Pubertal timing and grade effects on adjustment

Psychological effects of the body maturation rate in the puberty

During the last decades a large number of studies on the effects of pubertal timing on psychological functioning of adolescents have been published. This review of the literature indicates that early maturation in girls and off-time maturation in boys are associated with problems in psychological adaptation. The methodological causes of the inconsistency of the results in this field of study are examined. Some of the possible directions for future research in this area are considered.

Links between pubertal timing and neighborhood contexts: implications for girls' violent behavior

OBJECTIVE

To investigate links between girls' violent behavior, pubertal timing, and neighborhood characteristics.

METHOD

A total of 501 Hispanic, black, and white adolescent girls and their parents were interviewed twice over a 3-year period (1995-1998). Violent behavior was assessed using the Self-Report of Offending Scale and pubertal timing was measured via menarche. This probability sample was drawn from Chicago. To characterize neighborhoods, neighborhood clusters were created. U.S. Census data were mapped onto each neighborhood cluster to represent levels of concentrated disadvantage, immigrant concentration, and residential mobility. The response rate was approximately 70%.

RESULTS

More than 25% of girls engaged in violent behavior at the second interview. Controlling for demographic indicators, previous violence, and other psychological factors, no differences were found in violent behavior as a function of menarcheal timing or neighborhood characteristics. Instead, results revealed that early maturers engaged in violent behavior only if they lived in neighborhoods characterized by high concentrated disadvantage. Early maturers in neighborhoods characterized by high concentrated disadvantaged engaged in three times the number of violent acts as early maturers in less disadvantaged neighborhoods. Depressive symptoms and previous violent behavior were also associated with girls' subsequent violent behavior.

CONCLUSIONS

Results indicated that girls who experience a double vulnerability--early maturation and neighborhoods of disadvantage--are susceptible to engaging in violent behavior. This suggests the need for clinical evaluation to examine the implications of pubertal timing and the context of girls' behavior.

Symptom development and timing of menarche: a longitudinal study

Self-reported somatic complaints among females were studied cross sectionally at age 15 and 43, an longitudinally between these two ages. Specifically, the relationship between symptom development and timing of menarche was considered. The sample consisted of 477 females representing the general Swedish population. All the included symptoms were significantly related to each other at both ages. There was also longitudinal correlational stability for all the studied symptoms. Moreover, symptoms at age 15 were associated with early menarcheal timing. Pattern analyses of the studied symptoms were conducted with roots in person-oriented methodology. These results revealed structural as well as individual stability in patterns of symptom reporting for nearly 30 years. That is, similar configurations of symptoms were found at both ages, and it was the same females who reported being either symptom free or reporting a high symptom load at both ages. At age 15 fewer early maturing females than expected by chance reported being symptom free, whereas more of the late maturing females than expected reported being symptom free. However, there were no effects of menarcheal timing on symptom reporting at age 43.

It's about timing and change: pubertal transition effects on symptoms of major depression among African American youths

Effects of early physical maturation and accelerated pubertal changes on symptoms of major depression were examined in 639 African American children. Three rival hypotheses, early timing, off-time, and stressful change, were tested using 2 waves of data (mean ages = 11 and 13 years). The pubertal effect operates differently according to children's gender and age. For girls, early maturation was consistently associated with elevated levels of depressive symptoms. For boys, early maturers manifested elevated levels of depression only at age 11, but these symptoms subsided by age 13. Boys who experienced accelerated pubertal growth over time displayed elevated symptom levels. Results support the early timing hypothesis for girls and the stressful change hypothesis for boys. Time at assessment is critical when examining boys' pubertal transition.

The role of puberty, media and popularity with peers on strategies to increase weight, decrease weight and increase muscle tone among adolescent boys and girls

OBJECTIVE

The present study was concerned with the impact of pubertal development, relationships with peers and perceived pressure from the media on body dissatisfaction and body change behaviors among adolescent boys and girls. In particular, the study investigated the underresearched area of strategies to increase weight and muscle. The exploration of body change strategies among adolescent boys has been a neglected area of research.

METHODS

Respondents were 1185 adolescents (527 males, 598 females) who were enrolled in Grades 7 and 9. Participants completed measures of pubertal development, media and peer influence, body dissatisfaction and strategies to lose weight, increase weight and to increase muscle.

