CoChat
Sign Up
Cited by 94Substance Abuse Treatment and OutcomesChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentHypothalamic control of reproductive hormones

Pubertal development, personality, and substance use: a 10-year longitudinal study from childhood to adolescence

Open access
Castellanos-Ryan, Natalie, Parent, Sophie, Vitaro, Frank, Tremblay, Richard E., Séguin, Jean R.·2013·Journal of Abnormal Psychology
DOI 10.1037/a0033133PMC PMC3812123
Open this paper in CoChat — free account

Abstract

Most research linking early pubertal development to substance use has focused on the effects of pubertal timing (age at which a certain stage of pubertal development is reached or pubertal status at a particular age--related to the maturation disparity hypothesis), but little research has focused on pubertal tempo (rate of growth through pubertal stages--related to the maturation compression hypothesis). However, both timing and tempo have not only been identified as important components of pubertal development, with different predictors, but have also been shown to be independently associated with other adolescent psychopathologies. Using latent growth-curve modeling, this study examined how pubertal status at age 12 and pubertal tempo (between 11 and 13 years) related to substance use from 15 to 16 years in boys from low socioeconomic backgrounds (N = 871). Results showed that both pubertal status at age 12 and tempo were significant predictors of increased levels of substance use and problems in mid to late adolescence. In an attempt to identify mechanisms that may explain the association between pubertal development and substance use it was found that sensation seeking partially mediated the association between pubertal status at age 12 and substance use behaviors. Impulse control was found to moderate the association sensation seeking had with marijuana use frequency, with high sensation-seeking scores predicting higher marijuana use frequency only at low levels of impulse control. These findings highlight the importance of considering multiple sources of individual variability in the pubertal development of boys and provide support for both the maturational disparity and compression hypotheses.

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

In a 10-year longitudinal study of 871 low-SES boys, both pubertal status at age 12 and faster pubertal tempo between 11 and 13 predicted higher substance use and problems at 15–16. Sensation seeking partially mediated the status–substance use link, while poor impulse control moderated only the sensation seeking–marijuana frequency association.

Key findings

  • Pubertal status at age 12 significantly predicted all four 15–16 outcomes: alcohol frequency (β = .16, p < .001), marijuana frequency (β = .11, p < .001), number of drugs tried (β = .13, p < .01), and substance use problems (β = .16, p < .001). Pubertal tempo significantly predicted marijuana frequency (β = .08, p < .05), number of drugs tried (β = .10, p < .01), and substance use problems (β = .08, p < .05), but not alcohol frequency.
  • Sensation seeking at 13–14 partially mediated associations between pubertal status at age 12 and alcohol frequency (unstandardized ab = .009, p < .05), number of drugs tried (ab = .008, p < .05), and substance use problems (ab = .110, p < .05). Indirect effects through early-adolescent substance use frequency were also significant for all four outcomes.
  • Poor impulse control moderated only the association between sensation seeking and marijuana use frequency (interaction unstandardized coefficient = .040, p < .05): higher sensation seeking predicted more frequent marijuana use only at low levels of impulse control.
  • Pubertal status at age 12 was associated with sensation seeking (β = .10, p < .05) but not poor impulse control (β = .01, p = .80); pubertal tempo was not associated with sensation seeking, poor impulse control, or early-adolescent substance use frequency (all ps > .36).

Methods

  • Longitudinal follow-up of 871 boys from the Montreal Longitudinal and Experimental Study of Low SES boys; 1,037 French-speaking Caucasian boys were originally recruited at age 6 in 1984 from low-SES Montreal kindergartens and assessed annually from ages 10 to 17.
  • Pubertal development was measured at ages 11–13 with the Pubertal Development Scale; outcomes at 15–16 were alcohol frequency, marijuana frequency, number of drugs tried, and substance use problems; sensation seeking and poor impulse control were measured at 13–14; covariates included childhood disruptive behavior, maternal age/education, and any substance use by age 12.
  • Latent growth-curve modeling in Mplus 5.21 used MLR estimation and FIML for missing data; puberty intercept was centered at age 12 (status) and linear slope from 11–13 represented tempo; mediation used product-of-coefficients/Sobel tests, moderation used model-constraint interactions, and Benjamini-Hochberg corrected for multiple testing.

Limitations

  • The paper states it lacked longitudinal personality data, used different pre- and postpubertal measures of sensation seeking and poor impulse control, and had only two time points for personality, so it could not model the development of these traits across adolescence.
  • The paper also states that tempo-specific correlates such as adverse parent–child relationship were not included; most data were self-report (except childhood disruptiveness and age-12 poor impulse control), including self-reported puberty; only ages 11–13 were modeled, so quadratic growth could not be captured; 79% of boys reported pubertal onset before age 11, limiting generalizability to very early maturing boys and preventing tests of pubertal onset timing; and the sample was entirely French-speaking boys of European American origin in low-SES Montreal, requiring replication in girls and more diverse populations.
  • The paper itself notes small effect sizes and suggests the lack of other significant moderation findings could stem from being underpowered; only one moderation effect was significant among the tested outcomes.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1037/a0033133

Cites

72 of 72 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Claims the paper makes

0 of 72 cited sources checked · 0 supported · 0 flagged

  • Findingown data
    § Abstract

    Sensation seeking partially mediates the association between pubertal status at age 12 and substance use behaviors.

