The Girl-Crisis Movement: Evaluating the Foundation

Abstract

Psychologists played a major role behind the widely publicized and popular idea of a crisis among girls. In this paper, several topics basic to the girl-crisis movement are examined. Suggested by the works of psychologists Carol Gilligan and Mary Pipher, the topics are voice, self-esteem, and psychology's role in harming girls. Expected sex differences in voice and self-esteem were not found. The girl-crisis notion that contemporary psychology has colluded in harming girls is at odds with the arc of the profession. The wide divergence between the basic claims of the girl-crisis movement and these findings are discussed. Further critique is recommended.