Positive Parenting Associated With Less Aggression In Early-Maturing Teen Girls

Adolescent [Adolescent behavior] girls who go through puberty early and have parents who do not nurture them, communicate with them or have knowledge of their activities appear more likely to display aggressive behavior, according to a report.

Early puberty in girls is related to conduct problems, delinquency and substance use.

Many of these problems persist through adolescence and into early adulthood.

“As adults, early-maturing girls demonstrate lower academic and occupational achievement and report lower relationship quality and life satisfaction.

It is thus important to identify protective factors that may mitigate negative effects of early maturation on girls’ adjustment.

Sylvie Mrug, Ph.D., of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and colleagues interviewed 330 fifth-grade girls (average age 11) and their parents from three metropolitan areas.

The girls reported how often they engaged in aggressive behavior, such as hitting, teasing and spreading rumors to hurt others; whether they displayed delinquency (fighting at school, getting injured in a fight or inflicting injuries); how often their mother was affectionate and how often they did things together; whether their parents had talked to them about violence, tobacco and sex; and whether and when they had started their periods.

Read more at EurekAlert