Comparing Associations Between Perceived Puberty,Same-Race Friends and Same-Race Peers,and Psychosocial Outcomes Among African American and Caribbean Black Girls

Abstract

Despite indications that adolescent peer relations is a mediator of associations between early pubertal timing and psychosocial problems, extant studies have not explicitly examined race or ethnic-related variables that shape the peer experiences of early developers. This study compared associations between pubertal timing, same race-friends, same-race peers, and psychosocial outcomes (school bonding, academic grades, externalizing behaviors, and peer deviancy) among a nationally representative sample of African American (n = 412) and Caribbean Black (n = 195) girls aged 13 to 17 years (Mage = 15 years). Results indicated that girls who perceived that their development was early relative to their peers reported better academic grades. Having more same-race friends were associated with school connectedness and fewer externalizing behaviors among girls who perceived that their development was early relative to their peers, whereas late-developing girls felt more bonded to school and engaged in fewer externalizing behaviors when they report fewer same-race friendships. These findings did not vary by ethnic subgroup. Findings suggest race-related variables (in this case number of same-race friends) provide important insight for understanding perceived pubertal timing effects within this population.