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 Sexual
Maturity Ratings
Sexual maturity
ratings (SMRs) are widely used to assess adolescents' physical
development during puberty in five stages (from preadolescent
to adult). Also known as Tanner stages, SMRs are a way of assessing
the degree of maturation of secondary sexual characteristics.
The developmental stages of the adolescent's sexual characteristics
should be rated separately (i.e., one stage for pubic hair and
one for breasts in females, one stage for pubic hair and one
for genitals in males), because these characteristics may differ
in their degree of maturity.
Sexual Maturity
Ratings: Males
SMR |
Pubic Hair |
Stage 1 |
Preadolescent |
Stage 2 |
Scanty, long, slightly pigmented, primarily at base of penis |
Stage 3 |
Darker, coarser, starts to curl, small amount |
Stage 4 |
Coarse, curly; resembles adult type but covers smaller area |
Stage 5 |
Adult quantity and distribution, spread to medial surface
of thighs |
SMR |
Genitals |
|
Penis |
Testes |
Stage 1 |
Preadolescent |
Preadolescent |
Stage 2 |
Slight
or no enlargement |
Beginning
enlargement of testes and scrotum; scrotal skin reddened,
texture altered |
Stage 3 |
Longer |
Further enlargement of testes and scrotum |
Stage 4 |
Larger in breadth, glans penis develops |
Testes
and scrotum nearly adult |
Stage 5 |
Adult |
Adult |
Sexual Maturity Ratings: Females
SMR |
Pubic Hair |
Stage 1 |
Preadolescent |
Stage 2 |
Sparse, slightly pigmented, straight, at medial border of
labia |
Stage 3 |
Darker, beginning to curl, increased amount |
Stage 4 |
Coarse, curly, abundant, but amount less than in adult |
Stage 5 |
Adult feminine triangle, spread to medial surface of thighs |
SMR |
Breasts |
Stage 1 |
Preadolescent;
elevation of papilla only |
Stage 2 |
Breast
and papilla elevated as small mound; areola diameter increased |
Stage 3 |
Breast
and areola enlarged with no separation of their contours |
Stage 4 |
Projection
of areola and papilla to form secondary mound above the level
of the breast |
Stage 5 |
Mature;
projection of papilla only, areola has recessed to the general
contour of the breast |
Source: Tanner
JM. 1962. Growth at Adolescence (2nd ed.). Oxford, England: Blackwell
Scientific Publications.
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