title: Development's tortoise and hare: pubertal timing, pubertal tempo, and depressive symptoms in boys and girls.
abstract: Although the sequence of pubertal maturation remains consistent across most individuals, the timing and tempo of development fluctuate widely. While past research has largely focused on the sequelae of pubertal timing, a faster tempo of maturation might also present special challenges to children for acclimating to new biological and social milestones. Using latent growth curve modeling, the present study investigated how pubertal tempo and pubertal timing predicted depressive symptoms over a 4-year period in a sample of children recruited from New York City area public schools. Rate of intraindividual change in parent-reported Tanner stages was used as an index of pubertal tempo, and more advanced Tanner development at an earlier chronological age was used as an index of pubertal timing. For girls (N = 138, M = 8.86 years old at Time 1), pubertal timing emerged as the most salient factor, and the tempo at which girls progressed through puberty was not significant. In boys (N = 128, M = 9.61 years old at Time 1), both timing and tempo of development were significant; notably, however, the effects of pubertal tempo were stronger than those of timing. These findings highlight the need to consider multiple sources of individual variability in pubertal development and suggest different pubertal challenges for boys and girls.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, 12227 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-1227, USA. jemendle@uoregon.edu
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mendle
authors.forename: K Paige
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Harden
authors.forename: Jeanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brooks-Gunn
authors.forename: Julia A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Graber
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001827:Body Height; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003863:Depression / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008572:Menarche / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D008954:Models, Biological; D011627:Puberty / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000502:physiology
references.citation: Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1961 Jun;4:561-71
references.pmid: 13688369
references.citation: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2000 May;39(5):603-10
references.pmid: 10802978
references.citation: Prev Sci. 2006 Dec;7(4):403-8
references.pmid: 17136462
references.citation: Child Dev. 1996 Dec;67(6):3386-400
references.pmid: 9071784
references.citation: Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1997 Jun;54(6):509-17
references.pmid: 9193191
references.citation: J Pediatr. 2006 Feb;148(2):234-40
references.pmid: 16492435
references.citation: Dev Psychol. 2001 Sep;37(5):608-19
references.pmid: 11552757
references.citation: J Youth Adolesc. 1991 Apr;20(2):167-90
references.pmid: 24265005
references.citation: Arch Dis Child. 1970 Feb;45(239):13-23
references.pmid: 5440182
references.citation: J Youth Adolesc. 1980 Jun;9(3):271-80
references.pmid: 24318082
references.citation: J Youth Adolesc. 1991 Apr;20(2):247-71
references.pmid: 24265009
references.citation: J Youth Adolesc. 1985 Feb;14(1):61-9
references.pmid: 24301044
references.citation: Am J Hum Biol. 1992;4(6):783-787
references.pmid: 28524629
references.citation: J Pediatr. 2006 Nov;149(5):732-3; author reply 733
references.pmid: 17095363
references.citation: Dev Rev. 2007 Jun;27(2):151-171
references.pmid: 20740062
references.citation: Psychol Methods. 2002 Jun;7(2):147-77
references.pmid: 12090408
references.citation: J Epidemiol Community Health. 1996 Dec;50(6):661-6
references.pmid: 9039386
references.citation: Int J Eat Disord. 2000 Jul;28(1):43-57
references.pmid: 10800013
references.citation: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 1997 Dec;36(12):1768-76
references.pmid: 9401339
references.citation: J Youth Adolesc. 1985 Jun;14(3):191-206
references.pmid: 24301176
references.citation: Arch Dis Child. 1969 Jun;44(235):291-303
references.pmid: 5785179
references.citation: Child Dev. 1987 Jun;58(3):829-41
references.pmid: 3608653
references.citation: J Biosoc Sci. 1979 Oct;11(4):433-41
references.pmid: 511871
references.citation: Pediatrics. 2002 Oct;110(4):743-7
references.pmid: 12359788
references.citation: Dev Psychol. 2001 May;37(3):404-17
references.pmid: 11370915
references.citation: Psychol Bull. 1991 Jul;110(1):47-66
references.pmid: 1891518
references.citation: Pediatrics. 1999 Oct;104(4 Pt 1):936-41
references.pmid: 10506238
references.citation: Psychopharmacol Bull. 1985;21(4):995-8
references.pmid: 4089116
references.citation: Soc Sci Med. 2003 Sep;57(6):1055-64
references.pmid: 12878105
references.citation: Acta Paediatr. 2008 Feb;97(2):217-20
references.pmid: 18177444
references.citation: J Youth Adolesc. 1985 Jun;14(3):163-89
references.pmid: 24301175
references.citation: J Adolesc Health. 2002 Jul;31(1):70-8
references.pmid: 12090967
references.citation: Child Dev. 1965 Dec;36(4):899-911
references.pmid: 5892336
references.citation: Dev Psychol. 2003 May;39(3):430-9
references.pmid: 12760513
references.citation: J Pediatr. 1991 Nov;119(5):821-5
references.pmid: 1658285