    “it was found that sensation seeking partially mediated the association between pubertal status at age 12 and substance use behaviors.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data
    § Abstract

    Pubertal status at age 12 significantly predicts increased levels of substance use and problems in mid to late adolescence in boys from low socioeconomic backgrounds.

    “Results showed that both pubertal status at age 12 and tempo were significant predictors of increased levels of substance use and problems in mid to late adolescence.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data
    § Abstract

    Pubertal tempo between 11 and 13 years significantly predicts increased levels of substance use and problems in mid to late adolescence in boys from low socioeconomic backgrounds.

    “Results showed that both pubertal status at age 12 and tempo were significant predictors of increased levels of substance use and problems in mid to late adolescence.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data
    § Results

    Controlling for preadolescent substance use history and covariates, pubertal status at age 12 significantly predicted all substance use outcomes at 15-16 years.

    “Results indicated that, controlling for preadolescent substance use history and covariates, pubertal status at age 12 (intercept) significantly predicted all substance use outcomes, whereas pubertal tempo significantly predicted marijuana use frequency, number of drugs tried, and substance use problems at 15–16 years.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data
    § Results

    The effect of pubertal tempo on marijuana use frequency, number of drugs tried, and substance use problems at 15-16 years was unchanged with the inclusion of early adolescent variables.

    “In contrast, the effect of pubertal tempo on marijuana use frequency, number of drugs tried, and substance use problems in mid to late adolescence at 15–16 years was unchanged with the inclusion of early adolescent variables.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims. 30
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. 31
  • The quote only partly states this claim. 1

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data
    § Results

    Controlling for preadolescent substance use history and covariates, pubertal tempo significantly predicted marijuana use frequency, number of drugs tried, and substance use problems at 15-16 years.

    “Results indicated that, controlling for preadolescent substance use history and covariates, pubertal status at age 12 (intercept) significantly predicted all substance use outcomes, whereas pubertal tempo significantly predicted marijuana use frequency, number of drugs tried, and substance use problems at 15–16 years.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Findingown data
    § Method

    In this sample, 99% of boys had initiated puberty by age 13, but none had completed pubertal development.

    “showing that 99% boys had initiated puberty by age 13, but none had completed pubertal development.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data
    § Results

    No boy in the sample had completed pubertal development (stage 5); only 1% were prepubertal by age 13; only 47 boys (5%) showed no increases in pubertal scores from 11 to 13 years.

    “However, no boy in the current sample had completed pubertal development (stage 5), only 1% of the sample were prepubertal by age 13 (see Table 1), and only 47 boys (5% of the sample) showed no increases in pubertal scores from 11 to 13 years.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data
    § Results

    Early adolescent poor impulse control at 13-14 years significantly predicted higher number of drugs tried, substance use problems, and more frequent alcohol use at 15-16 years, after controlling for early adolescent substance use frequency and multiple testing.

    “Even after controlling for these strong effects and correcting for multiple testing, early adolescent self-reported poor impulse control and sensation seeking at 13–14 years significantly predicted a higher number of drugs tried and substance use problems in mid–late adolescence, and more frequent alcohol use at 15–16 years (see Table 3, Model II).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data
    § Results

    Early adolescent sensation seeking at 13-14 years significantly predicted higher number of drugs tried, substance use problems, and more frequent alcohol use at 15-16 years, after controlling for early adolescent substance use frequency and multiple testing.

    “Even after controlling for these strong effects and correcting for multiple testing, early adolescent self-reported poor impulse control and sensation seeking at 13–14 years significantly predicted a higher number of drugs tried and substance use problems in mid–late adolescence, and more frequent alcohol use at 15–16 years (see Table 3, Model II).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data
    § Results

    Growth curve factor means (intercept=4.75; slope=0.97) were significantly different from zero, showing puberty increased from 11 to 13 years.

    “Growth curve factor means (i.e., intercept = 4.75; slope = 0.97) were all significantly different from zero at p < .001 and showed that there was an overall tendency for puberty to increase from 11 to 13 years of age.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • The quote only partly states this claim.

    Findingown data
    § Results

    Pubertal status at age 12 was significantly associated with substance use frequency at 13-14 years (β=.15, p<.001).

    “In Model II, pubertal timing was significantly associated with sensation seeking (β = .10, p < .05) and substance use frequency (β = .15, p < 001), but not impulsivity (β = .01, p = .80) in mid adolescence.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Findingown data
    § Results

    In the recentered model, intercept mean was 5.72 and variance 1.52, both p<.001.

