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Appearance-Related Victimization and Pubertal Asynchrony: Identifying Sex-Specific Vulnerabilities
Jasmine C Bigelow1, Natasha Chaku2
1Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA.
Journal of Youth and Adolescence
|October 29, 2024
Summary
Adolescent pubertal asynchrony, or uneven development, increases appearance-related victimization, particularly for girls. This uneven development also links to height-based victimization in boys, suggesting targeted interventions are needed.
Area of Science:
- Adolescent Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Pubertal development involves significant psychosocial changes, including increased appearance-related victimization.
- The specific pubertal factors driving this victimization and periods of heightened risk remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of pubertal asynchrony on appearance-related victimization.
- To determine if these associations vary by sex and pubertal status.
- To explore links between pubertal asynchrony and different types of victimization.
Main Methods:
- Examined pubertal asynchrony (variation in pubertal milestones) in relation to appearance-related victimization.
- Analyzed data from 373 adolescents (mean age 13.51, 40% girls).
- Utilized latent profile analysis to assess victimization typologies.
Main Results:
- Greater pubertal asynchrony correlated with increased appearance-related victimization, especially among girls.
- Associations did not differ significantly based on overall pubertal status.
- Asynchronous adolescents were more prone to high appearance-related and height-based victimization (boys).
Conclusions:
- Pubertal asynchrony is a contributing factor to appearance-related victimization during adolescence.
- Findings underscore the need for interventions addressing pubertal development and specific victimization types.
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