Abstract
The study examined the relationship of timing of adrenarche and gonadarche and emotional problems in early adolescence. The participants were 9-to 14-year-old boys (n=57) and girls (n=51) enrolled in a longitudinal study. Assessments of physical development consisted of pubertal staging according to Tanner and plasma determinations of luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, testosterone, estradiol, dehydroepiandrosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, and androstenedione. We used two scales, Psychopathology and Emotional Tone (depressed mood), both from the Offer Self-image Inventory for Adolescents, to evaluate our volunteers. Psychopathology and depressed mood scores were (a) higher for boys with high-for-age adrenal androgen levels (p=.01, p=.02) and (b) lower for boys with high-forage testosterone/estradiol levels (p=.02, p=.03). Psychopathology and depressed mood scores were higher for girls with high-for-age gonadotropins (p=.01, p=.01). However, there: wers no relationships for girls between the psyctiopathology or depressed mood scores and the adrenal androgen or estradiol levels. Thus, the timing of adrenarche and gonadarche may be an important factor in the development of adjustment problems of normal adolescents. Also, adrenal androgens appear to be more important factors in boys than in girls suggesting a higher sensitivity of the male brain to androgens.
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Susman, E., Nottelmann, E., Inoff, G. et al. 21 TIMING OF ADRENARCHE AMD GONADARCHE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ADJUSTMENT NORMAL ADOLESCENTS. Pediatr Res 19, 114 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-00051
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-00051