Youth programs and policies provide opportunities for institutions and societies to support healthy adolescent development. Puberty education programs are universally important, as they provide crucial knowledge and skills to help youth and their caregivers navigate the physical, emotional, and interpersonal changes of puberty with positive outcomes. However, few puberty programs have been rigorously evaluated, resulting in a lack of evidence-based knowledge and practice in this area. This review examines the status of research on puberty education and related programs and draws on the broader intervention literature and recent research findings on adolescence to identify program features that might improve program effectiveness. Implications for policy are also discussed. The need for rigorous program evaluation is emphasized throughout.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jora.12452 | DOI Listing |
BMC Public Health
January 2025
Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
Objectives: To evaluate the immediate impacts of an illustrated book on puberty and periods for girls in the United States (US).
Methods: We conducted a randomized educational intervention between February-May 2023 among girls ages 9-12 years in after-school programs in the New York metropolitan area (n = 123). Girls were assigned to read a book on puberty and periods or an alternative book on healthy eating.
Am J Hum Biol
January 2025
Department of Anthropology and Tribal Studies, Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, Purulia, West Bengal, India.
Background: The relationship between early age at menarche (AAM) and body height (HT), including its different segments has not been extensively studied among non Western populations. Lengths of the lower (distal) part of the leg, such as knee HT (KH) and tibial length (TbL), are considered to be sensitive indicators of living conditions during early growth and development. Life history theory predicts that within a survival challenge the growth of vital parts of the body shall be prioritized over less essential parts.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Rep
January 2025
Department of Sport Injuries and Corrective Exercises, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran.
Individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) often exhibit lower levels of physical fitness compared to the general population, including reduced strength, endurance, flexibility, and coordination. Dynamic neuromuscular stabilization (DNS) training can potentially improve the performance of adults with ID caused by weak motor skills due to a lack of desirable nerve growth during childhood and before puberty. Also, DNS training proposed to improve physical fitness in this population, but the effectiveness and durability of DNS training on specific fitness components have not been well-established.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEcon Hum Biol
December 2024
Institute for social research, Oslo PB 0208, Norway. Electronic address:
We investigate whether gender differences in physical maturity during adolescence can explain gender differences in educational and labour market performance. Using survey data with measures of physical maturity linked to register data on education and labour market outcomes, we analyse the importance of physical maturity for gender differences in both the short and long terms. The results show that gender differences in physical maturity partially explain both the gender gap in educational performance (in girls' favour) and the gender gap in labour market outcomes at age 33 (in boys' favour).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Am Assoc Nurse Pract
January 2025
Wegmans School of Nursing, St. John Fisher University, Rochester, New York.
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