Self-Rated Pubertal Development, Depressive Symptoms and Delinquency: Measurement Issues and Moderation by Gender and Maltreatment

• NCJ Number: 223102
• Journal: Journal of Youth and Adolescence Volume: 37 Issue: 6 Dated: July 2008 Pages: 736-746
• Author(s): Sonya Negriff; Michelle T. Fung; Penelope K. Trickett
• Date Published: July 2008
• Length: 11 pages
• Grant Number(s): R01 HD39129
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Mental Health
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This cross-sectional study examined links between pubertal development, depressive symptoms, and delinquency in a sample of 241 boys and 213 girls ages 9-13.

Abstract

Study results agree with most of the research literature in showing that mature pubertal stage and early pubertal timing are related to increased delinquency. Depressive symptoms were predicted by early pubertal timing but not pubertal stage. The lack of moderation of these findings by gender indicates that early puberty is a risk for depression and delinquency for both boys and girls. Maltreatment did not moderate the relationship between pubertal development and depression and delinquency. This may be due in part to the mixture of maltreatment experiences present in the maltreated group. Future research should identify risk variables and describe the mechanisms by which puberty affects various outcomes. Given the similarity between pubertal stage and timing results, mediational models should be examined in order to determine whether the pathways by which they influence adjustment difficulties are the same. Study data were from the initial assessment of an ongoing longitudinal study that is examining the effects of maltreatment on adolescent development. The sample for the current study consisted of 454 adolescents aged 9-13 years old (241 boys and 213 girls). The maltreatment and comparison groups were not significantly different on age, gender, or ethnicity. Pubertal stage was measured by the adolescent's self-report on the Tanner five stages of pubertal development. Delinquent behavior within the past 12 months was determined from 23 items of the self-report Adolescent Delinquency Questionnaire. They encompassed status offenses, person offenses, and property offenses. Self-report depressive symptoms were determined from the Children's Depression Inventory. 4 tables, 1 figure, and 46 references