Help Girls Take the “Enemy” out of “Frenemy”

Girls’ friendships can be complex, supportive, and painful all at once. It can be especially confusing when a former best friend suddenly becomes a worst enemy. Relational aggression (RA) describes behaviors, such as exclusion and spreading rumors, that are designed to sabotage friendships starting as early as pre-school (Crick et al 2004). While both genders report experiencing RA, the psychosocial damage goes right to the heart of what matters most to girls: connection to peers.

Against the backdrop of national concern over bullying prevention, Susan Fee provides timely and important information for recognizing the signs of RA for both aggressors and targets. Participants receive valuable instruction on how to address RA through solution-focused activities designed to improve communication, conflict resolution, and emotional management. Ms. Fee also shares practical and supportive techniques for involving parents and other adults in helping girls realize their strengths and negotiate healthy friendships that aren’t predicated on the need to tear down others, or themselves.

What You Will Learn

• Define the behaviors of relational aggression
• Contrast communication and friendship development for boys vs. girls
• Assess the impact of female brain development on communication
• Describe solution-focused strategies to address relational aggression
• Explore techniques to promote strengths and resiliency in girls