Sex Education and Mental Health Work With a Female Teen-Age Gang

For six months the co-author, a college student, met weekly with a group of 11 girls aged 12 to 14 who hung out at a teen-age center where she had worked in a summer job. All the girls were considered delinquent, were sexually promiscuous, used illegal drugs, did poorly in school, and felt rejected by their parents. The meetings focused primarily on sexual concerns, but other aspects of their lives were also discussed. Despite the girls' high risk for serious problems, none occurred during the six months of the meetings. The girls changed their attitudes about their sexual behavior and stealing, and showed increased self-esteem and motivation in school.