Effects of Early Versus Late Maturation As anyone who remembers seventh-grade gym class can attest, the timing of puberty varies widely. Early maturation can have different effects for boys and girls. Early-maturing boys tend to be successful in athletics and popular with their peers, but they are more susceptible to risky behaviors, such as drug, alcohol, or steroid use (McCabe & Ricciardelli, 2004). Early-maturing girls tend to have more negative feelings about the arrival of puberty and body changes, have higher rates of teenage pregnancy, and may be embarrassed or harassed by unwanted attention from older males (Adair & Gordon-Larsen, 2001; Ge & others, 2003).

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