Child abuse and pubertal timing: what is the role of child sex and identity of the perpetrator?

This study explores the link between child abuse (neglect, emotional, and physical) and early puberty, considering sex-specific effects and perpetrator involvement. Data from 709 children aged 8–14 in Leipzig, Germany, examined pubertal status using self-assessment and parental reports. Child neglect and emotional abuse, especially from mothers, were significantly associated with early puberty, while physical abuse showed no such correlation. Girls experiencing maternal neglect and boys facing paternal emotional abuse tended to enter puberty earlier. However, early menstruation correlated with neglect and emotional abuse, but not in controlled regression models.