    “the only other parameters that changed in the model were the mean and variance of the intercept, to reflect scores at the time point used to center the model (i.e., 12 years: M = 5.72, variance = 1.52, both at p < .001).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data
    § Results

    The model explained 65% of variance in pubertal scores at 12 years and 98% at 11 and 13 years.

    “This model explained 65% of the variance in pubertal scores at 12 years (R2 = .65), and most of the variance in pubertal scores at 11 and 13 years (R2 = .98 for both; all at p < .001).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data
    § Results

    Growth curve factor variances were significant (intercept=1.95; slope=0.66), indicating significant individual variability in intercept and pattern of puberty change over time.

    “It is more important to note that the growth curve factor variances were also significant at p < .001 (i.e., intercept = 1.95; slope = 0.66), indicating that there was significant individual variability in the intercept and pattern of puberty change over time.”
    • Also stated in: § Results · plain
      “In summary, results showed that in this sample of boys there was significant variability in both the level of pubertal score in preadolescence (equivalent to the intercept), conceptualized here as pubertal status, and in change in pubertal scores across time (slope), conceptualized here as pubertal tempo.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data
    § Results

    Pubertal tempo did not predict sensation seeking, poor impulse control, or substance use frequency in early adolescence.

    “Pubertal tempo did not predict any of the key variables in early adolescence: sensation seeking (β = −.03, p = .36), poor impulse control (β = −.01, p = .67), or substance use frequency (β = .03, p = .47), ruling them all out as putative mediators of pubertal tempo.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data
    § Discussion

    Poor impulse control did not significantly moderate the link between sensation seeking and other substance use outcomes, or the link between substance use outcomes and pubertal status and tempo.

    “However, poor impulse control did not significantly moderate the link between sensation seeking and other substance use outcomes, or the link between substance use outcomes and pubertal status and tempo, as hypothesized.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationown data
    § Abstract

    The findings support both the maturational disparity and compression hypotheses.

    “These findings highlight the importance of considering multiple sources of individual variability in the pubertal development of boys and provide support for both the maturational disparity and compression hypotheses.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation
    § Abstract

    Pubertal timing and tempo are important components of pubertal development.

    “both timing and tempo have not only been identified as important components of pubertal development, with different predictors, but have also been shown to be independently associated with other adolescent psychopathologies.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Mendle et al. (2010)

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation
    § Abstract

    Faster pubertal tempo in early adolescence is related to adverse family factors and lower cortisol activation.

    “faster pubertal tempo in early adolescence has been related to adverse family factors (e.g., low-quality parent– child relationship) and lower cortisol activation (Ellis, 2004; Ellis et al., 2011).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites Ellis, 2004

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Ellis et al., 2011

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation
    § Abstract

    Pubertal timing is influenced by genes, environmental toxins, nutrition, prepubertal fat, and body weight.

    “whereas pubertal timing has been shown to be influenced by genes, environmental toxins, nutrition, prepubertal fat, and body weight (Belsky et al., 2007)”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Belsky et al., 2007

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisecitation
    § Abstract

    The maturation disparity hypothesis posits that earlier maturing children face new challenges and stressors with fewer resources than peers who reach the same maturational stage at a later chronological age.

    “The maturation disparity hypothesis relates to timing and posits that earlier maturing children are forced to face a range of new challenges and stressors with fewer resources than peers who reach the same maturational stage at a later chronological age (Ge, Conger, & Elder, 2001; Ge, Jin, & Natsuaki, 2009; Petersen & Crockett, 1985).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 3 sources checked
    • cites Ge, Conger, & Elder, 2001

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Ge, Jin, & Natsuaki, 2009

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Petersen & Crockett, 1985

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation
    § Abstract

    Impulsivity and sensation seeking are distinct traits that can be measured independently.

    “a number of studies have shown that impulsivity and sensation seeking are distinct traits that can be measured independently from each other (e.g., Whiteside & Lynam, 2001).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Whiteside & Lynam, 2001

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisecitation
    § Abstract

    Pubertal tempo has unique contextual and biological antecedents distinct from those of pubertal timing.

    “recent work has shown that pubertal tempo has unique contextual and biological antecedents that are distinct from those of pubertal timing (e.g., Ellis, Shirtcliff, Boyce, Deardorff, & Essex, 2011).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Ellis, Shirtcliff, Boyce, Deardorff, & Essex, 2011

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisecitation
    § Abstract

    Drinking and substance use in early adulthood are associated with concurrent and later changes in sensation seeking and impulsivity.

    “some studies have shown that drinking and substance use in early adulthood were associated with concurrent and later changes in sensation seeking and impulsivity (e.g., Littlefield, Verges, Wood, & Sher, 2012; Littlefield, Wood, & Sher, 2009; Quinn, Stappen-beck, & Fromme, 2011)”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 3 sources checked
    • cites Littlefield, Verges, Wood, & Sher, 2012

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Littlefield, Wood, & Sher, 2009

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Quinn, Stappen-beck, & Fromme, 2011

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisecitation
    § Abstract

    Children who experience faster progression through puberty may attract unwanted attention from peers and adults.

