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Does competence mediate the associations between puberty and internalizing or externalizing problems in adolescent
Sonya Negriff1, Jennifer B Hillman, Lorah D Dorn
1University of Southern California, School of Social Work, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA. negriff@usc.edu
Summary
Perceived competence fully mediates the link between menarcheal status and adolescent behavior problems. Interventions boosting competence may help prevent internalizing and externalizing issues in girls.
Area of Science:
- Adolescent psychology
- Developmental psychology
- Behavioral science
Background:
- Understanding the psychological development of adolescent girls is crucial.
- Menarcheal status and pubertal timing are key developmental milestones.
- Competence plays a significant role in adolescent mental health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the mediational role of perceived competence in the relationship between menarcheal status and pubertal timing with internalizing and externalizing problems in adolescent girls.
- To analyze separate mediational models linking menarcheal status and pubertal timing to behavioral outcomes via competence.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional analyses of 262 adolescent girls (ages 11-17).
- Assessment of menarcheal status, pubertal timing, internalizing/externalizing behaviors, and perceived competence (parent/adolescent report).
- Structural equation modeling was employed to test the proposed mediational models.
Main Results:
- Perceived competence fully mediated the association between menarcheal status and parent-reported internalizing/externalizing problems.
- For adolescent reports, competence fully mediated internalizing problems and partially mediated externalizing problems.
- Menarcheal status was linked to lower competence, which in turn predicted higher problem behaviors. Pubertal timing models were not significant.
Conclusions:
- Perceived competence is a critical factor in the association between menarcheal status and adolescent behavioral problems.
- Interventions aimed at enhancing perceived competence, especially in postmenarcheal girls, could mitigate internalizing and externalizing issues.
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