ERIC Number: EJ1469514
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Jun
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1750-8592
EISSN: EISSN-1750-8606
Available Date: 2024-08-08
Rethinking Pubertal Research: Embracing Intersectionality
Child Development Perspectives, v19 n2 p80-91 2025
Scholars acknowledge the significant role of puberty in the risks for adverse outcomes. However, we lack understanding of the relevant social and structural factors at play. Current theoretical approaches to research on puberty were posited based on the experiences of White, middle-class girls who developed early or late, disregarding the interplay among cultural, societal, and individual factors that shape perceptions of pubescent children and their experiences. The limited focus on timing effects has failed to generate comprehensive knowledge of broader pubertal experiences. In this article, we argue that intersectional understanding can overcome current deficiencies in research on puberty. We critique the predominant theoretical approaches in pubertal research, provide an overview of the intersectionality framework, and elucidate how intersectionality can be incorporated into puberty research. We conclude with recommendations for research. In so doing, we hope the intersectionality framework allows scholars of puberty to rethink how pubertal effects are examined.
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; 2T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA