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Pubertal Timing in Adolescence and Adulthood: Relations among Contemporaneous and Retrospective Measures

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Title: Pubertal Timing in Adolescence and Adulthood: Relations among Contemporaneous and Retrospective Measures
Language: English
Authors: Natasha Chaku (ORCID 0000-0003-0944-6159), Sheri A. Berenbaum, Yiming Qian, Robin P. Corley, Sally J. Wadsworth, Chandra A. Reynolds, Adriene M. Beltz
Source: Developmental Psychology. 2025 61(5):928-943.
Availability: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 16
Publication Date: 2025
Sponsoring Agency: National Institute on Aging (NIA) (DHHS/NIH)
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) (DHHS/NIH)
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) (DHHS/NIH)
Contract Number: R01AG046938
HD010333
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Puberty, Adolescents, Adults, Adjustment (to Environment), Physical Development, Recall (Psychology), Bias, Gender Differences, Sexuality, Substance Abuse, Depression (Psychology)
Geographic Terms: Colorado
Assessment and Survey Identifiers: Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale
DOI: 10.1037/dev0001784
ISSN: 0012-1649
1939-0599
Abstract: Pubertal development has short- and long-term effects on psychological adjustment. Many studies of long-term effects rely on retrospective measurement of pubertal timing, but such measures often reflect different aspects of puberty than those assessed in adolescence, raising questions about the utility and interpretation of retrospective reports. The present study leveraged longitudinal data collected in adolescence and established adulthood to determine: (1) the correspondence between pubertal timing indexed from logistic growth curves of self-reported physical development assessed contemporaneously across adolescence and pubertal timing indexed relative to peers assessed retrospectively in adulthood; (2) the associations between the two pubertal timing measures and psychological adjustment; and (3) potential recall biases. Participants were 748 individuals (50.1% female; 91.6% White) from two longitudinal studies who reported on their pubertal development annually from Grades 3-9, psychological adjustment (age at sexual initiation, substance use, depression) in late adolescence, and retrospective pubertal timing in established adulthood (M[subscript age] = 32.76; SD = 4.43). Results indicate moderate-to-high convergence between retrospective and contemporaneous indices. Most participants, especially women, had the same pubertal timing classification (i.e., early, on time, or late), but early-maturing adolescents often recalled on-time development as adults. Retrospective and contemporaneous indices were associated with psychological adjustment in similar ways, with some attenuation in the retrospective measure, especially for men. There was little evidence of recall bias due to age at retrospective assessment or time since puberty. Findings generally support the use of retrospective pubertal timing measures, with the recognition that some relations with adjustment may be weakened.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1502489
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Pubertal Timing in Adolescence and Adulthood: Relations among Contemporaneous and Retrospective Measures
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Natasha+Chaku%22">Natasha Chaku</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0944-6159">0000-0003-0944-6159</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sheri+A%2E+Berenbaum%22">Sheri A. Berenbaum</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yiming+Qian%22">Yiming Qian</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Robin+P%2E+Corley%22">Robin P. Corley</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sally+J%2E+Wadsworth%22">Sally J. Wadsworth</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chandra+A%2E+Reynolds%22">Chandra A. Reynolds</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Adriene+M%2E+Beltz%22">Adriene M. Beltz</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Developmental+Psychology%22"><i>Developmental Psychology</i></searchLink>. 2025 61(5):928-943.
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  Data: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
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  Data: National Institute on Aging (NIA) (DHHS/NIH)<br />Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) (DHHS/NIH)<br />National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) (DHHS/NIH)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Puberty%22">Puberty</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adolescents%22">Adolescents</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adults%22">Adults</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adjustment+%28to+Environment%29%22">Adjustment (to Environment)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Physical+Development%22">Physical Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Recall+%28Psychology%29%22">Recall (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Bias%22">Bias</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gender+Differences%22">Gender Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sexuality%22">Sexuality</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Substance+Abuse%22">Substance Abuse</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Depression+%28Psychology%29%22">Depression (Psychology)</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Colorado%22">Colorado</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1037/dev0001784
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  Data: Pubertal development has short- and long-term effects on psychological adjustment. Many studies of long-term effects rely on retrospective measurement of pubertal timing, but such measures often reflect different aspects of puberty than those assessed in adolescence, raising questions about the utility and interpretation of retrospective reports. The present study leveraged longitudinal data collected in adolescence and established adulthood to determine: (1) the correspondence between pubertal timing indexed from logistic growth curves of self-reported physical development assessed contemporaneously across adolescence and pubertal timing indexed relative to peers assessed retrospectively in adulthood; (2) the associations between the two pubertal timing measures and psychological adjustment; and (3) potential recall biases. Participants were 748 individuals (50.1% female; 91.6% White) from two longitudinal studies who reported on their pubertal development annually from Grades 3-9, psychological adjustment (age at sexual initiation, substance use, depression) in late adolescence, and retrospective pubertal timing in established adulthood (M[subscript age] = 32.76; SD = 4.43). Results indicate moderate-to-high convergence between retrospective and contemporaneous indices. Most participants, especially women, had the same pubertal timing classification (i.e., early, on time, or late), but early-maturing adolescents often recalled on-time development as adults. Retrospective and contemporaneous indices were associated with psychological adjustment in similar ways, with some attenuation in the retrospective measure, especially for men. There was little evidence of recall bias due to age at retrospective assessment or time since puberty. Findings generally support the use of retrospective pubertal timing measures, with the recognition that some relations with adjustment may be weakened.
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1502489
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        Value: 10.1037/dev0001784
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      – Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Puberty
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      – SubjectFull: Adolescents
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      – SubjectFull: Adults
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      – SubjectFull: Adjustment (to Environment)
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      – SubjectFull: Physical Development
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      – SubjectFull: Bias
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      – SubjectFull: Gender Differences
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      – SubjectFull: Sexuality
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      – SubjectFull: Substance Abuse
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      – SubjectFull: Depression (Psychology)
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      – SubjectFull: Colorado
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      – SubjectFull: Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale
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      – TitleFull: Pubertal Timing in Adolescence and Adulthood: Relations among Contemporaneous and Retrospective Measures
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