Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 5, 2026
06:38
Determination of Reproductive Competence by Confirming Pubertal Onset and Performing a Fertility Assay in Mice and Rats
Published on: October 13, 2018
15.3K
A self-report measure of pubertal status: Reliability, validity, and initial norms
A C Petersen1, L Crockett, M Richards
1College of Health and Human Development, The Pennsylvania State University, 104 Henderson Building, 16802, University Park, PA.
Journal of Youth and Adolescence
|November 27, 2013
Summary
This study introduces a new self-report measure for assessing pubertal status in adolescents. This tool aids research by providing a reliable and valid method for tracking pubertal development during this critical life stage.
Area of Science:
- Adolescent Medicine
- Developmental Psychology
- Biopsychosocial Development
Background:
- Puberty marks a critical developmental transition from childhood to adolescence.
- Assessing pubertal status in young adolescents presents significant challenges.
- Previous research has been limited by the lack of suitable measurement tools.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a self-report measure for assessing pubertal status.
- To provide norms for this new pubertal status measure.
- To facilitate research on pubertal development in young adolescents.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal study involving 335 young adolescents (boys and girls).
- A self-report measure of pubertal status administered twice annually over three years.
- Analysis of data from a subsample of 253 subjects.
Main Results:
- The self-report scale demonstrated good reliability (coefficient alpha).
- Multiple data sources indicated the validity of the self-reported pubertal status.
- Norms were established for the developed measure.
Conclusions:
- The developed self-report measure offers a reliable and valid method for assessing pubertal status.
- This tool addresses a critical need for research, especially in school-based settings.
- It enables more feasible studies of pubertal change in young adolescents.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Signs of Puberty
2.2K
Puberty is a critical phase, typically beginning between the ages of 8 and 13 in girls and 9 and 14 in boys, though timing can vary based on genetics, environmental factors, and overall health. This period is characterized by the development of secondary sexual characteristics and the attainment of reproductive potential. Endocrine changes underpin puberty, with hormonal surges of Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) instigated by Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH)...
2.2K
01:22Self-Report Tests of Personality
1.3K
Self-report inventories are objective personality assessments that use multiple-choice items or numbered scales, typically ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). They are often called Likert scales after Rensis Likert. These inventories are widely used due to their ease of administration and cost-effectiveness. One of the most prominent examples is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), initially developed in the 1940s to assess abnormal personality traits.
1.3K
03:00Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
4.7K
Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
4.7K
01:18Sources of Self-Esteem I: Family Experience
264
Self-esteem, a crucial component of psychological development, is significantly shaped by familial experiences. The early parent-child relationship serves as a foundational influence on a child's self-concept, with long-lasting effects extending into adolescence and adulthood.Parental Behaviors and Early Self-Esteem FormationEmpirical studies have identified four principal parental behaviors that foster healthy self-esteem in children. These include expressions of acceptance, affection, and...
264
01:29Reliability and Validity
12.9K
Reliability and validity are two important considerations that must be made with any type of data collection. Reliability refers to the ability to consistently produce a given result. In the context of psychological research, this would mean that any instruments or tools used to collect data do so in consistent, reproducible ways.
12.9K
01:29Measures of Intelligence
13.3K
Psychologists measure intelligence by using standardized tests that produce a score known as the intelligence quotient or IQ. To understand IQ tests, it's important to recognize the key principles behind their construction: validity, reliability, and standardization.
Validity refers to how well a test measures what it claims to measure. An intelligence test should accurately assess intelligence rather than another characteristic, like anxiety. Criterion validity is one way to evaluate this;...
Validity refers to how well a test measures what it claims to measure. An intelligence test should accurately assess intelligence rather than another characteristic, like anxiety. Criterion validity is one way to evaluate this;...
13.3K