Longitudinal effects of adolescent girls' pubertal development, perceptions of pubertal timing, and parental relations on eating problems

This study examines how young adolescent girls' pubertal development and perceptions of pubertal timing as well as their subjective experiences with their parents relate to the emergence of eating problems during later adolescence. The sample consisted of 240 White girls from 2 suburban communities near a large midwestern city. They were studied originally when they were in the 5th to 9th grades and again 2 years later (N = 177). They reported their daily experiences according to the Experience Sampling Method. Results indicate that adolescent girls' positive relationships with both parents relate to healthier eating scores, both concurrently and longitudinally. Interactions of the pubertal and the experience with parents variables appear to be important for understanding eating problems in early adolescence.