Black Girls' Pubertal Development

Constructing meanings of wellbeing through the journey to adulthood

Given the physical and psychological impact of puberty, research has shown that it is critical girls learn to navigate this normative stage of development through discussions with knowledgeable adults. This is particularly important for Black girls, as they experience pubertal development at earlier ages; this reality increases their risk of for long and short term negative health outcomes such as depression, disordered eating, and physical wellbeing. Factors such as neighborhood composition, school setting, and experiences with discrimination have also been found to impact Black girls' pubertal outcomes. This podcast discusses these issues, while offering starting points for addressing these realities within our our homes, across communities and the larger national system to support Black adolescent girls' wellness journeys.

Dr. Rona Carter is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Michigan. Her research is focused on studying the development of puberty in Black girls, specifically when it happens earlier or later than their same-sex and same-age peers. In her research AIR Lab, she investigates the social and psychological impact of this timing by considering the complex interplay between off-time development and the sociocultural context of Black girls. In her work, Dr. Carter examines race and gender-specific mechanisms, protective factors, and social influences to gain insights into the social and contextual factors that can be addressed to support the well-being of Black girls during puberty.

To learn more about Dr. Rona Carter, click here.

Works by Dr. Carter

• Racial identity in the context of pubertal development: Implications for adjustment

• Pubertal timing, racial identity, neighborhood and school context among Black adolescent females

• Understanding disordered eating in Black adolescents: Effects of gender identity, racial identity, and perceived puberty

• Teachers’ expectations of girls’ classroom performance and behavior: Effects of girls’ race and pubertal timing

• Perceptions of pubertal timing relative to peers: Comparison targets and social contexts of comparison

• Comparing Associations Between Puberty, Ethnic–Racial Identity, Self‐Concept, and Depressive Symptoms Among African American and Caribbean Black Boys

Season 1, Episode 4

Running Time:  26 minutes