PSEUDOMATURITY AMONG ADOLESCENTS - CONSTRUCT-VALIDATION, SEX-DIFFERENCES, AND ASSOCIATIONS IN ADULTHOOD

A theory of pseudomaturity or precocious development has been suggeste d to explain how mis-timing of adult transition events (occurring too early) can generate difficulties later in life. In a community sample, the age at which 30 adult activities (including various types of drug involvement) were begun were examined for an underlying factor struct ure, sex differences, and general and specific correlates with various aspects of adult functioning. Five factors were identified, confirmed , and moderately correlated including age of: drug initiation, financi al autonomy, independent living, intimacy involvement, and deviant act ivities. Age at puberty did not load on any factor and was only signif icantly related to age of intimacy Involvement. Men were involved in d rug use, financial autonomy, and deviant activities earlier than women , whereas women began puberty and intimacy at younger ages than the me n. Pseudomaturity as reflected in a general construct and specific sca les was significantly associated with numerous aspects of later adult role functioning, including drug abuse, socioeconomic statics, intimac y involvement, emotional distress, divorces, criminal activities, and job instability. Although certain pseudomature behaviors consistently had adverse later consequences (early drug initiation to later drug ab use), others had differential impact on adult role functioning based o n whether the transition event occurred in isolation (financial autono my alone had beneficial long-term effects) or whether it was associate d with a general lifestyle of pseudomaturity (with overall negative co nsequences).