The present study investigated the role of pubertal timing and pubertal status on school achievement and achievement orientation among a sample of adolescents followed during sixth, seventh, and eighth grades (early adolescence). Also investigated were the longer-term effects of timing of puberty on achievement-related measures for a subsample of individuals followed up in twelfth grade. Results indicated that during early adolescence late-maturing boys had the lowest school achievement, receiving the lowest grades in language arts, literature, and social studies. Late-maturing girls showed the highest achievement in these domains. Achievement orientation, that is, beliefs about one's ability to achieve, did not explain these results. Very few long-term effects of puberty on the achievement measures were found. The educational implications of these results are discussed.
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Dubas et al. (1991) studied this question.
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