NEW YORK: Girls who go through puberty early may be at increased risk of aggressive behaviour, but only if they lack a strong relationship with their parents, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that among 330 fifth-grade girls, those who had started puberty earlier than average were more likely to admit to aggressive behaviours like getting into fights, teasing other children and spreading rumours.

However, this was true only of girls who lacked a positive relationship with their parents meaning their parents fell short when it came to nurturing them, talking out problems or monitoring their comings-and-goings.

“Our study indicates that early puberty does not affect all girls the same way,” lead researcher Dr Sylvie Mrug, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, said.

Parents who are nurturing and involved, she said, may help protect their daughters from the behaviour problems that may accompany early maturation.

So, while good parenting skills benefit all children, they may be especially crucial for girls who mature early, according to Mrug.

She and her colleagues report the findings in the journal Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

For the study, the researchers interviewed 330 girls from three US cities. One-quarter of the girls were considered “early maturers”, because they had had their first menstrual period at least one year earlier than the average for their race and ethnicity.

It’s not clear from the study why early puberty was linked to behaviour problems. One possibility, Mrug and her colleagues note, is that girls who mature early are more likely to spend time with older boys, who might act as a negative influence.

—Reuters