Interrelations of endocrine and physical growth variables and adolescents' psychological functioning are investigated. Participants are 56 girls and 52 boys, 9- to 14-years old, and their parents. Participants are evaluated on biological and psychological variables at three times of measurement, six months apart. Biological measures include stage of pubertal development (Tanner stages), assessed by a physical examination, and hormone levels, assessed by blood samples for gonadotropins, gonadal steroids, adrenal androgens and cortisol. Psychological measures include assessments of psychological and behavior problems, cognitive functioning, self-esteem, affective states and interpersonal functioning. Assessment of parental behavior is through observations of parent-child interactions in standard laboratory situations and through standard inventories regarding childrearing attitudes and behavior. For boys, hormone levels were related to mother-reported aggression, specifically acting-out and rebellious behaviors. Adolescent self-reported anxiety and sad affect also appeared to play a role in the hormone-aggression relations. There were no relations between aggression and hormones for girls. The timing of changes in hormones was related to problems of adjustment in both boys and girls. Problems of confusion and sad affect were higher for boys with high-for-age adrenal androgens and for girls with high-for-age gonadotropins. The longitudinal data are being analyzed to examine how changes in hormone levels may influence the development of aggression, anxiety, and depression in young adolescents.
