Girls who begin menstruating early are more likely to develop depression as teenagers
Girls who start having periods before they are 12-years-old are more likely than their peers to experience symptoms of depression, according to British researchers.
Scientists from the University of Bristol and the University of Cambridge studied 2,184 girls taking part in a long-term study known as the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children.
Lead researcher Dr Joinson said girls who mature early may feel isolated and ill-prepared for the hormonal changes
They used an equation model to examine a possible link between the time of a first period and depressive symptoms at the ages of 10-and-a half, 13 and 14 years.
On average girls in the study group started menstruating when they were 12 years and 6 months.
However, they found that girls who started their periods early (before the age of 11.5 years) had the highest levels of depressive symptoms at ages 13 and 14.
Girls who started their periods later (after the age of 13.5 years) had the lowest levels of depressive symptoms.
Lead researcher Dr Carol Joinson, of Bristol University said girls who mature early may feel isolated and ill-prepared for the hormonal changes.
She said: 'Our study found that girls who mature early are more vulnerable to developing depressive symptoms by the time they reach their mid-teens. This suggests that later maturation may be protective against psychological distress.
'The transition into puberty is a critical developmental period, associated with many biological, cognitive and social changes.
'These can include increased conflict with parents, the development of romantic relationships, changes in body image and fluctuating hormone levels.
'These changes may have a more negative impact on girls who mature at an early age than those who mature later.'
Dr Joinson concluded: 'If girls who reach puberty early are at greater risk of psychological problems in adolescence, it may be possible to help them with school- and family-based programmes aimed at early intervention and prevention.'
However, it is still unclear from the results whether an early period leads to an increase in depression in adulthood.
The researchers point out it is possible that girls who mature later may eventually experience similar levels of psychological distress to those who mature earlier, after enough time has passed.
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