Biobehavioral Aspects of Precocious Puberty

WILLIAM A. SONIS, FLORENCE COMITE, ORA H. PESCOVITZ, KAREN HENCH, CHARLES W. RAHN, GORDON B. CUTLER, D. L. LORIAUX, ROBERT P. KLEIN

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

Precocious puberty is an experiment in nature from which we can learn about the effects of early and continuous exposure to sex steroids on human behavior. We studied the relationships between behavior problems, brain lesions, height, and two measures of sex steroid exposure in 77 children with precocious puberty. Behavior problems were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist. We found that the diagnosis of precocious puberty regardless of the etiology was a risk factor for increased behavior problems. Although there may be important effects related to environmental and psychological variables, we found that older girls with idiopathic precocious puberty who looked closer to expected peer height and who had less pubic hair had more behavior problems.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)674-679
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry
Volume25
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 1986
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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