Girls: Entering the Teen Years DVD

Pre-Pubescent Girls (03:45)
Eleven-year-old identical twin girls share interests and friends. Neither has entered puberty, though it can start between ages 8 and 13. It will take four years to transform them into adults.

Puberty and Hormones (04:21)
Puberty is driven by a crucial cocktail of hormones. They travel through the bloodstream to the ovaries, which in turn release estrogen back into the blood. First signs are developing breasts. Puberty for Alex begins at age 7.

Early Teenage Girl Developers (02:49)
A 7-year-old girl begins puberty, making her different than most girls her age. Physical development and emotional development are not linked in teens. Early developers may engage in self-defeating behaviors or experience depression.

Puberty, Genetic Factors, and Fat (02:57)
Puberty in girls is dependent on genetic and environmental factors. Stressed girls tend to develop earlier, but the most important variable is fat; if the brain interprets fat levels to be high enough, it will release sexual hormones.

Teenagers and Bullying (03:09)
Girls experience bullying at much higher rates than suspected, thanks to Internet surveys. Mental abuse and teasing tops the list of bullying activities. Each year, at least 15 bullied teens kill themselves. Teens try to avoid bullying by "fitting in."

Teenagers and Disposable Income (05:07)
Fashion is vitally important to teenagers, as it almost guarantees they will fit in to their social spheres. Teenage girls spend billions of dollars on cosmetics, clothing, and CDs. A young teen's body seems to betray her as a ballerina.

Teenagers: Bone Growth/Muscle Growth (04:24)
Bone growth in teens is possible because of bone cells called osteoclasts. During growth spurts, bones grow faster than muscles; therefore, a teen dancer who is developing long legs may not have the muscles to control her legs.

Estrogen Changes Moods and Behavior (05:10)
In response to surging hormones, teens may experience insecurity. Sharmaine at 14 is almost fully developed, but she is emotionally immature. Teenagers may use arguing with the parents to learn important social skills that they take on to later life.

Onset of Puberty: Welcome or Unwelcome? (03:27)
At age twelve, identical twin girls do not welcome all of their bodily changes. Wearing bras is a fashion statement among young teens. One twin wants a bra, and the other does not. Neither is looking forward to menstruation.

Body Weight and Menstruation (03:21)
All the changes of puberty are designed for one purpose: making babies. Ovulation is the beginning of the possibility of new life. Eighty years ago, the average age for menses was 16, but today, with today's higher fat intake, 13 is the average age.

Teenage Skin and Facial Breakouts (03:40)
For girls, the "curse" of being 14 is insecurity and self-consciousness. They are acutely aware of how they look. "Spots" or pimples are mostly caused by allergy to the body's hormones and bacterial infection.

Teenage Girls: Body Image (03:07)
Only 25% of teenager girls are actually overweight (in 2002), but 60% think they are. Most girls are stressed about how attractive they are to boys.

Postlude: Two Years After Puberty (04:39)
It can be 8 years between the time any two girls start their periods. In this segment, the girls in the 2-year study reveal the changes they experienced during puberty. Emotions are smoothed out and physical coordination is better for most of them.