    “Furthermore, children who experience a faster progression through puberty may attract unwanted attention from peers and adults.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Mendle et al. (2010)

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation
    § Abstract

    The association between pubertal tempo and externalizing problems is less consistent in 15-year-old boys.

    “this association was less consistent in 15-year-old boys (Marceau et al., 2011).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Marceau et al., 2011

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisecitation
    § Abstract

    Pubertal tempo is an important correlate of externalizing problems in 15-year-old girls.

    “They showed that while pubertal tempo was an important correlate of externalizing problems in 15-year-old girls”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Marceau et al., 2011

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisecitation
    § Abstract

    The maturation compression hypothesis states that faster developmental tempo may reduce the time a child has to complete important developmental tasks and to understand and adapt to new biological and social challenges of puberty.

    “The maturation compression proposed by Mendle et al. (2010) in their study of depression provides a possible explanation as to why fast pubertal tempo may be associated with emotional and behavioral problems. This model follows a similar logic to the maturation disparity hypothesis and states that a faster developmental tempo may reduce the time a child has to (a) complete important developmental”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Mendle et al. (2010)

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisecitation
    § Abstract

    Sensation seeking and other disinhibited traits are associated with early pubertal timing (pubertal status at 11 years).

    “That study showed that sensation seeking and other disinhibited traits, such as positive and negative urgency, were associated with early pubertal timing (pubertal status at 11 years; Gunn & Smith, 2010).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Gunn & Smith, 2010

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Interpretationcitation
    § Abstract

    The association between personality and substance use may be bidirectional.

    “suggesting that the association between personality and substance use may actually be bidirectional.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Interpretationcitation
    § Abstract

    The cross-sectional nature of the data in Gunn & Smith (2010) means those findings do not provide definite support for the hypothesis that sensation seeking explains the link between pubertal timing and substance use.

    “although these findings are consistent with the hypothesis proposing that sensation seeking may explain the link between pubertal timing and substance use, they do not provide definite support for it because of the cross-sectional nature of the data.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Study design and conductcitation
    § Method

    The PESQ has demonstrated good internal consistency and discriminant validity across a number of samples.

    “This measure has demonstrated good internal consistency and discriminant validity across a number of samples (Winters, 1992).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Winters, 1992

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Study design and conductcitation
    § Method

    The Benjamini-Hochberg procedure was used to correct for multiple testing in all analyses.

    “Finally, The Benjamini-Hochberg procedure (Thissen, Steinberg, & Kuang, 2002) was used to correct for multiple testing in all analyses.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Thissen, Steinberg, & Kuang, 2002

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisecitation
    § Method

    MLR estimation performs better than ML when modeling low prevalent behaviors or nonnormal data.

    “Thus, compared with ML, MLR has been shown to perform better when modeling low prevalent behaviors or nonnormal data (Asparouhov & Muthén, 2005).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Asparouhov & Muthén, 2005

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Study design and conductown data
    § Method

    The 871 boys included in the study are representative of the overall sample because they did not differ from unselected boys on demographic variables, early alcohol/marijuana use, or puberty scores at 11.

    “These 871 boys are considered representative of the overall sample as they did not differ from the remaining, unselected boys on demographic variables (maternal age at birth, maternal education, and family structure, all at p > .28; data was available for all 166 remaining boys), on whether they had used alcohol or marijuana by the age of 10 years (p = .25; available for 134 unselected boys), or”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Study design and conductown data
    § Method

    The translation and back-translation procedure verified that the original meaning of English instruments was maintained in French.

    “Instruments that were only available in English were translated into French and back-translated into English. The back-translations were evaluated and compared with the original versions of the questionnaires to verify that the original meaning was maintained.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Study design and conductown data
    § Method

    The preadolescent sensation-seeking composite had test-retest reliability .63 and Cronbach's α = .61.

    “A composite score was created by summing these three items at 10 and 11 years (test–retest = .63; Cronbach’s α = .61, 6 items; interitem correlation = .21).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning
    § Abstract

    Poor impulse control may enhance the effect of pubertal timing and tempo on substance use, identifying it as a moderator rather than a mediator.

    “Thus, individuals’ predisposition to poor impulse control may enhance the effect of pubertal timing and tempo on substance use, identifying this trait as a moderator rather than a mediator.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisecitation
    § Abstract

    Impulsivity and sensation seeking follow distinct developmental courses.

    “and follow distinct developmental courses (Harden & Tucker-Drob, 2011).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Harden & Tucker-Drob, 2011

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Study design and conductown data
    § Method

    The preadolescent poor impulse control measure had good reliability (α = .89; interitem correlation = .41).

