Psychosocial aspects in girls with idiopathic precocious puberty.

OBJECTIVE: Precocious puberty leads to discrepancies between physical and chronological age. The aim of the present study was to evaluate behavioral patterns and social competences in 34 girls with idiopathic precocious puberty.

METHODS: Height, body weight, and BMI were determined, and pubertal development was assessed. The Korean-child behavior checklist (K-CBCL) was completed by parents.

RESULTS: 1) Body weight and BMI were significantly higher in precocious puberty group than in the control group. 2) T scores of total social competence and school scales of K-CBCL were significantly higher in the precocious puberty group than in the control group. 3) T scores of externalizing problems and total behavior problems of K-CBCL were also significantly higher in the precocious puberty group. 4) T scores of thought problems and attention problems of K-CBCL were significantly higher in the precocious puberty group than the control group.

CONCLUSION: Although girls with precocious puberty had more behavioral problems, no significant differences were observed between the two study groups in terms of clinically-important T scores. However, the concerns of parents and patients regarding behavioral and emotional changes might be most important when evaluating psychosocial problems. Early recognition, sufficient understanding, communication with patients and parents regarding physical developmental difference from children in the same age, can improve the self-image of those with precocious puberty.