Sep 4, Child Trends: Girls and boys face different developmental challenges throughout childhood and adolescence. Although a number of evidence-based programs have been found to be effective at reducing risk factors for children and adolescents, many programs have differential impacts for girls and boys. Understanding what works for girls and what works for boys is critical to improving youth outcomes. Child Trends’ latest research briefs, What Works for Female Children and Adolescents: Lessons from Experimental Evaluations of Programs and Interventions, and its companion brief focused on boys, What Works for Male Children and Adolescents: Lessons from Experimental Evaluations of Programs and Interventions, examine programs and strategies that work, as well as those that don’t, for each gender. These literature reviews consider random assignment studies of interventions targeting males or females, as well as studies of both that include outcome data by gender. Compared to boys, girls tend to report more mental health problems and they are susceptible to reproductive health risks, such as unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Compared with girls, boys tend to be more likely to drop out of school, engage in delinquency, drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, and act out. They are also less likely than females to go to college.
Link to pdf Research Brief: What Works for Female Children and Adolescents
Link to pdf Research Brief: What Works for Male Children and Adolescents