The Impact of Pubertal and Social Events upon Girls' Problem Behavior.

Abstract

In this paper, whether problem behavior in early adolescent girls is associated with pubertal processes and other life events is examined; four possible models are proposed that consider additive and interactive effects of biological and social events. In addition, whether social support and positive relationships buffer the adolescent from possible negative effects of biological and social events is explored. One hundred and fifty-two White girls, aged 10 to 13 years, answered questions about maladaptive or problem behavior (Youth Behavior Profile), adaptive or competent behavior (Self Image Questionnaire for Young Adolescents, SIQYA), life events (Scale of Early Adolescent Life Events), and relationships with parents and peers (SIQYA). Physical growth was assessed via physical examination (Tanner Stages, menarcheal status, timing of maturation). Predictions were tested via hierarchical regressions. The major findings follow. First, negative life events, specifically those associated with family and school, were associated with internalizing and externalizing problem behavior, while positive life events were not. Pubertal events were not associated, although an interaction between pubertal events and negative family events was found: The occurrence of negative family events was more likely to be associated with internalizing behavior in premenarcheal than postmenarcheal girls, while in girls for whom no negative events occurred, internalizing behavior was somewhat higher postmenarcheally than premenarcheally (the same was true for secondary sexual development). Second, positive relationships mitigated the consequences of life events, with main and interaction effects being found. Findings are discussed in terms of adult literature on negative life events and the early adolescent literature on the meaning of physical change.