Early-life family stress increased the likelihood of boys initiating substance use by age 13, while early-life stress and earlier puberty raised girls’ likelihood of substance use. Researchers analyzed data from nearly 8,000 children and found that early-life stress, age at puberty, hormone levels, and age influenced the time to first substance use. Boys and girls were affected differently by early-life stress, with family stressors more related to substance use risk for boys and girls. Girls with earlier pubertal development were more likely to use nicotine. Despite controlling for various factors, hormone levels still influenced substance use in girls.
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Early-life stressors, younger puberty predict teen substance use for girls
