Late Maturation in Boys
Early-maturing boys tend to experience the changes in a positive way compared to late-maturing boys who tend to develop lower self-esteem. Boys who undergo puberty at an earlier age are more likely to get involved with antisocial activities, including drug and alcohol abuse. Late-maturing boys develop higher levels of intellectual curiosity, exploratory behavior, and social initiative when being compared with early maturing boys after puberty has been completed. It is thought that this may be in result that those who mature later have had a longer period of time to “prepare” themselves for the changes of puberty. Longitudinal research shows that, in early middle age, late maturing boys tend to be more responsible, cooperative, self-controlled, and more sociable, but are also more conforming, conventional, and humorless than early maturing boys.
Maturation in Girls
Early studies have found that early-maturing girls were less popular, less poised, less expressive, and more submissive and withdrawn than other girls. More recent research shows that early-maturing girls have more emotional problems, including problems with self-image, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and panic attacks. These problems seem to be related to girls’ feelings about their weight. These findings tend not to apply to females in cultures such as Germany, where attitudes toward sexuality and appearance are not as important as they are in the United States. While self-image may suffer, early-maturing girls do not tend to lose ground in popularity. Early-maturing girls may experience more difficulties because of the pressure they feel in relation to males, especially given the fact that early-maturing girls are more likely to associate with males who are older and become involved in deviant activities such as drugs and alcohol abuse. However, early-maturing females who attended an all-girls school were found to not experience these difficulties. Once they reach adulthood, early-maturing females tend to be more psychologically advanced than other females however, they tend to have lower educational aspirations.
Source: http://highered.mheducation.com/sites/0072414561/student_view0/part1/chapter1/chapter_outline.html
Early-maturing boys tend to experience the changes in a positive way compared to late-maturing boys who tend to develop lower self-esteem. Boys who undergo puberty at an earlier age are more likely to get involved with antisocial activities, including drug and alcohol abuse. Late-maturing boys develop higher levels of intellectual curiosity, exploratory behavior, and social initiative when being compared with early maturing boys after puberty has been completed. It is thought that this may be in result that those who mature later have had a longer period of time to “prepare” themselves for the changes of puberty. Longitudinal research shows that, in early middle age, late maturing boys tend to be more responsible, cooperative, self-controlled, and more sociable, but are also more conforming, conventional, and humorless than early maturing boys.
Maturation in Girls
Early studies have found that early-maturing girls were less popular, less poised, less expressive, and more submissive and withdrawn than other girls. More recent research shows that early-maturing girls have more emotional problems, including problems with self-image, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and panic attacks. These problems seem to be related to girls’ feelings about their weight. These findings tend not to apply to females in cultures such as Germany, where attitudes toward sexuality and appearance are not as important as they are in the United States. While self-image may suffer, early-maturing girls do not tend to lose ground in popularity. Early-maturing girls may experience more difficulties because of the pressure they feel in relation to males, especially given the fact that early-maturing girls are more likely to associate with males who are older and become involved in deviant activities such as drugs and alcohol abuse. However, early-maturing females who attended an all-girls school were found to not experience these difficulties. Once they reach adulthood, early-maturing females tend to be more psychologically advanced than other females however, they tend to have lower educational aspirations.
Source: http://highered.mheducation.com/sites/0072414561/student_view0/part1/chapter1/chapter_outline.html