The role of self‐referential and social processing in the relationship between pubertal status and difficulties in mental health and emotion regulation in adolescent girls in the UK

• DOI: 10.1111/desc.13503
• Publication Date: 2024-04-05T05:19:14Z
• Authors: Saz P. Ahmed; Blanca Piera Pi‐S...; Madeleine E. Mose...; Anne‐Lise Goddings; Lydia G. Speyer; Willem Kuyken; Tim Dalgleish; Sarah‐Jayne Blake...
• Keywords: Association (psychology); Depression

Abstract Adolescence is marked by the onset of puberty, which associated with an increase in mental health difficulties, particularly girls. Social and self‐referential processes also develop during this period: adolescents become more aware others’ perspectives, judgements about themselves less favourable. In current study, data from 119 girls (from London, UK) aged 9–16 years were collected at two‐time points (between 2019 2021) to investigate relationship between puberty difficulties emotion regulation, as well role social processing relationship. Structural equation modelling showed that advanced pubertal status predicted greater regulation including depression anxiety, rumination overall behaviour. Advanced perspective‐taking abilities negative self‐schemas. Exploratory analyses self‐schemas mediated relationships rumination, (although these effects small would not survive correction for multiple comparisons). The results suggest higher problems adolescence may play a association. Research Highlights This study investigates health, years. was worse better Negative depression, rumination.