Correspondence Between Perceived Pubertal Development and Hormone Levels in 9-10 Year-Olds From the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study
Authors: Herting Megan M. , Uban Kristina A. , Gonzalez Marybel Robledo , Baker Fiona C. , Kan Eric C. , Thompson Wesley K. , Granger Douglas A. , Albaugh Matthew D. , Anokhin Andrey P. , Bagot Kara S. , Banich Marie T. , Barch Deanna M. , Baskin-Sommers Arielle , Breslin Florence J. , Casey B. J. , Chaarani Bader , Chang Linda , Clark Duncan B. , Cloak Christine C. , Constable R. Todd , Cottler Linda B. , Dagher Rada K. , Dapretto Mirella , Dick Anthony S. , Dosenbach Nico , Dowling Gayathri J. , Dumas Julie A. , Edwards Sarah , Ernst Thomas , Fair Damien A. , Feldstein-Ewing Sarah W. , Freedman Edward G. , Fuemmeler Bernard F. , Garavan Hugh , Gee Dylan G. , Giedd Jay N. , Glaser Paul E. A. , Goldstone Aimee , Gray Kevin M. , Hawes Samuel W. , Heath Andrew C. , Heitzeg Mary M. , Hewitt John K. , Heyser Charles J. , Hoffman Elizabeth A. , Huber Rebekah S. , Huestis Marilyn A. , Hyde Luke W. , Infante M. Alejandra , Ivanova Masha Y. , Jacobus Joanna , Jernigan Terry L. , Karcher Nicole R. , Laird Angela R. , LeBlanc Kimberly H. , Lisdahl Krista , Luciana Monica , Luna Beatriz , Maes Hermine H. , Marshall Andrew T. , Mason Michael J. , McGlade Erin C. , Morris Amanda S. , Nagel Bonnie J. , Neigh Gretchen N. , Palmer Clare E. , Paulus Martin P. , Potter Alexandra S. , Puttler Leon I. , Rajapakse Nishadi , Rapuano Kristina , Reeves Gloria , Renshaw Perry F. , Schirda Claudiu , Sher Kenneth J. , Sheth Chandni , Shilling Paul D. , Squeglia Lindsay M. , Sutherland Matthew T. , Tapert Susan F. , Tomko Rachel L. , Yurgelun-Todd Deborah , Wade Natasha E. , Weiss Susan R. B. , Zucker Robert A. , Sowell Elizabeth R. 
Published: February 2021

Aim

To examine individual variability between perceived physical features and hormones of pubertal maturation in 9–10-year-old children as a function of sociodemographic characteristics.

Methods

Cross-sectional metrics of puberty were utilized from the baseline assessment of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study—a multi-site sample of 9–10 year-olds (n = 11,875)—and included perceived physical features via the pubertal development scale (PDS) and child salivary hormone levels (dehydroepiandrosterone and testosterone in all, and estradiol in females). Multi-level models examined the relationships among sociodemographic measures, physical features, and hormone levels. A group factor analysis (GFA) was implemented to extract latent variables of pubertal maturation that integrated both measures of perceived physical features and hormone levels.

Results

PDS summary scores indicated more males (70%) than females (31%) were prepubertal. Perceived physical features and hormone levels were significantly associated with child’s weight status and income, such that more mature scores were observed among children that were overweight/obese or from households with low-income. Results from the GFA identified two latent factors that described individual differences in pubertal maturation among both females and males, with factor 1 driven by higher hormone levels, and factor 2 driven by perceived physical maturation. The correspondence between latent factor 1 scores (hormones) and latent factor 2 scores (perceived physical maturation) revealed synchronous and asynchronous relationships between hormones and concomitant physical features in this large young adolescent sample.

Conclusions

Sociodemographic measures were associated with both objective hormone and self-report physical measures of pubertal maturation in a large, diverse sample of 9–10 year-olds. The latent variables of pubertal maturation described a complex interplay between perceived physical changes and hormone levels that hallmark sexual maturation, which future studies can examine in relation to trajectories of brain maturation, risk/resilience to substance use, and other mental health outcomes.