Aggressive Behavior Due To Early Puberty

Tuesday, January 12, 2010, 14:33

Girls, who go through early puberty are found to be more aggressive and more likely to be violent and take drugs than their later developing peers, according to a University of Queensland study.

The study also reports that there's no marked difference between boys' and girls' aggression levels when at the same stage of puberty.

Lead author and sociologist Professor Jake Najman said that the reason of aggressive and violent behavior and their tendency to steal, smoke and take drugs are not conclusive. It's also not known whether these characteristics carry on to womanhood. The findings, coupled with children reaching puberty earlier, may explain why girls are increasingly involved in anti-social behaviour such as drinking and smoking, as well as drug-taking and bullying.

It links together, in a sense, that what we're seeing is probably more aggression and delinquent behaviour by females at younger ages as a social trend.

The study also disproves the belief that boys are more aggressive than girls because of higher testosterone levels.

The study showed that intervention programs aimed at dealing with anti-social behaviour should be introduced before puberty to have the most effect.

The study has been published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology.