Some support has been found for an association between hormonal concentrations and negative affect20 - 24; however, social factors, including negative life events and their interaction with
pubertal status (but not hormonal status), account for more of the variance in negative affect than biological factors alone.25 Early
pubertal timing and its social implications have also been postulated as an important risk factor in girls.26 - 31 Two recent studies, however,
report that
pubertal status has a greater influence in predicting female depression than age32, 33 or the
timing of puberty.32