Links between pubertal timing, peer influences, and externalizing behaviors among urban students followed through middle school.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate underlying mechanisms of the association between early pubertal timing and both aggression and delinquency among a sample of minority males and females from an urban community.


METHODS
The association between perceived early pubertal maturation and aggressive or delinquent behaviors for African American and Latino males and females (n = 1366) was examined, as well as pathways between early maturation and these negative outcomes longitudinally across 6th, 7th, and 8th grades.


RESULTS
Early maturers reported higher mean levels of both aggression and delinquency at all time points regardless of gender or ethnicity. Associating with delinquent peers in 6th grade fully mediated the association between early maturation and both aggression and delinquency at all time points. Early maturers did not differentially associate with greater numbers of delinquent peers in either 7th or 8th grade.


CONCLUSIONS
These results provide valuable information regarding at-risk groups and inform future intervention efforts.
Lynne
Sarah D
SD
Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611-2250, USA. slbgator@ufl.edu
Graber
Julia A
JA
Nichols
Tracy R
TR
Brooks-Gunn
Jeanne
J
Botvin
Gilbert J
GJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000374:Aggression; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D011627:Puberty; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014505:Urban Population