NCJ Number
208130
Journal
Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Volume: 43 Issue: 12 Dated: December 2004 Pages: 1460-1468
Editor(s)
Mina K. Dulcan M.D.
Date Published
December 2004
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This study examined the relationship between girls’ violent behavior, pubertal timing, and neighborhood characteristics.
Abstract
Previous research has consistently found that contextual characteristics increase the likelihood that girls’ pubertal timing would lead to negative outcomes. This study examined specifically, the linkage between girls’ violent behavior, pubertal timing, and neighborhood characteristics. It was hypothesized that the neighborhood was a particularly important context to consider. Neighborhoods were thought to offer girls opportunities to encounter negative role models. To test this hypothesis, a study sample was drawn from neighborhoods that were part of the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods. Chicago’s 865 census tracts were combined to create 343 neighborhood clusters (NC's). The results of the study showed that biological changes do not exist in isolation from the social context, and girls who experienced two stresses, such as early maturation in neighborhoods of disadvantage were at greatest risk of acting violently. The results emphasized the context-dependent nature of violent behavior. Specifically, early maturers who live in challenging contexts of disadvantage are at greater risk of engaging in violent behavior. Study limitations are presented and discussed in brief. References