Early Pubertal Development Is a Risk Factor for Psychotic-Like Experiences in Boys and Girls.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Puberty has long been identified as a risk factor for psychosis, although retrospective, cross-sectional, and single-sex indicators of puberty have limited our ability to pinpoint biopsychosocial mechanisms contributing to risk. The current study determined whether individual differences in the timing (onset) and tempo (pace) of pubertal development conferred risk for psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) in youth across biological sex.

Methods

Data included 11,758 youths (6134 boys and 5624 girls) from the ABCD (Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development) Study (average age = 9.9 years at baseline, 12.9 years at 3-year follow-up). Pubertal timing and tempo (overall, adrenarche, gonadarche) were derived from sex-specific linear mixed-effects models using the Pubertal Deve

SUBMITTER: Larson ER 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12799914 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature