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Linking Childhood Maltreatment With Girls' Internalizing Symptoms: Early Puberty as a Tipping Point
Author(s) -
Mendle Jane,
Leve Leslie D.,
Van Ryzin Mark,
Natsuaki Misaki N.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of research on adolescence
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.342
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1532-7795
pISSN - 1050-8392
DOI - 10.1111/jora.12075
Subject(s) - psychology , tipping point (physics) , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , electrical engineering , engineering
Earlier physical maturation may often be preceded by a range of adversities and life stressors. This study investigates childhood maltreatment, internalizing symptoms, and pubertal timing in girls residing in foster care ( N = 100, M = 11.54 years old at T ime 1). Girls were assessed at two time points 2 years apart. There were no direct effects of maltreatment on internalizing symptoms; rather, childhood sexual abuse predicted earlier pubertal development which, in turn, was associated with higher levels of internalizing symptoms concurrently and longitudinally. This distinctive role for early pubertal timing suggests that the heightened sexual circumstances of puberty may be especially disturbing for girls whose lives have already been disrupted by inappropriate and unwanted sexual experiences.