| 3413 Validation of the Pubertal Development Scale | ||
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A. LEMPERES, T.K. OSWALD, A.-M. BOLLEN, and S.E. COLDWELL, University of Washington, Seattle, USA Epidemiological and behavioral studies are increasingly relying on self-report to assess pubertal development. The Pubertal Development Scale (PDS) has established validity as a self-report measure of adolescent development. However, there are suggestions that the growth rate question may be less reliable and/or valid than other questions on the scale. Objectives: 1) Assess the validity of the PDS growth rate question by comparison with a previously validated index of growth rate in children, concentration of the bone resorption marker N-telopeptides ([NTx]) in urine. 2) Provide additional validation for the PDS by correlating PDS summary scores with self-reported Tanner stage in a large sample. Methods: Urine samples were collected from 142 11 to 15 year-old subjects. Participants also completed a PDS and Tanner stage questionnaire in private. [NTx] was measured in urine samples by immunoassay. For each urine sample, the assay value was normalized to creatinine. Preplanned t-tests were used to assess differences in [NTx] in urine by self-reported growth rate on the PDS. A t-test was also used to assess whether girls reporting onset of menses had significantly decreased urine [NTx]. Pearson correlations were calculated for PDS summary score and Tanner stage. Results: Significant differences were observed in [NTx] between children reporting that their growth spurt seems completed versus those reporting that it was definitely underway (t(88) = 3.07, p < 0.003). Girls reporting having menstrual periods had lower [NTx] than girls not menstruating (t(58)=4.30, p < 0.0001). PDS summary scores and self-reported Tanner stage were highly and significantly correlated (for boys, r =0.84; for girls, r =0.71 and 0.62, respectively, for pubic hair and breasts, p's <0.0001). Conclusions: The PDS is a valid measure of development in children. The questionnaire has sufficient validity to identify children who have stopped growing. Funded by NIH grant #P60 DE13061. | ||
| Seq #355 - Stress, Health Promotion, and Clinical Trials 10:15 AM-11:30 AM, Saturday, 13 March 2004 Hawaii Convention Center Exhibit Hall 1-2 | ||
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