Enhancing resiliency in girls and boys: A case for gender specific adolescent prevention programming.

Resiliency is the ability to bounce back or cope well in the face of adversity, and preventionists are recognizing the promise of this approach, with its emphasis on strengths and the enhancement of individual and environmental protective factors. Feminist scholars and resiliency researchers have highlighted significant gender differences in susceptibility to, and protection from, situations of risk. However, there are few prevention programs that have incorporated gender-specific resiliency strategies. This paper will argue for the importance in the field of substance abuse prevention of developing different strategies for girls and boys to meet their varying needs.