RESULTS

The findings demonstrated that girls were more likely than boys to adopt strategies to lose weight, whereas boys were more likely to adopt strategies to increase muscle tone (but not weight). For boys in both Years 7 and 9, the main predictors of body change strategies were puberty and, to a lesser extent, perceived popularity with peers. The major influences for Years 7 and 9 girls were puberty and the media, but these mainly focused on weight loss. For Year 9 girls, perceived popularity with opposite-sex peers also predicted body dissatisfaction and strategies to increase muscle tone.

CONCLUSION

The implications of these findings for understanding factors related to a range of body change strategies for adolescent boys and girls are discussed.

Pubertal transition, stressful life events, and the emergence of gender differences in adolescent depressive symptoms

This study examined the role of both pubertal and social transitions in the emergence of gender differences in depressive symptoms during adolescence. This study generated the following findings: (a) Gender differences in depressive symptoms emerged during 8th grade and remained significant through 12th grade. (b) Pubertal status in 7th grade was related to adolescent depressive symptoms over time. (c) Early-maturing girls represented the group with the highest rate of depressive symptoms. (d) Depressive symptoms measured in 7th grade predicted subsequent symptom levels throughout the secondary school years. (e) Recent stressful life events were associated with increased depressive symptoms. (f) Early-maturing girls with higher levels of initial symptoms and more recent stressful life events were most likely to be depressed subsequently. The findings demonstrate the importance of the interaction between the pubertal transition and psychosocial factors in increasing adolescent vulnerability to depressive experiences.

Body image, perceived pubertal timing, and adolescent mental health

PURPOSE

To examine the impact of gender, racial-ethnic group, and perceived pubertal timing on body image and adolescent mental health.

METHOD

A three-stage, area probability sample was selected which included 877 teens (13-18 years) with diverse social and demographic characteristics. Interviews in English or Spanish were conducted in person. The content emphasized emotional distress and problematic behavior, exposure to social stressors, coping resources and behaviors, and socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of the adolescent and his or her family.

RESULTS

Girls were more depressed and had lower self-esteem than boys, but not after controlling for body image. Hispanics were more depressed and had lower self-esteem than other racial-ethnic groups, a difference that remained when controlling for body image. African-Americans had the most positive body image, a finding that could not be attributed to higher self-esteem or fewer depressive symptoms. The impact of perceived pubertal timing on body image varied considerably by gender and across racial-ethnic group.

CONCLUSIONS

Negative feelings about their bodies contribute to the higher prevalence of depressive symptomatology and lower self-esteem among girls. African-Americans appear to take pride in their bodies in a manner that sets them apart from other teenagers, suggesting they hold a different ideal. Relative to teenagers of other racial-ethnic backgrounds, Hispanics may be at elevated risk for mental health problems.

Teaching kids to cope: a preventive mental health nursing strategy for adolescents

TOPIC

The theoretical base, implementation, and effectiveness of Teaching Kids to Cope (TKC).

PURPOSE

To inform clinicians about the benefits and uses of TKC, a 10-week psychoeducational group intervention designed to enhance the coping repertoire of adolescents.

SOURCE

Authors' clinical experience.

CONCLUSIONS

Following the TKC intervention, students demonstrated less depressive symptomatology and improved coping behaviors. Further research is needed to test the intervention on a larger group and to determine its effectiveness.

Combined pharmacotherapy in children and adolescents in a residential treatment center

OBJECTIVE

To investigate characteristics of children and adolescents with a history of combined pharmacotherapy (CPT) and compare them with a group with no history of CPT.

METHOD

Eighty-three consecutive admissions to a residential treatment center were divided into a CPT and a no-CPT group based on treatment history and compared by chart review. Prevalence of lifetime psychiatric medication use and CPT exposure were assessed. Demographic, diagnostic, treatment, behavioral, and medication variables were compared across the two groups.

RESULTS

Medication use was present in the treatment history for 89.2% and a history of CPT was found for 60.3% of subjects. Admission to current placement from inpatient psychiatry, lifetime number of psychiatric placements, lifetime number of psychiatric diagnoses, and nonseizure neuropsychiatric comorbidity were significantly associated with CPT. Aggression and neuroleptic use were also significantly associated with CPT. Admission psychiatric diagnostic comorbidity was not associated with CPT.

CONCLUSIONS

A high prevalence of psychiatric medication use and CPT was found in this population. Variables assessing illness severity, aggressive behavior, and nonseizure neuropsychiatric comorbidity may identify youths in psychiatric treatment settings with a high prevalence of past or current CPT exposure. Further research on the CPT of aggression is warranted.

