New Program at Case Western Reserve University Seeks to Help Shy Adolescent Girls

Nicole Pucci and Amy Przeworski, two researchers at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, have developed a new program for girls ages 10 to 14 to help them deal with the problems of adolescence. The Girls Link program is a free, five-session program that helps girls deal with anxiety, shyness, and feelings of depression.

The goal of the program is to help girls make new friends so that they feel socially connected. Shyness can produce physical problems and negative self-esteem, which in turn can lead to psychological and eating disorders, depression, and, in extreme cases, suicide.

The free program will be offered to girls this summer at three branches of the Cuyahoga County Library. The program is part of the doctoral research project of Nicole Pucci. More information on the program may be found here.