Timing and Pace of Puberty Linked to Behavior Problems

The timing and pace of puberty has a bearing on the behavior of children and many who speed through this life-changing phase may also become victims of anxiety and depression. This should be a pointer to teachers, parents and primary care providers who must strive to understand behavioral problems in kids keeping in mind the changes that occur during puberty.

Earlier research has delved into the negative impact of entering puberty early, but more research is needed in the area of the pace of puberty and its impact on the psyche of children.

 “We found that earlier timing for girls was related to a slew of behavior problems, and we also found that a faster tempo of development independently predicted those same sorts of problem behaviors. Although timing and tempo both predicted behavior problems in girls, timing and tempo weren’t related to each other. For boys, though, we found a strong relationship between timing and tempo. For example, we found that boys who have later timing combined with slower tempo exhibited the least amount of acting out and externalizing problems,” researchers explained.



Source-Medindia