An analysis of the relationship between changes in puberty and developmental psychology

本研究的总体目的是探讨生物学和心理社会因素如何相互作用，影响青春期的发展。本研究旨在调查73，309名10 - 15岁日本女性的性和心理发育。月经初潮是我们性成熟开始的主要指标。日本女性初潮平均年龄的估计是通过对现状数据的概率单位分析得出的。但目前日本的平均初潮年龄正在下降。从我们的数据来看，性成熟的新的长期趋势在日本仍在继续。特别是冲绳县的平均初潮年龄在12岁以下。而冲绳女性的发展在心理社会和生物学方面都是突出的。可以说，在冲绳，生物学和社会心理学对发展的相互影响尤为显著，由此可以得出结论：日本的发展环境正在发生变化。研究发现，亲子关系对女性青春期发育时间有影响。呈负相关时，平均初潮年龄呈下降趋势。吃早餐次数少的人，平均初潮年龄有降低的趋势.那么女性气质的发展会影响青春期的时间。消极的性身份倾向于缩短青春期的时间。长期趋势被归因于健康和营养的普遍改善。然而，这种变化可能会受到心理社会压力的显著影响，导致健康状况普遍下降。由此可见，青春期的变化影响心理社会发展，心理社会因素影响青春期的时间。

The overall purpose of our study is to examine how biology and psychosocial factors interact to affect the development in puberty. The present study aims to investigate the sexual and psychological development in 73,309 Japanese females, from 10years to 15years old. The menarche stands as our primary indicator of the onset of sexual maturity. Each mean menarcheal age of Japanese females has been estimated by probit analysis from status quo data.Once the secular trend of Japanese for earlier appearance of menarche extinguished in 1980s. But the mean menarcheal age in Japan is decreasing at present. From our data, the new secular trend in sexual maturity is cotinuing in Japan. Specially, the mean menarcheal age of Okinawa prefecture is under12years old. And the development of the females in Okinawa were outstanding in psychosocial and biological points. It may be said, that the rich interplay of biological and psychosocial influences on development is especially prominent in Okinawa.These facts lead to the coclusion that the context of development are changing in Japan. Our research found that the parent-child relationship can affect the time of puberty in female. With negative relationship the mean menarcheal age tends to decrease. And, those who eat breakfast less frequently the mean menarcheal age tends to decrease. Then the development of feminity can affect the time of puberty. Negative sexual identity tends to decrease the time of puberty.The secular trend has been attributed to general improvements in health and nutrition. Such changes, however, can be markedly affected by psychosocial stress through a general decline in health. In conclusion, it can been seen that the change of puberty affects the psychosocial development and vice versa the psychosocial factors affect the time of puberty.