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Puberty Education in a Global Context: Knowledge Gaps, Opportunities, and Implications for Policy
Author(s) -
Crockett Lisa J.,
Deardorff Julianna,
Johnson Megan,
Irwin Charles,
Petersen Anne C.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of research on adolescence
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.342
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1532-7795
pISSN - 1050-8392
DOI - 10.1111/jora.12452
Subject(s) - intervention (counseling) , psychology , adolescent development , context (archaeology) , interpersonal communication , developmental psychology , social psychology , paleontology , psychiatry , biology
Youth programs and policies provide opportunities for institutions and societies to support healthy adolescent development. Puberty education programs are universally important, as they provide crucial knowledge and skills to help youth and their caregivers navigate the physical, emotional, and interpersonal changes of puberty with positive outcomes. However, few puberty programs have been rigorously evaluated, resulting in a lack of evidence‐based knowledge and practice in this area. This review examines the status of research on puberty education and related programs and draws on the broader intervention literature and recent research findings on adolescence to identify program features that might improve program effectiveness. Implications for policy are also discussed. The need for rigorous program evaluation is emphasized throughout.