The Myth of the BFF: Helping Girls Face the Dark Side of Friendship

I often joke that if girls had to rank their life needs in order of importance, the list would go something like this: Friends, Air, Water, Food, Phone, Computer. Truth is, I'm only half kidding. Relationships are at the core of girls' psychological health. To wit, meet the girls in the new PBS show, "A Girl's Life," whose peers both empower and undermine their development.

The ultimate prize of friendship in a girl's world is the BFF or best friend forever. BFF's are joined at the hip. They...