Personality development of adolescents with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism

Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism is a disorder of puberty characterized by absence of spontaneous sexual maturation. 8 male adolescents with this disorder, who were treated with pulsatile GnRH administration, were examined psychologically by means of standardized interviews. Problems were found in the development of independence (specifically relating to own body image and social functioning) and in identity development (particularly on personal characteristics).

Social, psychological and physical correlates of eating problems. A study of the general adolescent population in Norway

The characteristics and concurrent predictors of eating problems were identified. Ninety-seven per cent of a representative sample of Norwegian adolescents (N = 11315) completed a questionnaire containing a 12-item version of the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT) and measures of a large number of physiological, psychological and social factors previously suggested to be of aetiological importance. Social class, drug use and indicators of 'the model child' (high grades, high occupational aspirations and much homework) were not related to eating problems. Logistic regression analyses identified perceived obesity as the strongest associated factor, followed by gender, depression, excessive exercise and unstable self-perceptions. In addition, adopting idols with perfect bodies, body dissatisfaction, low self-worth, feminine sex-role orientation, lack of parental care, early pubertal timing, age and number of alcohol intoxications all added to the probability of eating problems. About 6% perceived themselves as obese in spite of subnormal BMI. Such misperceptions increased the risk of high scores on EAT.

Evolving self-image, pubertal manifestations, and pubertal hormones: preliminary findings in young adolescent girls

PURPOSE

Recent studies indicate that negative self-image increases in white females during early adolescence. This study was designed to examine the effects of physical and hormonal change during puberty on evolving self-image.

METHODS

The study sample consisted of 54 girls aged 10-14 yrs (mean 12.2 +/- 0.9). Evaluations at baseline and one-year follow-up included the Self-Image Questionnaire for Young Adolescents (SIQYA), physical examination, and assays of serum FSH, LH, estradiol, testosterone, and DHEAS. Tanner stage was assessed separately for breast and pubic hair, and the girls were classified as early-, mid-, or late-maturers for each.

RESULTS

Pearson correlations between baseline and follow-up scores on the nine SIQYA scales ranged from 0.28-0.72 (P < 0.05); three scales demonstrated declining function (P < 0.05). At baseline, 39 girls (72%) were pre-menarcheal compared to 27 (50%) at follow-up. Mean body mass index (BMI) increased from 18.62 +/- 2.38 to 19.01 +/- 1.84 (P < 0.001), Tanner stages each increased by one, and pubertal timing did not change. LH and testosterone increased (P < 0.05) over the year, DHEAS decreased (P < 0.01), and FSH and estradiol did not change. Stepwise linear regression revealed that change in breast stage was positively correlated with change in Body Image score and change in Adjustment score (beta weights 0.46 and 0.41, respectively). Change in testosterone was negatively correlated with change in Adjustment score (beta weight of -0.46). After controlling for baseline score, change in breast stage was positively correlated and FSH was negatively correlated with follow-up Body Image score (beta weights of 0.40 and -0.24, respectively).

CONCLUSION

We conclude that the rate of breast development and FSH level have independent, opposite effects on body image during early adolescence.

Antecedents and consequences of variations in girls' maturational timing

The antecedents and consequences of variations in girls' physical development are reviewed. Girls' development is highlighted because research on antecedents addresses genetic and environmental influences on menarcheal age variations, and because findings on the behavioral consequences of tempo variations have been less consistent for girls than for boys. Implications for adolescent health care are considered, particularly for the early maturing girl.

Pubertal maturation and adolescent self-esteem

One hundred thirty-five students attending a suburban junior and senior high school were studied to examine the relationships between self-esteem and age, gender, and pubertal events. Forty-five percent of the subjects were male, and 24% were black. Mean Hollingshead Two Factor Index of Social Position was 37.1 +/- 16.3, reflecting their predominantly middle-class background. Self-esteem was not related to age but did correlate with intelligence (r = 0.233, p = 0.003). Females had significantly lower self-esteem than males (p = 0.001). Pubertal status (Tanner stage) did not affect self-esteem. However, our data suggest that a subtle relationship between timing of sexual maturation and self-esteem may exist for males. Perhaps more sensitive measures of early pubertal maturation (such as hormone levels) may clarify the extent of this relationship and the gender differences found prior to age 11 years.