many families were unable to achieve a balance between respecting teenage girls' need to make independent decisions about sexuality and relationships on the one hand and the girls' need for parental support and guidance on the other. In the other social spheres, outside of the family, (friends/peers, partners, school, media) information was often limited, guidance was minimal and pressures to adhere to narrow standards of behavior and appearance were strong. For all participants, in both higher and lower-income families, there was little discussion about how girls might be sexual in ways that allow them to feel in charge of their decisions. For lower income participants, family scripts were generally more accepting of girls' sexuality. However, this accepting attitude was often accompanied by greater scrutiny and control over girls' behavior. For higher-income teens, family scripts emphasized that girls' were in charge of their decisions generally. However, these families were less likely to treat sexuality as an active part of girls' lives. This study examined how teenage girls interpret their own experiences of their bodies and emerging sexuality in light of the prevailing public discourse, cultural scenarios and interpersonal scripts. The findings from this study suggest many girls have insufficient resources or support as they try to navigate decisions and interactions that involve their sexuality.PhDHealth and Environmental SciencesIndividual and family studiesNursingSocial SciencesWomen's studiesUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/130688/2/3042181.pd