The study involved 181 girls between 14 and 19 years old. All had acted out their conflicts sufficiently to come to the attention of the courts or private social agencies. The majority (100) had been adjudicated delinquent and were either in an institution or on probation or parole. The book presents selections from original writings by the girls as well as from tape-recorded interviews with some of them. Also included are transcripts from group sessions with the girls. A central theme of the author's analysis of the emotional needs of the girls is their loneliness and an absence of bonds with adults and peers that would foster a positive self-image. Psychological development that contributes to loneliness, the image of adults, and the impact of racial and class prejudice on loneliness are also discussed. Another chapter focuses on the absence of satisfying career and lifestyle directions for the girls as both the dominant culture and their immediate environments have failed to provide opportunities and role models for positive personal development and achievement. Other chapters address ways out of loneliness, factors that produce and perpetuate a low self-image, theories of adolescent development, and steps society and its institutions should take to structure new opportunities and services for adolescent girls. Appended supplementary material, a 115-item bibliography, and a subject index