The study published in the August issue of the JAMA/Archives journals, Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, revealed that adolescent girls who reach puberty early and have parents who spend less quality time with them are more likely to be aggressive in nature.

Conduct problems, delinquency and substance use are just a few things which are related to early puberty. The study also added that many of these problems persist through adolescence and into early adulthood.  

The researchers wrote, “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.”

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

The girls who were interviewed reported how often they were engaged in aggressive behavior, which includes hitting, teasing and spreading rumors to hurt others. They were also asked whether they were involved in delinquent acts such as fighting at school, getting injured in a fight or injuring others. Other than this, they were asked 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.

On the other hand, Parents were suppose to respond to seven items measuring the extent to which they knew their child’s friends and how she spent her free time. The researchers found that out the total girls, one-fourth had matured early and their periods had started early than the average age for females of their racial and ethnic groups. Most of the girls, who had reached puberty early were delinquents but not aggressive. But at the same time it was also evident that girls who had matured early and also had low levels of parental care and communication and knowledge were more likely to be aggressive.

The researchers reported, “Also, early maturation only predicted physical aggression when combined with low maternal nurturance.”
The researchers said that parents play a really vital role in growth of a girl. If a girl has a positive, warm and healthy communication and relationship with her parents, then she would be an ideal and responsible citizen to the outside world too.  Parents can play their role by listening to their girl’s problem and providing solutions fro the same. By encouraging her and making her feel that they are also her friends, parents can keep their girl away from tantrums, aggression and delinquency.