Skip Navigation
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Use this QR code to view the newest version of this document

Your Environment. Your Health.

Publication Detail

Title: Girls' Pubertal Timing and Tempo and Mental Health: A Longitudinal Examination in an Ethnically Diverse Sample.

Authors: Deardorff, Julianna; Marceau, Kristine; Johnson, Megan; Reeves, Jonathan W; Biro, Frank M; Kubo, Ai; Greenspan, Louise C; Laurent, Cecile A; Windham, Gayle C; Pinney, Susan M; Kushi, Lawrence H; Hiatt, Robert A

Published In J Adolesc Health, (2021 06)

Abstract: PURPOSE: Earlier timing and faster tempo of puberty have been linked to adolescents' poor mental health. Previous research rarely adjusted for childhood mental health, did not use physical examination to assess puberty, and excluded Latinas and Asian Americans. This study addressed these limitations. METHODS: We followed 822 girls, recruited at ages 6-8, for 8 years. Breast and pubic hair development and anxiety and depressive symptoms were assessed prospectively and repeatedly. Structural equation models tested whether pubertal timing and tempo were associated with adolescent mental health symptoms and whether associations varied by ethnicity. Models were adjusted for childhood mental health symptoms, body mass index, and family income. RESULTS: Earlier breast development was associated with higher depressive symptoms among whites (β = -.19; p < .01) and higher anxiety symptoms among Latinas (β = -.26; p < .05), but lower depressive symptoms among Asians (β = .24, p < .05). Later pubic hair development (b = .24; p < .05) and faster pubic hair tempo (β = .26; p < .01) were associated with higher anxiety symptoms among Latinas. Faster pubic hair tempo was associated with lower depressive symptoms among Asians (β = -.34; p < .05). Tempo of breast development showed no associations. CONCLUSIONS: Findings confirmed that earlier breast development was associated with higher mental health symptoms for Latina and white girls but was protective among Asians. Results for pubic hair and pubertal tempo were inconsistent, requiring future examination. While targeted interventions to prevent mental health problems among early-maturing girls are critical, there is variability among who might benefit most.

PubMed ID: 33637403 Exiting the NIEHS site

MeSH Terms: Adolescent; Body Mass Index; Child; Female; Hispanic or Latino; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Mental Health*; Puberty*; Whites

Back
to Top
Last Reviewed: October 07, 2024