    “Reliability was good for these items (α = .89; interitem correlation = .41).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Study design and conductown data
    § Method

    The childhood disruptive behavior measure had α = .93.

    “in kindergarten (at age 6; α = .93).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Study design and conductown data
    § Method

    In this sample, the PESQ alpha coefficient was .92 at 16 years.

    “In this sample, the alpha coefficient for this measure was .92 at 16 years.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning
    § Abstract

    Early pubertal onset or faster pubertal tempo outpaces the capacity of the still immature impulse-control system to regulate puberty-driven sensation seeking, resulting in higher vulnerability to risk-taking and problem behaviors.

    “suggests that early pubertal onset or faster pubertal tempo outpaces the capacity of the still immature impulse-control system to regulate puberty-driven sensation seeking. This hypothetical process results in a higher vulnerability to risk-taking and problem behaviors.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisecitation
    § Abstract

    The dual-systems model suggests that heightened risky behaviors in adolescence, including substance use, are the product of a relatively higher puberty-driven inclination to seek sensations and a relatively immature ability to control impulses.

    “Steinberg (2007, 2008) and Steinberg et al. (2008) described the dual-systems model, which suggests that heightened risky behaviors observed in adolescence, including substance use, are the product of a relatively higher puberty-driven inclination to seek out sensations and excitement and a relatively immature ability to control impulses.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites Steinberg (2007, 2008)

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Steinberg et al. (2008)

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning
    § Discussion

    These independent pathways support both the maturational disparity and maturational compression hypotheses.

    “These independent pathways support both the maturational disparity and maturational compression hypotheses, suggesting that being more mature than your peers in preadolescence as well as experiencing a fast progression through pubertal development both demand a quick adaptation to not only the biological but social milestones that characterize puberty.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning
    § Discussion

    The current findings provide support for the maturational disparity and compression hypotheses, but only partial and indirect support for the dual-systems model, and do not completely discount other models.

    “Therefore the current findings provide support for the maturational disparity and compression hypotheses, but only partial and indirect support for the dual-systems model, and do not completely discount other models that attempt to explain the link between early pubertal development and risky behavior, behavioral problems, or both, during adolescence.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation
    § Discussion

    The Pubertal Development Scale is widely used and has been shown to possess good reliability and validity in boys as well as girls.

    “However, the Pubertal Development Scale is widely used and has been shown to possess good reliability and validity in boys as well as girls (Arim et al., 2007; Bond et al., 2006; Petersen et al., 1988; Schmitz et al., 2004).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 3 sources checked
    • cites Arim et al., 2007

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Bond et al., 2006

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Petersen et al., 1988

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Study design and conductown data
    § Discussion

    This study was unable to test the effects of the timing of pubertal onset and instead used the level or stage of pubertal development reached by the age of 12 years as a measure of pubertal status.

    “It is more important to note that because of this, this study was unable to test the effects of the timing of pubertal onset and instead used the level or stage of pubertal development reached by the age of 12 years as a measure of pubertal status.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationown data
    § Discussion

    These data do not capture and cannot be generalizable to very early maturing boys.

    “Thus, these data do not capture and, thus, cannot be generalizable to very early maturing boys.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing).

    Interpretationreasoning
    § Discussion

    The current findings have implications for the refinement of evidence-based clinical intervention and prevention approaches.

    “The current findings have implications for the refinement of evidence-based clinical intervention and prevention approaches.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Study design and conductnone given
    § Discussion

    A second limitation is that specific correlates of pubertal tempo which have also been shown to predict substance use problems were not included in the models tested.

    “A second limitation is that specific correlates of pubertal tempo which have also been shown to predict substance use problems were not included in the models tested.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationcitation
    § Discussion

    Guaranteed confidentiality to participants, together with the cited reliability of self-reports, should contribute to the reliability and validity of these data.

    “This, together with guaranteed confidentiality to participants, should contribute to the reliability and validity of these data.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Study design and conductreasoning
    § Discussion

    Three time points across 11 to 13 years are sufficient to capture linear pubertal tempo but do not allow capturing quadratic growth.

    “Although three time points across this age span are sufficient to capture linear pubertal tempo, they do not allow capturing quadratic growth (or the decreasing trend in growth experienced as pubertal development nears completion).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation
    § Discussion

    Several studies have shown that self-reports are reliable when assessing personality, as well as substance use or other behavioral problems in adolescence, and hence are useful for clinical practice and research.

    “This said, several studies have shown that self-reports are reliable when assessing personality (e.g., De Fruyt, Mervielde, Hoekstra, & Rolland, 2000), as well as substance use or other behavioral problems in adolescence (Clark & Winters, 2002; Crowley, Mikulich, Ehlers, Whitmore, & MacDonald, 2001), and hence are useful for clinical practice and research.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 3 sources checked
    • cites De Fruyt, Mervielde, Hoekstra, & Rolland, 2000

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Clark & Winters, 2002

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Crowley, Mikulich, Ehlers, Whitmore, & MacDonald, 2001

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationcitation
    § Discussion

    Findings support the maturation compression hypothesis and suggest that a more comprehensive account of pubertal maturation beyond timing or status is needed.

