Introduction :
“Understanding the process of puberty is especially salient for psychological research because pubertal changes are related to many physical and psychosocial outcomes in adolescence and adulthood” (Costello, Mustillo, Erkanli, Keeler, & Angold, 2003; Negriff & Susman, 2011).
This article provides an explanation about the variation of development in secondary sexual characteristics among white youth. The research was aimed at two purposes : to examine the relation between timing and tempo amoung boys and girls and to understand how the developpement pubertaire is linked with physical characteristics and behavior. The researchers tried to improve the scientific knowledge on pubertal maturation considering the lack of studies on this topic. Furthermore, the authors have reported that the tempo is rarely taken into consideration when measuring pubertal development, although it has a crucial influence.
Summary :
This article is a longitudinal study conducted in United States over a six-year period with annual measurements to analyze the progression of pubertal development. The participants (N = 737) were divided into two groups based on their gender (364 boys and 373 girls). Participants were recruited from birth until the age of 15.5 in the context of several scientific researches. For this study, measurements began when the children turned 9.5 years old.
In order to explain pubertal development, researchers have based their findings on the 5 stages of maturation described by Tanner (1971). These stages begin at prepubescence to a full sexual maturity. Every year, the degree of breast maturation, the development of the male genital organs and the growth of pubic hair were collected by palpation and photos to be compared with the five Tanner stages.
To properly understand the phenomenon of puberty, the authors differentiated the timing (which describes the pubertal development of the youth at a certain time, in relation to its peers) from the tempo (which corresponds to the time required for the youth to reach a full sexual maturity). The hypothesis of this study is that timing and tempo of puberty are two influential variables on height, weight, BMI, internalizing, externalizing problems, and risky sexual behaviors.
In order to understand individual differences during puberty, the researchers compared the participants according to the average age reached at Tanner stage 3. The results are respectively : 12.89 years for male genital organs, 12.08 years for girl’s breasts, 13.27 years for pubic hair among boys and 12.21 years among girls.These findings highlight an earlier pubertal timing for girls. With respect to tempo, the results have shown that secondary sexual characteristics evolve slower for boys than for girls. Indeed, this research reveals significant gender differences in pubertal development and in particularly divergences between girls and boys on the different variables observed.
The results highlight the importance of considering timing as well as tempo to predict the different impacts of pubertal development. Regarding the physical characteristics (BMI, height and weight), a first difference is identified : it seems to be the tempo of the male genital organs that is linked to these characteristics, whereas for girls it is the development of pubic hair. In addition, this study has found that puberty can lead to internalizing and externalizing problems among girls and only externalizing problems among boys. However, there is again an influence of tempo and timing on these disorders. For girls, the tempo of pubic hair development is more predictive of internalized disorders than the tempo of breast development. On the opposite, the timing of breast development is more predictive of internalized disorders than pubic hair development. With respect to girls’ externalizing disorders, there is no consensus because the results of different tests are in disagreement. For boys, the earlier and faster puberty occurs, the more likely it is that youth will have externalized disorders. Finally, for both genders, early pubertal timing is predictive of risky sexual behavior.
This research has shown the importance of pubertal development for the care of young people in the process of identity change. Some factors may be essential and predict some disorders or risky behaviours. It is essential to take these elements into consideration when working with teenagers, especially for us, as future developmental psychologists.
The critical evaluation :
This article is based on new methodological approaches in order not to reproduce errors already produced in old studies. It may be added that the various sources used are relatively recent. The inter-individual differences highlighted in the article allow us, as future professionals, to be able to identify and/or reassure a teenager who has a slow or fast, long or short puberty. In addition, the article returns to the differences between girls and boys and gives the opportunity to have more precise and practical knowledge and representations of the changes during puberty in adolescence.
The study is based only on white children, it could be relevant to extend it to all-comers children in order to be able to generalize the results to all the adolescents that we could meet. In addition, the researchers only took one measurement per year, which may have been negative for the research as they may have missed important information. The stages of Tanner are not at all explained in the article however it would allow a better comprehension of the evoked factors. Furthermore, it’s based only on stages of Tanner so is reductive. To finish, this article is quite difficult, including statistics and scientific results and consequently it’s not accessible to everyone.
Conclusion :
To conclude, this article is relevant when working with adolescents. It allows us to have a more detailed knowledge of pubertal changes and thus to better accompany adolescents. We learned from this article that puberty mainly causes internalized but also externalized disorders for girls and only externalized for boys. Moreover, an early timing can be predictive of risky sexual behavior. These observations can lead us to work on prevention and also on treatment. We know that physical appearance is a major factor in self-esteem during adolescence, and the body changes that take place can therefore affect the well-being of these young people.
Key-words :
- Puberty = puberté
- Development = développement
- Timing and Tempo
- Maturational stages = étapes de maturation
- Physical characteristics = caractéristiques physiques
- Behavioral Outcomes = conséquences comportementales
We have learned :
- Consistent = cohérent
- Milestone = étape majeure
- Bounded = lié (from bound = lier)
- Enrolled = inscrit (from enrol = inscrire)
- Drop out = abandonner
- Slope = pente
- Slightly = légèrement
- Plotted = tracé (from plot = tracer)