Abstract
Puberty is a near-universal experience among adolescents, and yet rarely have researchers considered the racialized contexts and salience it has, for girls of color. Using the phenomenological variant of ecological systems theory (PVEST), this study examines the relation between pubertal timing, body esteem, racial discrimination and ethnic racial identity (ERI) components (affirmation, exploration, resolution) among adolescent girls of color (n = 218, Mage = 15.7, U.S. sample). Results showed that higher body esteem predicted greater ERI exploration and resolution, particularly for girls with average or late pubertal timing. Additionally, racial discrimination was linked to higher ERI exploration and resolution only for those with normative timing, while depression predicted lower ERI affirmation across all groups. Findings suggest that pubertal timing meaningfully shapes ethnic-racial identity development for girls of color and highlight the importance of considering racialized developmental contexts in adolescent research. Together, these results underscore the need for identity models that reflect the intersecting realities of race, gender, and development.
Degree
MS
College and Department
Family, Home, and Social Sciences; Family Life
Rights
https://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/
BYU ScholarsArchive Citation
Takamasa, Emily J., "Growing Pains: Relations Between Racial Discrimination and Body Esteem With Ethnic-Racial Identity by Pubertal Timing for Female Adolescents of Color" (2025). Theses and Dissertations. 10900.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/10900
Date Submitted
2025-06-17
Document Type
Thesis
Handle
http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd13736
Keywords
pubertal timing, ethnic-racial identity, body esteem, racial discrimination
Language
english