    “Our findings, together with those of Mendle et al. (2010) in their study of depression, provide support for the maturation compression hypothesis and suggest that a more comprehensive account of pubertal maturation that moves beyond a simple consideration of timing or status is needed to understand its association with substance use and other psychopathology.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Mendle et al. (2010)

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationown data
    § Discussion

    The small effect sizes and partial mediation by sensation seeking suggest that other factors may be important in explaining the links between pubertal status and alcohol use frequency, substance experimentation, and problems.

    “In our study, the small effect sizes and the fact that sensation seeking only partially mediated the associations between pubertal status and alcohol use frequency, substance experimentation, and problems, suggests that other factors may be important in explaining these links.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Study design and conductown data
    § Discussion

    This study investigated pubertal development across 3 years, from 11 to 13 years of age.

    “A fourth limitation is that this study investigated pubertal development across 3 years, from 11 to 13 years of age.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation
    § Discussion

    There are now a number of school-based interventions targeting the risk presented by early pubertal timing that are showing some beneficial effects.

    “There are also now a number of school-based interventions targeting the risk presented by early pubertal timing that are showing some beneficial effects (e.g., Botvin, Griffin, & Nichols, 2006; Eddy, Reif, & Fetrow, 2000).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites Botvin, Griffin, & Nichols, 2006

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Eddy, Reif, & Fetrow, 2000

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation
    § Discussion

    Rates of adult substance abuse and dependence could be reduced by up to 10% with every year that onset of substance use is delayed in adolescence.

    “It is estimated that rates of adult substance abuse and dependence could be reduced by up to 10% with every year that onset of substance use is delayed in adolescence (Grant & Dawson, 1998).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Grant & Dawson, 1998

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

    Interpretationown data
    § Discussion

    Understanding the mechanisms by which variation in these factors are associated with substance use, as shown in this study, can inform clinical prevention and intervention strategies.

    “Thus, delaying early onset of substance use or preventing problematic use is particularly important, and understanding the mechanisms by which variation in these factors are associated with substance use, as we have shown, can inform clinical prevention and intervention strategies.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
56 of 56

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Most research linking early pubertal development to substance use has focused on pubertal timing, while little research has focused on pubertal tempo.

    “Most research linking early pubertal development to substance use has focused on the effects of pubertal timing (age at which a certain stage of pubertal development is reached or pubertal status at a particular age—related to the maturation disparity hypothesis), but little research has focused on pubertal tempo (rate of growth through pubertal stages—related to the maturation compression”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    No prospective studies have tested the association between sensation seeking, impulse control, and substance use in adolescence.

    “no prospective studies have tested the association between these factors in the development of substance use and problems in adolescence.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    To our knowledge, only one study has previously assessed puberty at more than one time point.

    “to our knowledge, only one study has previously assessed puberty at more than one time point.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The generalizability of the maturation compression model to substance use is unknown.

    “The generalizability of this model to substance use is unknown.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The sample of boys is representative of adolescent boys in general.

    “This study highlights that individual differences not only in pubertal status (i.e., level of pubertal development reached by the age of 12) but also in pubertal tempo (i.e., how quickly children progress through pubertal stages between 11 to 13 years) are important factors in the onset and increase in substance use in adolescent boys.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Very few studies on pubertal development are conducted in boys, and those that do have yielded inconsistent findings.

    “These are important findings as very few studies on pubertal development are conducted in boys, and those that do, have yielded inconsistent findings.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Self-report data are susceptible to bias and may limit the experimental validity of the data.

    “A third limitation is that all data presented in this study, except for childhood disruptiveness and poor impulse control at 12 years, were gathered through self-report, which is susceptible to bias and may limit the experimental validity of the data.”
7 of 7

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • The correlation between self-reported pubertal development and sensation seeking may be stronger for boys than for girls.

    “Newer studies have replicated this result (Castellanos-Ryan et al., 2013, Gunn and Smith, 2010, Quevedo et al., 2009, Urošević et al., 2014) and have found evidence that the correlation between self-reported pubertal development and sensation seeking may be stronger for boys than for girls (Castellanos-Ryan et al., 2013, Steinberg et al., 2008).”

    From The dual systems model: Review, reappraisal, and reaffirmation (2016) · cites this paper as Castellanos-Ryan et al., 2013

    The Discussion reports that pubertal development by age 12 was significantly associated with sensation seeking, and the Method says boys reported their own pubertal development. But the Discussion also says the sample consisted entirely of boys and calls for replication in girls; this study cannot establish that the association is stronger for boys than for girls. Page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • More advanced pubertal status in adolescents is associated with greater involvement in sensation-seeking-related behaviors such as substance use, law-breaking, and laboratory risk taking.

