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

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