Endocrine Abstracts

JOINT3685

Objective: Precocious puberty can be a significant source of stress not only for affected children but also for their families, particularly their mothers. This study aims to assess the presence of internalizing symptoms—stress, anxiety, and depression—in mothers of girls diagnosed with central precocious puberty (CPP) and to evaluate how these symptoms change following treatment.

Methods: This prospective study included mothers of girls diagnosed with CPP who presented to our pediatric endocrinology clinic. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) was administered before and after treatment. Mothers with a history of psychiatric illness, those using psychotropic medications, or those whose children were not diagnosed with CPP were excluded. Data from 38 participants were analyzed using the Jamovi 2.2.5 statistical software.

Results: The mean age of the girls at diagnosis was 7.01 ± 0.96 years. The mean age of the mothers was 40.1 ± 5.95 years, while the fathers’ mean age was 43 ± 6.18 years. The median time from initial presentation to diagnosis was 2.5 months (IQR: 1), and the mean duration from treatment initiation to reassessment was 12 ± 8.05 months. At baseline, the median maternal stress score was 4 (IQR: 5), anxiety score was 4 (IQR: 3.75), depression score was 3 (IQR: 4), and total DASS score was 11 (IQR: 10.3). Clinically significant stress, anxiety, and depression were observed in 21.1%, 52.6%, and 31.6% of mothers, respectively. Following an average of 12 months of treatment, the median stress score decreased to 2 (IQR: 5), anxiety score to 1.5 (IQR: 4), depression score to 0 (IQR: 2.75), and total DASS score to 4 (IQR: 10.5). The prevalence of clinically significant stress, anxiety, and depression dropped to 2.6%, 28.9%, and 15.8%, respectively. Statistical analysis confirmed a significant reduction in all internalizing symptoms post-treatment (P < 0.01). No significant correlations were found between DASS scores and child’s age, time to diagnosis, maternal age, or paternal age.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that mothers of children with CPP experience significant psychological distress at the time of diagnosis, which improves following treatment. Given the emotional burden associated with early puberty, incorporating psychosocial support into the management of CPP could be beneficial for both patients and their families.

Keywords: anxiety, depression, puberty precocious, psychiatry, stress.