Children who have an earlier onset of puberty are significantly more likely to experience poorer mental health, according to a new study conducted by the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute (MCRI).

The study, which followed almost 3,500 children from ages four through to 11, found that boys with an early onset of puberty at around eight to nine years, had greater behavioural difficulties and poorer emotional and social adjustment from early childhood.

Girls who experienced early onset of puberty had more difficulties in emotional and social adjustment from childhood, but didn’t show the same behavioural problems found in boys.

The research used the Longitudinal Study of Australian children, in which the parents of the children were interviewed at four time points, and asked questions on puberty transition and timing, behaviour difficulties and psychosocial questions on emotional, social and school functioning. The study found that these differences remained even after accounting for other factors that may be linked to early puberty and mental health, including ethnicity, body mass index and family socioeconomic situation.  

Lead researcher, Dr Fiona Mensah, says the study provides new evidence of pre-existing and persistent early childhood differences in socio-emotional well being amongst children who experience early puberty. 

"There is a heightened risk for behaviour and emotional problems during puberty; and children who reach puberty earlier than their peers have more of these difficulties in adolescence."  

"We think that the association between early onset puberty and poorer adolescent mental health is due to developmental processes that start well before the onset of puberty and continue into adolescence."