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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Girls who go through puberty early are in need of extra special attention and love from their parents, according to a new study. Researchers say early maturing girls are more likely to be aggressive and delinquent, but their parents can help prevent these behaviors.
Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham conducted a study looking at age of puberty and overall conduct. They interviewed 330 fifth grade girls and their parents from three metropolitan areas. The girls reported how often they were aggressive, if they got in trouble at school, how often their mothers were affectionate, how often they did things with their mothers, if their parents had talked to them about sex, violence and tobacco and when they started their periods. The parents answered questions about how well they knew what their children did in their free time.
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Investigators say 25 percent of the girls matured early, which means they started their period one-year before the average age. Those who did were more likely to be delinquent, but not aggressive. But those who did not have involved parents were also likely to be aggressive.
Researchers say it is clear parental nurturing and positive parenting may be especially important to early maturing girls. They suggest clinicians need to talk to parents of girls who mature early to help them develop positive parenting skills so that their daughters can avoid the risk of becoming aggressive and delinquent.
SOURCE: Archives of Pediatric Adolescent Medicine, 2008;162:781-786
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