Girls Circle (OJJDP Model Program Guide)

Office of Justice Programs, Innovation - Partnerships – Safer Neighborhoods

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) Serving Children, Families and Communities

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Girls Circle

Intervention:

Girls Circle is a strengths-based support group that addresses the unique needs of girls ages 9–18 by integrating relational–cultural theory (RCT), resiliency practices, and skills training into a specific format designed to increase positive connection, personal and collective strengths, and competence in girls. It aims to counteract social and interpersonal forces that impede girls’ growth and development and has been used since 1994 in a broad spectrum of settings with diverse female populations and programs.

The Girls Circle model integrates principles of motivational interviewing and strengths-based approaches and is used as a standalone healthy-female development program as well as to complement core programs. The model is implemented across all sectors of juvenile justice programming: diversion, probation, detention, secure facilities, residential treatment, group homes, and aftercare. Additionally, Girls Circle is implemented across all youth service sectors: education, mental health, child welfare, and community based.

The theoretical underpinning of Girls Circle relies on RCT, which suggests that growth-fostering relationships are a central human necessity and that disconnections are the source of psychological problems. The theory views a girl’s connections with others as a central organizing feature in her psychological makeup. The quality of these connections determines her overall psychological health, self-image, and relationships. Within this theoretical framework, Girls Circle aims to provide experiences of safety in relationships, not only to reduce risk factors for delinquent behavior but also to increase protective factors for resiliency in adversity.

The program consists of an 8- to 12-session curriculum, or more. In each session, typically held once weekly, a group of girls of similar age and development meet with a facilitator for either a 90- or 120-minute session. Within a structured six-step format, the girls take turns talking and listening to one another respectfully about their concerns and interests. They further express themselves through creative or directed activities such as role-playing, drama, journaling, poetry, drama, and other creative projects. Gender-specific themes and topics are introduced that relate to the girls’ lives, such as body image, goals, sexuality, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, competition, decision-making, friendships, setting personal boundaries, coping with stress, recognizing abusive relationship patterns, assertiveness, and trusting oneself. A key component in the model is the council-type format of one group member speaking at a time, with the expectation that other participants will listen attentively. This form of communication intends to increase empathy skills and mutual understanding among the whole group. The primary feature is an increase of empathic responsiveness in the context of interpersonal mutuality.

Manualized curricula, facilitator training, gender-relevant content, and consistent application of motivational interviewing principles work to provide a female-responsive environment that promotes girls’ healthy decision-making. A mother–daughter curriculum extends the Girls Circle model to address the mother–daughter relationship as girls enter and pass through adolescence.

Evaluation Methodology:

Study 1
Dollette, Steese, Hossfeld, Taormina, Matthews, and Phillips (2005) used a single-group quasi-experimental design with pretest–posttest measures to evaluate the effectiveness of the Girls Circle curriculum. Sixty-three girls ranging in age from 10 to 17 (mean age=13) were recruited to participate in nine separate Girls Circle support group programs from across the United States and Canada. Each group consisted of five to nine girls from various backgrounds. Fifty-one percent of the girls were white, 21 percent Hispanic, 17 percent African American, and 11 percent other racial groups. Nearly half (48 percent) of the girls resided in urban environments.

Participants completed the following instruments: the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (a measure of perceived self-worth), the Nowicki–Strickland Personal Reaction Survey (a measure of the extent to which people believe their lives are determined by external circumstances or their own behavior), the Schwarzer’s General Self-Efficacy Scale (a measure of attitudes regarding self-reliance), the Body Parts Satisfaction Scale—Revised (a measure of participants’ comfort with their bodies), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (a measure of the perceived role that friends, family, and peers play in one’s life). Paired-samples t–tests were used to analyze the data.

Study 2
Roa, Irvine, and Cervantez (2007) assessed 278 youths ages 10–18 from 15 national sites in 19 cities, using a single-group quasi-experimental design with pretest–posttest measures. Study participants were provided the Girls Circle program for different lengths of time (29 percent had 8 weeks long, 24 percent had 10 weeks, 18 percent had 12 weeks, and 20 percent had 14 or more weeks). The settings included schools, community sites, and juvenile justice and residential settings. Fifty-two percent of participants were white, 17 percent African American, 16 percent Latina, 4 percent Native American, 3 percent Asian, and 7 percent other ethnicities. The girls also varied by age (29 percent were 10 to 13 years old; 71 percent 14 to 18 years old), sexuality (81 percent identified themselves as heterosexual, 9 percent bisexual, and 10 percent either lesbian/gay, transgender, or unsure). A Girls Circle presurvey and postsurvey measured short- and long-term outcomes including self-efficacy of the girls. Survey results were analyzed using t–tests, analysis of variance, and regression analyses.

Evaluation Outcome:

Study 1
Results from the first study revealed significant increases (compared with pretest scores) in posttest body image scores, perceived social support (from 58.29 to 65.06), and level of self-efficacy (from 27.42 to 30.55). In other words, the evaluation found evidence supporting the hypothesis that the Girls Circle curriculum

Provides a positive impact on a girl’s sense of self-reliance or resiliency
Helps strengthen a girl’s physical self-image
Promotes a girl’s sense of belonging and connectedness

No such improvement occurred for measures of self-esteem or locus of control. Nevertheless, the results provide quantitative data showing significant positive changes for girls in key areas of their development: their sense of belonging, their perception and acceptance of their own bodies, and their belief in their ability to accomplish meaningful actions and goals in their lives.

