When Avary Evans noticed friends becoming more sensitive to social feedback during their preteen years, she wondered what was happening inside their brains. Now a graduate researcher at the University of Georgia, Evans has helped uncover new evidence about a hormone that may explain why some girls struggle emotionally during early puberty — and how adults might help.
The study, published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology, found that testosterone rises gradually in girls between ages 10 and 12, and those with bigger jumps in the hormone reported more symptoms of depression and anxiety. They felt lonely and worried more about what others thought of them. Crucially, the researchers discovered this sensitivity to social feedback happened regardless of physical development — girls who looked older for their age actually reported fewer emotional struggles.
"Some girls may become more emotionally vulnerable during early puberty, and that's important because it's sometimes happening before parents even notice or see any signs of distress," said Professor Assaf Oshri, who co-authored the study and directs the Georgia Center for Developmental Science. "We're identifying a risk mechanism that gives us a better window of opportunity to prevent mental health problems from escalating."
The team analyzed data from more than 5,400 girls participating in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, the largest long-term study of brain development and child health in the United States. Prior research had focused mainly on estrogen and its byproduct estradiol as drivers of emotional changes during puberty. But this study found testosterone was the strongest predictor of depression and anxiety symptoms even when accounting for other hormone levels.
Researchers also found that DHEA, a hormone that converts into testosterone, spiked in girls as young as 9 years old — earlier than expected. Estrogen, which comes online later during ages 11 to 13, may actually act as a protective shield against emotional distress, the researchers said.
"It's not necessarily that if you have too much testosterone you're going to be depressed or anxious," Evans explained. "It's that this is a vulnerable period when you first become really sensitive to social feedback. If your environment is giving you social feedback that leads to anxiety and depression, that's when you're going to be vulnerable to it."
The findings suggest that what matters most is not how a girl looks on the outside, but what chemistry is happening inside. Oshri emphasized that these are not clinical diagnoses — they are early warning signs. And recognizing those signs early could make a real difference.
"Puberty is not just physical maturation," Oshri said. "It's also a time when the brain becomes more sensitive to social cues. When your body develops faster than your peers and that social feedback is really meaningful, you're actually processing it. And it affects you, sometimes negatively."
The researchers hope their work helps parents, teachers, and doctors understand that emotional struggles during early adolescence have a biological basis — and that understanding that biology could open doors to better support for young people during a critical window of brain development.