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Cognitive Vulnerabilities Amplify the Effect of Early Pubertal Timing on Interpersonal Stress Generation During Adolescence

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Abstract

Early pubertal timing has been found to confer risk for the occurrence of interpersonal stressful events during adolescence. However, pre-existing vulnerabilities may exacerbate the effects of early pubertal timing on the occurrence of stressors. Thus, the current study prospectively examined whether cognitive vulnerabilities amplified the effects of early pubertal timing on interpersonal stress generation. In a diverse sample of 310 adolescents (M age = 12.83 years, 55 % female; 53 % African American), early pubertal timing predicted higher levels of interpersonal dependent events among adolescents with more negative cognitive style and rumination, but not among adolescents with lower levels of these cognitive vulnerabilities. These findings suggest that cognitive vulnerabilities may heighten the risk of generating interpersonal stress for adolescents who undergo early pubertal maturation, which may subsequently place adolescents at greater risk for the development of psychopathology.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by National Institute of Mental Health Grant MH79369 to Lauren B. Alloy.

Author Contributions

JLH conceived of the study, participated in its design and coordination and drafted the manuscript; JPS conceived of the study, participated in the design, and performed statistical analyses; EMK participated in interpretation of the data and helped draft the manuscript; EJH performed the measurement and helped draft the manuscript; LYA assisted with the design and coordination of the study and performed a critical review of the manuscript; LBA participated in the design of the study, interpretation of the data, and helped to draft the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Temple University, Weiss Hall, 1701 N. 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA

    Jessica L. Hamilton, Jonathan P. Stange, Elissa J. Hamlat & Lauren B. Alloy

  2. Department of Psychology, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA, 22030, USA

    Evan M. Kleiman

  3. Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1202 West Johnson St., Madison, WI, 53706, USA

    Lyn Y. Abramson

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  1. Jessica L. Hamilton
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  2. Jonathan P. Stange
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  3. Evan M. Kleiman
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  6. Lauren B. Alloy
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Correspondence to Jessica L. Hamilton.

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Hamilton, J.L., Stange, J.P., Kleiman, E.M. et al. Cognitive Vulnerabilities Amplify the Effect of Early Pubertal Timing on Interpersonal Stress Generation During Adolescence. J Youth Adolescence 43, 824–833 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-013-0015-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-013-0015-5

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