A longitudinal study of body dissatisfaction and pubertal timing in an ethnically diverse adolescent sample

• Body dissatisfaction was studied across adolescence as a function of pubertal timing.
• The study included an ethnically diverse sample (N = 1370) of boys and girls.
• Late pubertal timing may be a risk factor for body dissatisfaction in adolescence.
• African-American girls have lower levels of body dissatisfaction in adolescence.
• Asian girls appear to be at risk for body dissatisfaction during adolescence.

In a 7-year study, adolescents’ body dissatisfaction (N = 1370) was examined across four high school years as a function of pubertal development (perceived timing relative to peers and self-reported physical changes measured during Grades 6–10) in the context of the high school transition. Boys and girls who, during early high school, perceived themselves to be late relative to peers were at risk for body dissatisfaction across the high school years. Boys who were late in pubertal development reported more body dissatisfaction in early high school than on-time boys, but then decreased over time. African-American girls reported less body dissatisfaction across the high school years relative to other girls. Asian girls reported more dissatisfaction in early high school than African-American, Latina, and Multiethnic girls, and increased over time. Results highlight the importance of considering late development within context as a risk factor in body dissatisfaction research.