Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine both the family antecedents and the outcomes of early puberty, with a particular
focus on factors related to family socioeconomic status (SES). The study employed a comprehensive measurement of pubertal
development and longitudinal data from the Canadian National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth. The sample (N = 8,440; 49% girls) included four cohorts of children who were followed biennially for 10 years, starting from age 4–11 to
14–21 years. Data were drawn at different years of age from these cohorts of children. Girls whose fathers were unemployed
were more likely to experience early puberty than those whose fathers were employed. For boys, those living with fathers who
had not finished secondary school were more likely to experience early puberty. Early maturing girls tended to engage in smoking
and drinking at an earlier age compared with their peers. These findings provide support for psychosocial acceleration theory
and suggest that different aspects of low family SES may act as a psychosocial stress for early pubertal maturation in boys
versus girls, which may lead to engagement in drinking and smoking at a younger age, at least for girls.
focus on factors related to family socioeconomic status (SES). The study employed a comprehensive measurement of pubertal
development and longitudinal data from the Canadian National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth. The sample (N = 8,440; 49% girls) included four cohorts of children who were followed biennially for 10 years, starting from age 4–11 to
14–21 years. Data were drawn at different years of age from these cohorts of children. Girls whose fathers were unemployed
were more likely to experience early puberty than those whose fathers were employed. For boys, those living with fathers who
had not finished secondary school were more likely to experience early puberty. Early maturing girls tended to engage in smoking
and drinking at an earlier age compared with their peers. These findings provide support for psychosocial acceleration theory
and suggest that different aspects of low family SES may act as a psychosocial stress for early pubertal maturation in boys
versus girls, which may lead to engagement in drinking and smoking at a younger age, at least for girls.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-13
- DOI 10.1007/s10964-011-9638-6
- Authors
- Rübab G. Arım, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON Canada
- Lucia Tramonte, Department of Sociology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB Canada
- Jennifer D. Shapka, Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada
- V. Susan Dahinten, School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada
- J. Douglas Willms, Canadian Research Institute for Social Policy, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB Canada
- Journal Journal of Youth and Adolescence
- Online ISSN 1573-6601
- Print ISSN 0047-2891