This work was supported by NIH grants HD010333 and DA011015. The authors are grateful to Sally-Ann Rhea for her assistance in data preparation and to the research participants.
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Article
Pubertal Timing as a Potential Mediator of Adoption Effects on Problem Behaviors
Article first published online: 18 JUL 2012
DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-7795.2012.00820.x
© 2012 The Authors. Journal of Research on Adolescence © 2012 Society for Research on Adolescence
Additional Information
How to Cite
Brooker, R. J., Berenbaum, S. A., Bricker, J., Corley, R. P. and Wadsworth, S. A. (2012), Pubertal Timing as a Potential Mediator of Adoption Effects on Problem Behaviors. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 22: 739–745. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-7795.2012.00820.x
Rebecca J. Brooker is now at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Publication History
- Issue published online: 13 NOV 2012
- Article first published online: 18 JUL 2012
Funded by
- NIH. Grant Numbers: HD010333, DA011015
- Abstract
- Article
- References
- Cited By
Adopted children show more problem behaviors than nonadopted children. Given that internationally adopted individuals show earlier puberty than nonadopted individuals, and early puberty is associated with problem behaviors in nonadopted youth, we analyzed data from adopted domestic adoptees to determine whether problem behaviors could be explained by differences in pubertal timing. Relative to nonadopted controls (n = 153), domestically adopted girls (n = 121) had earlier menarche, earlier sexual initiation, and more conduct disorder symptoms. Age at menarche partially mediated the relation of adoptive status to sexual initiation, but not to conduct disorder symptoms. Extending findings from international adoptees, results show that domestic adoption is also linked to earlier puberty, and suggest early puberty as one mechanism linking adoption to problematic outcomes.