Abstract
The purpose of the study was to examine the relation between endocrine changes during puberty and psychological development. The participants were 9- to 14-year-old males (n=39) and females (n=25) enrolled in a longitudinal study, Assessments of physical development consisted of pubertal stage according to Tanner and plasma determinations for luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, testosterone, estradiol, dehydroepiandosterone, dehydroepiandosterone sulfate, and androstenedione. The Perceived Competence Scale for Children was used to assess adolescent selfconcept. A pattern of negative correlations emerged between pubertal stage, hormone levels, and adolescent self-perceptions, with statistically significant relationships (.01 or .05 level) between pubertal stage and self-concept for males (physical and general competence) and females (social competence); between gonadotropins and sex steroids and self-concept for males (cognitive competence) and females (cognitive, social, and physical competence); and between adrenal androgens and self-concept for males (cognitive, social, and physical competence) and females (cognitive competence). Thus, both adrenal (adrenarche) and gonadal (gonadarche) changes in adolescence may exert influence on the way adolescents perceive themselves.
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