How America's Youth Are Faring Since September 11th

By Whitney Roban, Ph.D., Judy Schoenberg, Ed.M., Harriet Mosatche, Ph.D., and Michael Conn, Ph.D. (New York, N.Y.: Girl Scouts of the USA, 2002). 14 pp.

How America's Youth Are Faring Since September 11th reveals how the emotional effects of September 11, future threats, and the current war on terrorism are still resonating through the daily lives of U.S. teenage girls.

Among the findings:

• Almost half (46%) of the girls reported that their current feelings range from being "a little less safe" to being "much less safe" to being "terrified" in the aftermath of September 11.

Girls also report the need and desire to talk about the recent terrorist events:

• More than one quarter (26%) of girls say that talking about the events connected with September 11 is the one activity that they have found most helpful in coping with it.

Although many of the effects of the terrorist events have had a negative impact on teen girls' lives, there has been some positive impact as well:

• Nearly one quarter (24%) of girls say that they are spending more time with their family since September 11.
• Many girls (41%) also say they have re-evaluated what's important in their lives.
• Forty percent of girls say they have volunteered more since September 11 or are interested in volunteering within the next year.

This report is based on an original study conducted by the Girl Scout Research Institute in conjunction with Partners in Brainstorms, Inc., and on other research to date. It includes Tips for Parents and Other Caring Adults on how to support youth during these challenging times.

Download How America's Youth Are Faring Since September 11th (PDF, 157KB). For more information about the research, or to order a hard copy of the study, email the Girl Scout Research Institute or call (800) GSUSA 4 U.