Pubertal Development and Depressive Symptoms in Pre-Menarche Girls: The Moderating Role of Prosocial Behaviour

Depression affects approximately 300 million people worldwide, with women being approximately 1.5 times more likely to be affected. Among adolescents, girls show a marked increase in depressive symptoms following the onset of puberty. This study investigates the relationship between pubertal development stage and depressive symptoms in pre-menarche girls, and whether prosocial behaviour moderates this association. Prosocial behaviour, defined as voluntary actions intended to benefit others, was investigated as a moderator due to its documented role in enhancing social integration - a known protective factor for depression. We hypothesised that higher prosocial behaviour would weaken the association between pubertal development stage and depressive symptoms. The sample consisted of 60 pre-menarche girls aged 9–13 years (M = 10.8, SD = 1.90). Participants completed a probabilistic reinforcement-learning task assessing prosocial behaviour, alongside the DASS- Youth and PDS...Show moreDepression affects approximately 300 million people worldwide, with women being approximately 1.5 times more likely to be affected. Among adolescents, girls show a marked increase in depressive symptoms following the onset of puberty. This study investigates the relationship between pubertal development stage and depressive symptoms in pre-menarche girls, and whether prosocial behaviour moderates this association. Prosocial behaviour, defined as voluntary actions intended to benefit others, was investigated as a moderator due to its documented role in enhancing social integration - a known protective factor for depression. We hypothesised that higher prosocial behaviour would weaken the association between pubertal development stage and depressive symptoms. The sample consisted of 60 pre-menarche girls aged 9–13 years (M = 10.8, SD = 1.90). Participants completed a probabilistic reinforcement-learning task assessing prosocial behaviour, alongside the DASS- Youth and PDS questionnaires. A Spearman correlation showed no direct association between pubertal development stage and depressive symptoms. However, a one-tailed moderation analysis showed that prosocial behaviour significantly moderated the association between pubertal development stage and depressive symptoms, such that more advanced pubertal development predicted lower depressive symptoms at higher levels of prosocial behaviour. These findings highlight prosocial behaviour as a potential early protective factor in adolescent mental health. To increase statistical power, future studies should recruit samples larger than the current N = 60 and extend the generalisability of these findings. Longitudinal designs are also needed to capture the full range of pubertal development stages and their psychological implications.Show less

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Pubertal Development and Depressive Symptoms in Pre-Menarche Girls: The Moderating Role of Prosocial Behaviour