Earlier age of pubertal maturation in females is associated with increased risk for mental health problems in adolescence, compared with on-time or later maturation, according to existing research. A recent study, however, illuminated meaningful transdiagnostic psychiatric associations with early timing of menarche. Data on age of menarche and mental disorders were drawn from a population-representative sample of adolescents (n= 4,925), aged 13–17 years. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to fit 4 latent disorder categories: distress, eating, and externalizing, and fear disorders. Timing of menarche included those with earlier (age ≤10, age 11) and later age of onset (age 13, 14+), relative to those with average timing of menarche (age 12). Researchers found:

• Onset of menarche before age 11 was significantly associated with distress disorders, fear disorders, and externalizing disorders as compared to on-time or late menarche.
• No residual associations of early menarche with individual disorders over and above the latent disorders were observed.