Furthermore, the effects of hormone levels on depression have been found to be minimal compared to the influence of social factors. 3 Recent research focusing on the impact of stress on biological functioning shows some differences between males and females. Puberty has different meanings for boys and girls, although both experience simultaneous changes in biological functioning and social demands Individual girls develop at different rates, and pubertal age is more accurate than chronological age in predicting depression. Girls who mature physically earlier than their peers are more likely to feel self-conscious and to experience depressed moods. For some girls, menstrual cycles are associated with behavioral and physical changes, and menstruation can be accompanied by feelings of tension, the perception of loss of control over their bodies, and irritability.
Girls view body changes, such as increased fat layers, as negative.
Boys, on the other hand, view body changes, such as increased muscular development, as positive. BACK TO TOP Psychosocial issues Some studies suggest that the lower social status of females and the traditional upbringing of girls foster certain traits that may increase the vulnerability of adolescent girls to depression. Sex roles take on new importance as adolescents' bodies become more sex-differentiated. Emphasis on weight diverts girls from developing their own interests, talents and internal character to obsessing over their appearance. Self-esteem in girls peaks at the age of nine, then, for some, begins to plummet.