Chapter 3 Puberty and Biological Foundations - The McGraw-Hill ...

Although extremely early and late maturation may be risk factors in development,
we have seen that the overall effects of early or late maturation often are not
great. Not all early maturers will date, smoke, and drink, and not all late maturers will
have difficulty in peer relations. In some instances, the effects of an adolescent’s grade
in school are stronger than maturational timing (Petersen & Crockett, 1985). Because
the adolescent’s social world is organized by grade rather than physical development,
this finding is not surprising. However, that does not mean that age of maturation has
no influence on development. Rather, we need to evaluate puberty’s effects within the
larger framework of interacting biological, cognitive, and socioemotional contexts
(Brooks-Gunn, 1992; Sarigiani & Petersen, 2000).
Pubertal Timing and Health Care
What can be done to identify early and late maturers who are at risk for health problems?
Adolescents whose development is extremely early or late, such as a boy who
has not had a growth spurt by age 16 or a girl who has not menstruated by age 15, are
likely to come to the attention of a physician. Girls and boys who are early or late
maturers, but are still well within the normal range, are less likely to be seen by a
physician. Nonetheless, these boys and girls may have doubts and fears about being
normal that they will not raise unless a physician, counselor, or other health-care
provider does. A brief discussion of the usual sequence and timing of events, and the
large individual variations in them, may be all that is required to reassure many adolescents
who are maturing very early or late.
Health-care providers may want to discuss an adolescent’s early or late development
with parents as well. Information about peer pressures can be helpful, especially
the peer pressures to date on early-maturing girls and engage in adultlike behavior.
For girls and boys who are in the midst of puberty, the transition to middle school, junior
high school, or high school may be more stressful (Brooks-Gunn, 1988).
If pubertal development is extremely late, a physician may recommend hormonal
treatment. This approach may or may not be helpful (Carroll & others, 2004; Fenichel,
2004; Lee, 2003; Leschek & others, 2004). In one study of extended pubertal delay in
boys, hormonal treatment helped to increase height, dating interest, and peer relations
in several boys but brought little or no improvement in other boys (Lewis, Money, &
Bobrow, 1977).
In sum, most early- and late-maturing individuals manage to weather puberty’s
challenges and stresses. For those who do not, discussions with sensitive and knowledgeable
health-care providers and parents can improve the adolescent’s coping abilities
(Phillips, 2003).
1
Review and Reflect ● LEARNING GOAL 1
Discuss the determinants, characteristics, and timing
of puberty
Review
• What are puberty’s main determinants?
• What characterizes the growth spurt in puberty?
• How does sexual maturation develop in puberty?
• What are some secular trends in puberty?
• How are psychological dimensions linked to pubertal change?
• What are some aspects of pubertal timing and health care?
Reflect
• Did you experience puberty early, late, or on time? How do you think the timing
of puberty affected your development?
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.
Body image score
+.30
+.20
+.10
Mean
–.10
–.20
–.30
Puberty 77
Early development
Late development
Grade 6 Grade 10
FIGURE 3.8 Early- and Late-Maturing
Adolescent Girls’ Perceptions of Body Image
in Early and Late Adolescence