Describe the advantages and disadvantages of early versus late maturation in puberty for both males and females

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

ANSWER:
?The timing of puberty also has a psychological impact on the self-image of an adolescent, one that differs for boys and girls. For boys who mature early, the growth in stature and muscle brings with it a better self-image and body image than for boys who mature later. However, early-maturing boys report somewhat more stress than late-maturing boys (Huddleston & Ge, 2003). Early-maturing females experience more adjustment difficulties and are more likely to smoke and drink alcohol during adolescence and to do less well in school than are those who mature later (Bratberg et al., 2005; Ge et al., 2006; Graber, Brooks-Gunn, & Warren, 2006; Tanner-Smith, 2010). Girls whose breasts develop early may find the attention they receive hard to cope with and fraught with pressures to become sexually active when they may not be ready cognitively and emotionally to do so. Girls who develop later are better adjusted to these changes because the pressure to become sexually active occurs at an older age, when their cognitive abilities are better able to handle such pressures. Long-term studies suggest that the effects of early versus late maturation in puberty may be short-lived, except for early-maturing girls. At age 24, early-maturing girls report poorer family and peer relationships, lower life satisfaction, and higher rates of depression compared to other females (Graber et al., 2004).