Symbols of Menarche Identified by African American Females

Abstract

This study was conducted to identify and describe symbolic themes of menarche. The qualitative case study design was used with a purposive sample of 30 participants (15 mothers and their 15 daughters) in answering 2 questions: (a) How do 9- and 10-year-old African American girls view the meaning of their menarcheal flow?, and (b) How do African American mothers view the meaning of menarche? Data were collected through interviews 2 to 5 days after completion of menarche. A cross-case comparison analysis of the interviews revealed 4 themes: (a) vaginal bleeding, (b) sexual maturation, (c) premenarcheal sexual activity, and (d) sexual payback to fathers. With the exception of the latter all themes were supported in earlier studies of Euro-American girls. These findings indicate the need for further research addressing self-concept at menarche, impact of menarche on family relationships, and views of fathers about sexual payback as a symbol of menarche.

Menstrual and menarche experience among pubescent female students in Taiwan: implications for health education and promotion practice

“…However, in many areas of the world they remain an untapped resource. In addition, most of the empirical research into menarche and menstruation is conducted exclusively with girls (Hawthorne 2002, Teitelman 2004, Uskul 2004, Burrows & Johnson 2005. Our findings note that elementary female students are significantly troubled about their boy classmates' taunting behaviour.…”

Putting pubertal timing in developmental context: Implications for prevention

“…Likewise some girls have reported embarrassment and anger over their mother's insistence on discussing the event either privately or within the family (Martin, 1996;Uskul, 2004). Parental communication to daughters on pubertal changes in general can carry messages on the dangers of sexuality (Hawthorne, 2002;Martin, 1996;O'Sullivan, Meyer-Bahlburg, & Watkins, 2000;Teitelman, 2004), which may increase girls' discomfort with the subject (Beausang & Razor, 2000;Uskul, 2004). In addition, parents, who believe menstruation is a signal to males that a girl is sexually available, report using silence as a way to protect their daughters from sexual advances (Hawthorne, 2002).…”

“…Parental communication to daughters on pubertal changes in general can carry messages on the dangers of sexuality (Hawthorne, 2002;Martin, 1996;O'Sullivan, Meyer-Bahlburg, & Watkins, 2000;Teitelman, 2004), which may increase girls' discomfort with the subject (Beausang & Razor, 2000;Uskul, 2004). In addition, parents, who believe menstruation is a signal to males that a girl is sexually available, report using silence as a way to protect their daughters from sexual advances (Hawthorne, 2002). Therefore, parent-child communication components within preventive interventions should include how to address puberty in general, menstruation in particular, and psychosocial effects of early maturation, rather than just any one of these topics.…”

Attitudes and practices of school‐aged girls towards menstruation

“…2 By menstruation, girls are passing their journey into womanhood where they start to realize their capability to play their future reproductive role. 3 In general, parents and teachers are health educators regarding reproductive health issues for girls in order to improve their health attitudes and practices. 4,5 In Jordan, there is a call to increase the focus on reproductive health issues including menstruation in the formal youth education.…”