National Norms and Psychometrics for the Pubertal Development Scale

Introduction: The Pubertal Development Scale (PDS) is widely used for puberty assessment, yet prior investigations have been confined to research samples. This study examined PDS psychometrics and established continuous norms in a nationally representative U.S. sample. Methods: We analyzed parent-report data for children aged 6-18 (N=2251), youth self-report data aged 12-18 (N=1006), and a retest sample of parents (N=171) and youth (N=90). Factor structure, internal consistency, measurement precision, test-retest reliability, and invariance were assessed. Cross-informant agreement was evaluated with intraclass correlation coefficients and Bland-Altman plots. Age- and sex-adjusted norms were established using Generalized Additive Models for Location, Scale, and Shape. Associations between pubertal timing and clinical symptoms were examined via multiple linear regression. Results: The PDS demonstrated one latent factor after accounting for limited score variability among prepubertal children. Internal consistency was acceptable-to-good (Cronbach's alpha=.77-.89; McDonald's omega=.78-.90), conditional reliability exceeded .80 across approximately 13 of 15 possible scores, and test-retest reliability was excellent (Pearson's r=.90-.96; ICC(2,1)=.89-.96). Differential item functioning across racial and parental education subgroups had negligible impact on total scores. Cross-informant agreement was excellent: ICC(2,1)=.87-.88. PDS scores increased nonlinearly with age, with girls showing earlier onset, faster progression, and greater convergence toward completion by late adolescence. Pubertal timing predicted parent-reported child symptoms of depression, mania, and sleep disturbance, beyond chronological age and sex. Discussion: The PDS shows strong psychometrics in a nationally representative sample, supporting its utility in research and clinical contexts. The national norms provide empirical benchmarks for score interpretation, strengthening the PDS's value as a pre-screener for atypical pubertal timing.