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Links between pubertal timing and neighborhood contexts: implications for girls' violent behavior
Dawn Obeidallah1, Robert T Brennan, Jeanne Brooks-Gunn
1Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. dawn_obeidallah@hms.harvard.edu
Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
|November 27, 2004
Summary
Early maturing girls in disadvantaged neighborhoods are more likely to exhibit violent behavior. This highlights the combined impact of early puberty and neighborhood context on adolescent girls' conduct.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Criminology
- Sociology
Background:
- Adolescent girls' violent behavior is a significant concern.
- Understanding the interplay of biological and environmental factors is crucial for effective intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between pubertal timing, neighborhood characteristics, and violent behavior in adolescent girls.
- To identify specific risk factors that may predispose girls to aggression.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of 501 diverse adolescent girls and their parents over three years.
- Assessed violent behavior via Self-Report of Offending Scale and pubertal timing through menarche.
- Utilized U.S. Census data to characterize neighborhoods based on disadvantage, immigrant concentration, and mobility.
Main Results:
- Over 25% of girls exhibited violent behavior at follow-up.
- Early maturing girls in high-disadvantage neighborhoods were three times more likely to engage in violent acts.
- Depressive symptoms and prior violence were also associated with subsequent violent behavior.
Conclusions:
- A "double vulnerability" of early maturation and disadvantaged neighborhoods increases susceptibility to violent behavior in girls.
- Clinical evaluations should consider pubertal timing and neighborhood context when assessing girls' behavior.