The document provides a summary of the movie "5 Girls" which profiles five culturally and economically diverse girls facing the challenges of adolescence. It discusses the developmental issues faced by each of the five girls including issues related to sexuality, changes in family dynamics, peer pressure, parental discord, and cultural identity transitions. Each girl's story grants insight into the challenges of navigating adolescence and their journeys towards self-acceptance and personal growth.

1. Leah Giarritano
EPSY 430
Movie Case Study
5 Girls
The movie 5 Girls provides a candid glimpse into the adolescent development of five
young girls as they deal with the unique issues encountered in their daily lives
during this tumultuous stage of transition and growth. Adolescence is a crossroads
where major developmental milestones collide: puberty, brain maturation, cognitive
and emotional development, peer pressure, school transitions, changes in family
dynamics, sexuality and identity formation. Navigating those rough waters can
prove challenging for any young adult. In this film, we gain significant insight into
the pressures and expectations brought on during this developmental stage as we
follow five girls coping with the challenges of adolescence and struggling to find
their way in the world.
Seventeen-year old Corrie is a high school senior struggling with issues related to
her bisexuality, her father’s reaction to her sexual orientation, her parents’ divorce
and the role of religion in her life. Corrie isconfident in herself and enjoys politics,
but has a hard time connecting with her peers at school, which makes her feel
isolated and misunderstood. Research conducted by Savin-Williams (1995) informs
us that “the view that deviations from gender norms is pathological combined with
the view that if one does deviate, it should be in a prescribed way, may make many

2. young lesbians and female bisexuals feel alienated and confused” (Basow and Rubin,
pp. 34). Corrie embraces her sexual identity as a bisexual but struggles to cope with
the disapproval and threat of abandonment by her father, a staunch Christian who
refuses to accept her sexual orientation. We observe the awkwardness of the
relationship with her father as we see them struggling to communicate and connect
with one another. During adolescence, issues of sexual awareness and identity are at
the forefront of life. Feeling connected to and accepted by peers and family
members is critical to healthy development. Although Corrie never resolves her
issues with her dad, she joins a Pride Youth Program where gay kids can meet
together and cope with their emotions in a positive and safe environment. Two
years later, at college, Corrie feels like part of a community for the first time in her
life. She has grown to love and accept herself and recognizes that she can be happy
despite her father’s rejection.
Aisha is an honor student and an athlete. At sixteen years old, she lives with her
father, only seeing her mother on weekends, and struggleswith the pressure to
please both of her parents. Aisha isfrustrated trying to cope with the negative
emotions that have existed between her parents since their recent separation.
Though divorce can be detrimental to the immediate and long-term mental health of
adolescents, studies by Furstenberg, Morgan, & Allison (1987) and Menning (2002)
have shown that “financial support from fathers…is associated with less problem
behavior and higher academic achievement” (Steinberg, pp. 152). Aisha’s father is
very involved in her life, from attending all of her basketball games and restricting

3. her ability to date, to directing her clothing choices, his participation, though
overwhelming at times, likely empowers her and fuels her success and confidence.
While her father’s initial tendencies lean toward authoritarian parenting, he seems
to begin gravitating toward authoritative parenting as he gains respect for Aisha’s
choices and allows her more flexibility to make her own decisions. “Children who
are responsible, self-directed, curious, and self-assured elicit from their parents
warmth, flexible guidance, and verbal give-and-take” (Steinberg, pp. 142). Two
years later, Aisha feels like she is flourishing. Having been awarded scholarships at
two different colleges, she is proud of herself, knows she is a hard worker and that
she doesn’t need to depend on anyone else.
Toby, a thirteen-year old girl who considers herself “normal”, is becoming
increasingly aware of the social and peer pressures that surround her life. She
mentions that there are a lot of cliques at school and with which group of friends
you are associated really matters. “The cognitive changes of adolescence permit a
more sophisticatedunderstanding of social relationships, an understanding which
may allow the sort of abstract categorization that leads to groups individuals into
crowds” (Steinberg, pp. 175). Toby feels pressure to look like other people she
thinks are pretty and believes that her hair is too frizzy; however, she does establish
limits to what she feels is acceptable behavior when she dismisses the pressure to
have a boyfriend and to dance in a manner similar to some of her other peers
(grinding and lap-dancing). Her resilience to peer pressure early in adolescence is a
good sign and reflective, in part, ofsignificant parental involvement in her life.

