Gender and race and their impacts on programming.

This issue's "Research Notes" addresses the influences of human characteristics on program involvement by adolescent youth.

The Gender Influence

New research by Karla Henderson and K. King published in the Journal of Parks and Recreation helps explain the issues affecting adolescent girls. The authors report that in early adolescence girls often become quieter, less likely to express their opinions, more careful with what they say and do, increasingly self-critical, and more anxious. They lose their sense of energy, assertiveness, and curiosity, and for many, their self-esteem lowers.

Henderson and King suggest that program directors can address positive youth development for adolescent girls through what is offered and how it is offered. The authors note that for adolescent girls to grow strong and healthy, they need loving adults, decent values, useful information, friends, physical safety, the freedom to move about independently, respect for their uniqueness, and encouragement.

The authors point out that during adolescence girls face developmental issues, such as social contradictions, body changes, and sexuality. Social contradictions include the expectation of separation-individuation (separating from parents to develop one's own identity) and feminism.

The body changes adolescent girls face are interrelated with social contradictions. Girls are sent the message from society that they should be attractive, ladylike, unselfish, and competent without complaint. In fact, many girls are obsessed with their appearance. For the female adolescent, her body provides a sense of conflict; she often feels shame and inadequacy, as well as pride and pleasure in her changing body. Research suggests that having control over one's body can be a way to prevent delinquency in girls. For instance, girls active in sports or dance feel better about their bodies and have higher self-esteem than those who are inactive.

Sexuality, including defining one's own sexuality, making choices about sexual involvement, and learning to enjoy physical intimacy, can also influence a girl's at-risk status. Other issues related to sexuality include potential sexual assault, judgments about their bodies, getting pregnant, and getting a bad reputation.

Implications for camp

As a microcosm of the greater society, camp can offer programs and services that serve as primary prevention programs for at-risk behaviors. Certainly, you should learn more about the developmental needs of all the youth in your camp, and you should remind yourself to avoid the assumption that girls' behaviors are the same as boys'. Female adolescents want involvement and contact with trusted adults, more opportunities to serve the community, safe places, attractive alternatives to gangs, and opportunities to avoid loneliness. Camps can consciously provide these elements to young people.

Through camp recreation, adolescent girls can be given opportunities and the power to resist societal messages, to learn about and enjoy changes in their bodies, and to regain a sense of perceived control in their lives. Examine the programs you offer and develop programs that can foster a sense of self and belonging without competition. Furthermore, take a look at how activities are conducted in your camp. Do they enhance find empower adolescent girls?

Henderson, K. & King, K. (1998). Recreation programming for adolescent girls: Rationale and foundations. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, (16)2, 1-14

Peers, Race, and Leisure Choice

Previous research has shown that some differences in leisure preferences based on race or ethnicity exist. Researchers suggest that these differences are due to cultural influences, while others suggest that the differences are due to class issues. Most likely, the differences are due to a large complexity of issues, including race, gender, and among adolescents, one's peer group.

A new study by S. Philipp examined the importance of race to leisure decisions and determined if gender and/or race affect peer-group approval of leisure choices. During this study, 381 high school students from a southern United States school district completed a two-page survey. Of those responding, 26.5 percent were black, and 73.5 percent were white; both racial groups were fairly evenly split with regard to gender. The survey asked respondents to indicate how strongly their peer group would approve or disapprove if they said they wanted to engage in each of twenty leisure activities. A panel of local post-high school adolescents developed the list of leisure activities, including both indoor and outdoor pursuits that were considered popular by adolescents in the area.

Results showed that blacks had significantly stronger approval ratings for four activities: playing basketball, going to the mall, singing in a choir, and dancing. Whites had significantly stronger approval ratings for playing soccer, horseback riding, water skiing, camping, fishing, and golfing. Both blacks and whites had strong peer approval for watching television and weak approval for bowling, reading for pleasure, using a computer, collecting stamps/coins, playing a musical instrument, and going to a museum. Black peer groups had fewer gender differences than white peer groups.

Other findings included learning that black peer groups were smaller than white peer groups; black females reported the smallest number of friends in a peer group. In addition, black peer groups reportedly had a lesser influence over leisure decisions than did white peers. From these findings, Philipp concluded that race is more important than gender in explaining differences in leisure choices.

Implications for camp

Clearly, there are different leisure preferences based on race - at least when comparing black and white adolescent groups. At camp, you have an opportunity to provide a wide variety of leisure activities and choices to all campers, regardless of race or ethnicity. By expanding the leisure repertoire of young campers, you can broaden the choice of leisure activities for adolescent youth. This could have a ripple effect, in that when those youth return home, they might influence their peer group to engage in new leisure activities. Recognize that peer groups do influence leisure choices of members, so helping to make someone a leader within her or his peer group may result in higher acceptance of a wider variety of leisure activities.

Be aware that a camper's initial hesitance to join in a particular activity could reflect their concern for peer-group approval. Address the peer-group issue rather than the one camper's "defiant" behavior. Caring and understanding, along with a slow introduction to a new activity could help to lessen these types of concerns. At the same time, offer opportunities for youth of all groups to participate in leisure activities of their choosing to enhance their comfort level while in camp.

Philipp, S. (1998). Race and gender differences in adolescent peer group approval of leisure activities, Journal of Leisure Research, 30(2), 214-232.

Deb Jordan, Re.D, is an associate professor of leisure studies at Oklahoma State University. After more than five years as "Research Notes" columnist, Deb is retiring. Camping Magazine and the American Camping Association would like to thank her for her dedication, commitment, and hard work.