From the DSM to Ophelia: Teenage Girls and the Psychological Complex

"This project takes a critical look at the psychological construction of teenage girls in popular culture. It investigates how understandings of psychological crisis in teenage girls become popularized, and considers the political implications of these popularizations, arguing that current conceptualizations are not only inaccurate, they also tend to reinforce conservative social arrangements. A key concern, then, is that the common sense of female psychological distress is articulated to conservative solutions. In order to explore this concern, this project focuses on three different yet interrelated sites of cultural activity: the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual's political reverberations; the construction of teenage girls as modern-day Ophelias; and the notion of ""girl power"" as a recuperative moment for teenage girls. A variety of cultural texts including popular media (e.g., newspapers, magazines, television), and industry and government reports are examined."

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Speech Communication

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Mastronardi, Maria

Contributors dc:contributor

• Grossberg, Lawrence

• Psychology, Clinical

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI9912315

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/87562