This study investigated the relationship between physical growth and performance of three- and four-year-old children (n=4two) on 2 stability or balance tests: the elevated beam and the stabilometer. Physical growth characteristics were concluded to be an integral part of factors influencing young childrens' stability performance. (Author/JMK)

Assessed sexual maturation and sociosexual behaviors in 101 nine- to 11-year-old low and middle income Black children. Data confirmed that girls were more advanced in sexual maturation than boys. Results of a self-report behavior scale indicated sexual behavior was related to physical development in boys but not girls. (JAC)

Investigates the influence of breast-feeding duration on the increase in weight of 365 children from birth to six months in the agro-industrial community of Pradopolis, Brazil. (RH)

Adolescents with varying combinations of pubertal delay and growth retardation were given the Offer Self-Image Questionnaire. Delay in sexual maturation by itself had no deleterious effect on self-image but growth retardation did. (Author/GK)

Investigated the relationship between sex hormones and spatial performance among adolescents treated with sex steroids for delayed puberty. Found that spatial performance varied according to gender but did not vary with levels of actively circulating sex steroids. Reviewed physiological mechanisms, developmental periods, and past empirical work…

Examined association of individual differences in physical maturation with information-processing speed among 9- and 10-year olds. Found that early maturers were faster than late matureres, although this maturity effect was primarily the result of a significant effect for boys. The early maturers' faster processing times may be specific to boys or…

A study of 80 children, aged 7, 10, 13, and 16, found that gender was not an important variable in speech breathing, but age was. The youngest group exhibited such things as larger lung, rib cage, and abdominal volume initiations and terminations for breath groups and fewer syllables per breath group. (Author/JDD)

Examines the effects and interactions of gender, pubertal status, and body weight on the self-concept of young adolescent Australian students. The mean self-concept score was significantly related to students' standard body weight, and there was an interaction between gender and puberty, with postpubertal males having the highest and…

Examines the impact of pubertal status and timing, independent of chronological age, on the family relationships of adolescents in 204 families with a firstborn child between the ages of 10 and 15. Measures included adolescent and parental reports of closeness, confict, and autonomy and assessments of adolesents' pubertal status and pubertal…

Behavioral observations and sociometric methods revealed a stable dominance hierarchy in eight groups of 12- to 14-year-old male and female adolescents at a summer camp. (JMB)

This study investigated the relationship between physical performance tests and body fatness in young children, and the extent to which differences in performance between the sexes could be explained by differences in body fatness. Measurements of age, height, weight, skinfold thicknesses, and performance scores on the vertical jump, standing…

Interrelationships of physical self-satisfaction, self-esteem, and identity, and their ability to predict satisfaction with an individual's social milieu were investigated. Prediction patterns yielded no differences between grades 8, 10, and 12. Self-esteem was the best predictor for males; identity and physical self-satisfaction for females.…

Eighth graders from five Jerusalem schools participated in physical ability intervention program which involved periodic and progressive increase of physical effort of students in physical education classes. Test group improved running time and had better sport motivation than did control group. Found gender differences and influence of sexual…

Examined effects of early physical maturation and accelerated pubertal changes on symptoms of major depression among 639 African American adolescents. Found that for girls, early maturation was consistently associated with elevated levels of depressive symptoms. For boys, early maturers showed elevated depression only at age 11, with symptoms…

Longitudinal data from a study of child development in Guatemala City were used to describe the influence of socioeconomic status and sex on physical and cognitive growth status. The correlation between growth status variables was also analyzed. (Author/RH)