The effects of pubertal timing on body image, school behavior, and deviance

Abstract

Variation in the timing of pubertal maturation may result in behavioral differences among early, mid-, and late maturers. Using data from the National Health Examination Survey, a national probability sample of children and youth aged 12-17, we investigated the relationships between maturational timing and body image, school behavior, and deviance. In terms of body image, the early maturing boys were the group most satisfied with height and weight. The early maturing girls were most dissatisfied with weight, with 69% wishing to be thinner. This great dissatisfaction with weight reported by early maturing girls is probably not an affect of early maturation, but a concomitant of maturation in general. The majority of girls became dissatisfied with their weight as they matured, and females from the higher social groups were more likely to want to be thinner than females from lower groups. Thus, a normal developmental process is being viewed negatively by females and positively by males. Male early maturers more often had deviant behavior, but there were no consistent findings for girls. There was no effect of maturational timing on teacher reports of school absence, adjustment, popularity, need for discipline, or grade repetition.

Carrying the Weight of Self-Derogation?Disordered Eating Practices as Social Deviance in Young Adults

“…Several psychosocial risk factors have been identified as antecedents to the development of eating disorders including, low self-esteem, high levels of depression and=or anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, and obsessive-compulsive disorders (Levine and Smolak 2002). The issue is of concern to parents and teachers as well as professionals who work with adolescents and pre-adolescents regarding health care (Duncan et al 1985;Fisher et al 1995). Both health professionals and lay people, including parents, would benefit by the identification of early risk factors for problematic eating, since early detection and response may prevent serious developments down the road.…”

Why are early maturing girls less active? Links between pubertal development, psychological well-being, and physical activity among girls at ages 11 and 13

“…As weight status increases, so do girls' negative perceptions of their bodies (Davison, Markey, & Birch, 2003b;Murdey et al, 2004) and their athletic skills (Kolody & Sallis, 1995;Stein, Bracken, Haddock, & Shadish, 1998). Consequently, early maturing girls are more likely to express dissatisfaction with their body weight and report less positive body image and self image than later developing girls (Blythe, Simmons, & Zakin, 1985;Duncan, Ritter, Dornbusch, Gross, & Carlsmith, 1985;Murdey et al, 2004;Siegel et al, 1999). Furthermore, early maturing girls often experience higher levels of popularity with boys due to their early physical development (McCabe & Ricciardelli, 2004).…”

Ethnic differences in weight loss behavior among secondary school students in Beirut: the role of weight perception

“…One cultural expectation of adolescence is physical attractiveness, which, in many parts of the developed world, is partially defined as being thin (Anderson 1994). Excessive apprehension about body weight and body image has become a common concern among most adolescents (Duncan et al 1985) creating an environment that encourages them to engage in a variety of weight change activities, most notably, weight loss behaviors (Kilpatrick et al 1999). Prevalence rates for trying to lose weight in developed countries vary between 15 % and 60 % in adolescents, with higher values among females than males (Field et al 1999;Kilpatrick et al 1999;Pesa & Turner 1999;YRBS 2000).…”