Study 2
In the replicate/extension study, 89 participating girls’ sets of pretest and posttest surveys were analyzed. Outcome data revealed significant gains in self-efficacy, body image, and perceived social support. Girls who have been involved in the juvenile justice system are more likely to experience gains in perceived social support than girls who have not been involved in the juvenile justice system.

Additional Studies
Other studies also found that girls' participating in the program significant improved over time. One study revealed a statistically significant improvement for girls in four long-term outcomes: 1) self-harming behavior, 2) alcohol use, 3) attachment to school, and 4) self-efficacy. Another study revealed statistically significant improvement for middle school girls in four areas: 1) self-efficacy, 2) body image, 3) social support, and 4) increased resiliency through bonding to school. Social support showed greatest significance. Study 6 is near completion. Preliminary findings after 2 years of a 3-year program show statistically significant improvements for girls in three outcomes: 1) improved body image, 2) communicating needs to adults, and 3) self-efficacy/esteem. A fourth outcome, decreasing alcohol use, showed improvement but without yet reaching significance. Final results are expected in July 2010.

Other Information:

References:

Dollette, Maya, Stephanie Steese, Elizabeth Hossfeld, R. Russell, Giovanna Taormina, Gail Matthews, and William Phillips. 2005. Understanding Girls Circle as an Intervention on Perceived Social Support, Body Image, Self-Efficacy, Locus of Control, and Self-Esteem: A National Multisetting Study of Changes in Adolescent Girls’ Perceived Connection, Self-Perception, and Body Image Utilizing The Girls Circle Model. San Rafael, Calif.: Dominican University of California.

Easterling, Nikki R. 2005. Girls Educational Support Group. Spokane, Wash.: Salk Middle School Project Outcomes and Evaluation Review.

Irvine, Angela. 2005. Girls Circle: Summary of Outcomes for Girls in the Juvenile Justice System. Santa Cruz, Calif.: Ceres Policy Research.

Roa, Jessica, and Angela Irvine. 2009. Title II Sonoma: Circles Across Sonoma Summary Results to Date.

Roa, Jessica, Angela Irvine, and Karina Cervantez. 2007. Girls Circle National Research Project. Santa Cruz, Calif.: Ceres Policy Research.

Rough, Julia. 2005. “Understanding the Intervention of Girls Circle on Friendship and Self-Efficacy: A Replication and Extension.” Doctoral thesis. San Rafael, Calif.: Dominican University of California.

Program Specification:

Current Rating:

Promising

Expected Date of Re-Review:

Winter 2013

Program Type:

Academic Skills Enhancement

Alcohol and Drug Therapy / Education

Conflict Resolution / Interpersonal Skills

Diversion

Gender-Specific Programming

Mentoring

Ethnicity:

African American

Hispanic or Latino (of any race)

White

Gender:

Female

Age:

9 - 18

Special Populations:

Females

Target Settings:

Rural

Suburban

Urban

Problem Behaviors:

Aggression/Violence

Alcohol,Tobacco and Other Drug Use

Family Functioning

Sexual Activity/Exploitation

Risk & Protective Factors:

Risk

Community

Low community attachment

Family

Child victimization and maltreatment

Family history of problem behavior / Parent criminality

Family management problems / Poor parental supervision and/or monitoring

Pattern of high family conflict

Individual

Antisocial behavior and alienation / Delinquent beliefs / General delinquency involvement / Drug dealing

Early onset of aggression and/or violence

Early sexual involvement

Favorable attitudes toward drug use/Early onset of AOD use/Alcohol and/or drug use

Life stressors

Poor refusal skills

Teen parenthood

Peer

Association with delinquent and/or aggressive peers

Peer alcohol, tobacco, and/or other drug use

Peer rejection

School

Negative attitude toward school / Low bonding / Low school attachment / Commitment to school

Protective

Community

Prosocial opportunities for participation / Availability of neighborhood resources

Safe environment / Low neighborhood crime

Family

Effective parenting

Good relationship with parents / Bonding or attachment to family

Individual

Healthy / Conventional beliefs and clear standards

High individual expectations

Perception of social support from adults and peers

Positive / Resilient temperament

Positive expectations / Optimism for the future

Self-efficacy

Social competencies and problem solving skills

Peer

Involvement with positive peer group activities

School

Strong school motivation / Positive attitude toward school

Student bonding (attachment to teachers, belief, commitment)

Additional Information:

Status:

Program is in operation at this time.

Performance Measures:

Suggested OJJDP Performance Measures for the Program Types(s):

Delinquency Prevention
Academic Skills Enhancement
Logic Model: PDF
Performance Matrix:PDF
School Programs
Academic Skills Enhancement
Logic Model: PDF
Performance Matrix:PDF
Mentoring
Mentoring
Logic Model: PDF
Performance Matrix:PDF

Contact Information:

Program Developer:
Giovanna Taormina, Executive Director
One Circle Foundation
734 A Street
Cotati, CA 94931
Phone: 1.707.794.9477
Fax: 1.707.794.9938
Email: Click Here
Website: Click Here

Program Locations:
For the complete list of locations, please visit
http://www.onecirclefoundation.org/orgs.aspx