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Impact of the Onset of Puberty on Self
Image and Behavior
Baker, Lester James
Dissertation from the University of Michigan
1983
Purpose:
Examine and compare the self-image and
behavior of young adolescent males in various
stages of puberty. Additional research questions
include a comparison of the measurement
of change based on developmental stage as
opposed to chronological age, behavioral
disturbances of subjects at the onset of
puberty, and the association of the effect
of parental attitudes about puberty on adolescent
behavior.
Sample:
Northern New Jersey privately funded
free camp for lower to middle income youth
from New York City. 63 white, urban American
boys ages 11 - 16 stratified by pubertal
development, rather than chronological age.
Methods/Instruments:
- Tanner's (1962) classification system
of pubertal development.
- Self-Image assessment tools used include:
- Offer Self-Image Questionnaire
(OSIQ), Perceived Competence
Scale for Children (PCS), Rosenberg
Self-Esteem (RSE), Social Self-Esteem
(SSE). Structured Interviews.
- Additional Tools:
- Delinquency Behavior Measure
(DM), School Behavior,
Counselor Evaluation and Camper
Competence forms, Parent Interviews.
Results:
- The data supports the hypothesis that
self-esteem is lower for subjects at the
onset of puberty than for either the pre-pubescent
or the more developmentally mature subjects.
- Stratification by stage of development
as contrasted to stratification by chronological
age appears to account for more variance
in self-image scores and may indicate
a more reliable way of stratifying adolescent
sampling for studies on self-image.
- The behavior measures support the hypothesis
that adolescents at the onset of puberty
show increased behavior problems as compared
to pre-pubescent adolescents, however,
there is no significant reduction in behavior
problems for more mature adolescents.
- Parental views of adolescence indicate
an association between children's self-image
and parental beliefs and attitudes about
adolescence. The author notes that this
result is questionable as it is possible
that parental attitudes are shaped by
the child's behavior.
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