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Sexual Maturation In Well-Off Chandigarh Boys: A Longitudinal Study
A. K. Bhalla
Published: 2003/12/01
Abstract
The pattern of sexual maturation among 134 adolescent boys representing well-off socioeconomic strata of Chandigarh, India was studied as per Tanner's (1962) method following a mixed longitudinal research design. An early sign of onset of puberty in boys was the development of genitalia (i.e., stage G-II) at a mean age of 11.5 years. This was followed by the appearance of axillary (13.4 years) and pubic hair (13.5 years). Facial hair (14.0 years) was the last to appear. The change of voice occurred at a mean age of 15.5 years. Age of initiation of genitalia development (i.e., stage G-II) in the development of Chandigarh boys was found to be generally similar to that of boys of American and British origin, but slower than that of many other Indian communities. With regard to the completion of genitalia development (i.e., Stage G-V), when compared to adolescents of both Western and Indian origin, Chandigarh boys demonstrated substantial differences in age-related development, which may be due to genetic (racial/ethnic) and/or cultural differences.
