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Does puberty affect the development of behavior problems as a mediator, moderator, or unique predictor?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 November 2019

Adriene M. Beltz Open the ORCID record for Adriene M. Beltz [Opens in a new window] ,
Robin P. Corley ,
Sally J. Wadsworth ,
Lisabeth F. DiLalla  and
Sheri A. Berenbaum
Adriene M. Beltz*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Robin P. Corley
Affiliation:
Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
Sally J. Wadsworth
Affiliation:
Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
Lisabeth F. DiLalla
Affiliation:
Department of Family and Community Medicine, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Carbondale, IL, USA
Sheri A. Berenbaum
Affiliation:
Departments of Psychology and Pediatrics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
*
Author for Correspondence: Adriene M. Beltz, Department of Psychology, 2227 East Hall, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109. E-mail: abeltz@umich.edu.
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Abstract

Pubertal timing matters for psychological development. Early maturation in girls is linked to risk for depression and externalizing problems in adolescence and possibly adulthood, and early and late maturation in boys are linked to depression. It is unclear whether pubertal timing uniquely predicts problems; it might instead mediate the continuity of behavior problems from childhood to adolescence or create psychological risk specifically in youth with existing problems, thus moderating the link. We investigated these issues in 534 girls and 550 boys, measuring pubertal timing by a logistic model fit to annual self-report measures of development and, in girls, age at menarche. Prepuberty internalizing and externalizing behavior problems were reported by parents. Adolescent behavior problems were reported by parents and youth. As expected, behavior problems were moderately stable. Pubertal timing was not predicted by childhood problems, so it did not mediate the continuity of behavior problems from childhood to adolescence. Pubertal timing did not moderate links between early and later problems for girls. For boys, early maturation accentuated the link between childhood problems and adolescent substance use. Overall, the replicated links between puberty and behavior problems appear to reflect the unique effects of puberty and child behavior problems on the development of adolescent behavior problems.

Keywords

adolescent developmentexternalizing behavior problemsinternalizing behavior problemspubertal timing

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