    “recent studies have found that more advanced pubertal status in adolescents is associated with greater involvement in behaviors that are closely related to sensation seeking, such as substance use (Castellanos-Ryan et al., 2013, de Water et al., 2013, Gunn and Smith, 2010), law-breaking (Collado et al., 2014, Kretschmer et al., 2014), and risk taking in laboratory contexts (Collado et al., 2014, K”

    From The dual systems model: Review, reappraisal, and reaffirmation (2016) · cites this paper as Castellanos-Ryan et al., 2013

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 31

  1. Asparouhov T, Muthén B. Multivariate statistical modeling with survey data. Paper presented at the Federal Committee on Statistical Methodology (FCSM) Research Conference; Arlington, VA. 2005. Nov, [Google Scholar]
  2. Browne MW, Cudeck R. Alternative ways of assessing model fit. In: Bollen KA, Long JS, editors. Testing structural equation modeling. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage; 1993. pp. 136–162. [Google Scholar]
  3. Canals J, Vigil-Colet A, Chico E, Marti-Henneberg C. Personality changes during adolescence: The role of gender and pubertal development. Personality and Individual Differences. 2005;39:179–188. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2004.12.012. [DOI] [Google Scholar] · DOI
  4. Castellanos-Ryan N, Conrod PJ. Personality and substance misuse: Evidence for a four-factor model of vulnerability. In: Verster J, Brady K, Galanter M, Conrod PJ, editors. Drug abuse and addiction in medical illness: Causes, consequences and treatment. Totowa, NJ: Humana/Springer Press; 2012. pp. 47–62. [DOI] [Google Scholar]
  5. Curran PJ, West SG, Finch JF. The robustness of test statistics to nonnormality and specification error in confirmatory factor analysis. Psychological Methods. 1996;1:16–29. doi: 10.1037/1082-989X.1.1.16. [DOI] [Google Scholar] · DOI · Paper page
  6. Dick DM, Rose RJ, Pulkkinen L, Kaprio J. Measuring puberty and understanding its impact: A longitudinal study of adolescent twins. Journal of Youth and Adolescence. 2001;30:385–399. doi: 10.1023/A:1010471015102. [DOI] [Google Scholar] · DOI
  7. Dubé G, Bordeleau M, Cazale L, Fournier C, Traoré I, Plante N, Camirand J. Enquête québécoise sur le tabac, l’alcool, la drogue et le jeu chez les élèves du secondaire, 2008. Québec, Ontario, Canada: Institut de la statistique du Québec; 2009. [Google Scholar]
  8. Eddy JM, Reid JB, Fetrow RA. An elementary school based prevention program targeting modifiable antecedents of youth delinquency and violence: Linking the Interests of Families and Teachers (LIFT) Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders. 2000;8:165–176. doi: 10.1177/106342660000800304. [DOI] [Google Scholar] · DOI
  9. Eysenck SBG, Easting G, Pearson PR. Age norms for impulsiveness, venturesomeness and empathy in children. Personality and Individual Differences. 1984;5:315–321. doi: 10.1016/0191-8869(84)90070-9. [DOI] [Google Scholar] · DOI
  10. Felson RB, Haynie DL. Pubertal development, social factors, and delinquency among adolescent boys. Criminology. 2002;40:967–988. doi: 10.1111/j.1745-9125.2002.tb00979.x. [DOI] [Google Scholar] · DOI
  11. Ge X, Jin R, Natsuaki MN. In search of explanations for early pubertal timing effects on developmental psychopathology. Current Directions in Psychological Science. 2009;18:327–331. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8721.2009.01661.x. [DOI] [Google Scholar] · DOI · Paper page
  12. Jesness CF. The Jesness Inventory. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press; 1983. (rev. ed.) [Google Scholar]
  13. Kaplan D, Kim J-S, Kim S-Y. Multilevel latent variable modeling: Current research and recent developments. In: Millsap RE, Maydeu-Olivares A, editors. Handbook of quantitative methods in psychology. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage; 2009. pp. 592–612. [DOI] [Google Scholar]
  14. Klein AG, Moosbrugger H. Maximum likelihood estimation of latent interaction effects with the LMS method. Psychometrika. 2000;65:457– 474. doi: 10.1007/BF02296338. [DOI] [Google Scholar] · DOI · Paper page
  15. Lau RS, Cheung GW. Estimating and comparing specific mediation effects in complex latent variable models. Organizational Research Methods. 2012;15:3–16. doi: 10.1177/1094428110391673. [DOI] [Google Scholar] · DOI
  16. LeBlanc M, Fréchette M. Male criminal activity from childhood through youth: Multilevel and developmental perspective. New York, NY: Springer-Verlag; 1989. [Google Scholar]
  17. McArdle JJ, Nesselroade JR. Growth curve analysis in contemporary psychological research. In: Schinka JA, Velicer WF, editors. Handbook of psychology: Research methods in psychology. Vol. 2. Hobokan, NJ: Wiley; 2002. pp. 447–480. [Google Scholar]
  18. Muthén LK, Muthén BO. Mplus user’s guide. Los Angeles, CA: Muthén & Muthén; 1998–2009. [Google Scholar]
  19. Office of National Statistics. Drug use, smoking and drinking among young people in England in 2007. NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre; 2008. [Google Scholar]
  20. Prokopcakova A. Drug experimenting and pubertal maturation in girls. Studia Psychologica. 1998;40:287–290. Retrieved from http://psychologia.sav.sk/sp/ [Google Scholar]
  21. Schmitz KE, Hovell MF, Nichols JF, Irvin VL, Keating K, Simon GM, Jones KL. A validation study of early adolescents’ pubertal self-assessments. The Journal of Early Adolescence. 2004;24:357–384. doi: 10.1177/0272431604268531. [DOI] [Google Scholar] · DOI
  22. Steinberg L. Risk taking in adolescence: New perspectives from brain and behavioral science. Current Directions in Psychological Science. 2007;16:55–59. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8721.2007.00475.x. [DOI] [Google Scholar] · DOI · Paper page
  23. The Information Centre. Drug use, smoking, and drinking among young people 2007. Leeds, England: The Health and Social Care Information Centre; 2008. [Google Scholar]
  24. Thissen D, Steinberg L, Kuang D. Quick and easy implementation of the Benjamini-Hochberg procedure for controlling the false positive rate in multiple comparisons. Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics. 2002;27:77– 83. doi: 10.3102/10769986027001077. [DOI] [Google Scholar] · DOI
  25. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Surgeon General’s call to action to prevent and reduce underage drinking. Rockville, MD: U. S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2007. [Google Scholar]
  26. Verlaan P, Cantin S, Boivin M. L’Échelle de développement pubertaire: Équivalence en langue française du Pubertal Development Scale. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science/Revue canadienne des sciences du comportement. 2001;33:143–147. doi: 10.1037/h0087136. [DOI] [Google Scholar] · DOI
  27. Vitaro F, Brendgen M, Tremblay RE. Prevention of school dropout through the reduction of disruptive behaviors and school failure in elementary school. Journal of School Psychology. 1999;37:205–226. doi: 10.1016/S0022-4405(99)00006-0. [DOI] [Google Scholar] · DOI
  28. Whiteside SP, Lynam DR. The five-factor model and impulsivity: Using a structural model of personality to understand impulsivity. Personality and Individual Differences. 2001;30:669– 689. doi: 10.1016/S0191-8869(00)00064-7. [DOI] [Google Scholar] · DOI · Paper page
  29. Wiesner M, Ittel A. Relations of pubertal timing and depressive symptoms to substance use in early adolescence. The Journal of Early Adolescence. 2002;22:5–23. doi: 10.1177/0272431602022001001. [DOI] [Google Scholar] · DOI
  30. Zuckerman M. Sensation seeking and risky behavior. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association; 2007. [DOI] [Google Scholar]
  31. Zuckerman M, Kuhlman DM, Thornquist M, Kiers H. Five (or three) robust questionnaire scale factors of personality without culture. Personality and Individual Differences. 1991;12:929–941. doi: 10.1016/0191-8869(91)90182-B. [DOI] [Google Scholar] · DOI