4. Though they admit to imposing high expectations on Toby, her parent’s love,
support and acceptance of her have a powerful impact on her confidence,
personality and attitude. “Study after study finds that adolescents who feel that their
parents or guardians are there for them—caring, involved and accepting—are
healthier, happier, and more competent than their peers…” (Steinberg, pp. 163).
Toby is successful, happy and thriving.
Amber, a fifteen-year old junior has been on the honor roll since her freshman year
in high school and carries a 3.6 GPA. She lives with her mom, stepfather, sister and
brother in a small apartment in a rough neighborhood, riddled with crime and drugs
on the south side of Chicago. Amber has no memories of her father, a drug dealer
who was killed when she was just a young girl. As she navigates her way through
adolescence, troubles between Amber and her mother are escalating and ultimately
peak when Amber decides to leave home and move in with her elderly grandmother.
According to research by Larson & Richards (1994), “During the same time that the
number of dailyconflicts between parents and their early adolescent children
increases (compared with preadolescence), declines occur in the amount of time
they spend together and in their reports of emotional closeness” (Arnett, pp. 319).
Smetana (1989) explains, “Several researchers have studied changes in the
adolescents’ cognitive abilities and how these changes may reverberate throughout
the family. Changes in the ways adolescents view family rules and regulations may
contribute to increased conflict between them and their parents” (Steinberg, pp.
138). Despite significant discord with her mother, essentially living on her own and

5. dating a much older boy who is under house arrest for selling drugs, Aisha
maintains her commitment to education and ultimately, with support from a role-
model teacher, gets accepted at the University of Illinois. She is the first woman in
her family to go to college and according to her, “she’s a survivor.”
Haibinh, a Vietnamese native living in a gateway community in Chicago with her
family, is fifteen years old. She is ranked as one of the top ten students at her magnet
high school and believes that doing well in school is the only thing that will make
her happy. She puts a lot of pressure on herself to fit in with her peers and often
feels like she has a dual personality, with both Vietnamese and American influences
in her daily life. Haibihn explains that in the Vietnamese culture kids are suppressed
and not given freedom of choice by their parents. “Asian American parents are
stricter than their counterparts from other cultural groups” (Steinberg, pp. 143).
Her parents are very strict and her mom tells her that freedom does not mean doing
everything she wants to do. According to research by Yau & Smetana (1996),
“Nonwhiteparents frequently combine a very high degree of strictness (like white
authoritarian parents) with warmth (like white authoritative parents)” (Steinberg,
pp. 143). Haibihn has been remarkably successful, both emotionally and
academically, while coping with peer pressure, cultural identity issues and family
life transitions. This success seems, in large part, to be related to strong family
bonds, a hybrid cultural parenting style and her own dedication. Two years later,
Haibihn was accepted to Harvard, Brown and Stanford, and chose to attend
Stanford.

6. In the film, 5 Girls, we are introduced to five culturally and economically diverse
girls facing the challenges of adolescence. From issues related to sexuality, changes
in family dynamics, peer pressure, parental discord and cultural identity transitions,
these girls allow us to observe the challenges faced during this tumultuous stage in
life. Each girl’s story is heart-warming, engaging and enlightening, granting us the
privilege of walking beside her as she faces the rough terrain of adolescence.
Resources
Arnett, Jeffrey Jensen (May 1999). Adolescent Storm and Stress, Reconsidered,
American Psychologist (Vol. 54, No. 5, pp. 317-326).
Basow, Susan A. and Rubin, Lisa R. (1999). Gender Influences on Adolescent
Development. In N.G. Johnson, M. Roberts, & J. Worell (Eds.), Beyond Appearances: A
New Look at Adolescent Girls. (pp. 25-52). Washington, DC: APA.
Steinberg, L. (2005). Adolescence (7th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill. (Ch. 4, pp. 131-
163),(Ch.5, pp. 173-197).