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Related

Authors
Castellanos-Ryan, N., Parent, S., Vitaro, F., Tremblay, R. E., & Séguin, J. R.
Affiliations
  • Université de Montréal (CA)
  • Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine (CA)
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Abnormal Psychology
Publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
Published
2013-08
Volume
122
Issue
3
Pages
782-796
ISSN
  • 0021-843X (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-1846
DOI
10.1037/a0033133
PMC
PMC3812123
OpenAlex
W2016639435
Semantic Scholar
4617c76ebfaba4be524375b1405f3f0f6e995d1f
Cited by
94
References
72
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 1
FWCI
7.77
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Abnormal Psychology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • Fonds Québécois de la Recherche sur la Nature et les Technologies (149169)
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research (MOP-97910)
  • Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada
  • National Health Research and Development Program
  • Fonds Québécois de Recherche sur la Société et la Culture
  • Fonds Québécois de Recherche en Santé
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Hypothalamic control of reproductive hormones
Keywords
pubertal development, pubertal tempo, pubertal timing, substance use, cannabis use, sensation seeking, impulse control, personality, boys, low socioeconomic status, adolescence
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adolescent Behavior, Age Factors, Canada, Child, Humans, Impulsive Behavior, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Personality, Poverty, Puberty, Substance-Related Disorders

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Claims read by deepseek-v4.1-flash under definition version 3 (extract-v3) on 2026-10-07.

Classified by jev-1.13-20260917 (gold-guideline-v0.2) on 2026-10-07.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review