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The Measurement of Skeletal Maturation

  • Chapter
Human Physical Growth and Maturation

Part of the book series: NATO Advanced Study Institutes Series ((NSSA,volume 30))

Abstract

Human biologists usually apply the term “maturity” to level of maturity; that is, the extent to which an individual, or a group of individuals, has proceeded towards adulthood. Therefore, maturation is a particular type of development: development that proceeds to the same end point in all individuals. In this sense, measures relative to adult size for the same individual, for example, present stature as a percentage of actual or predicted adult stature, are measures of maturity. The measurement of skeletal maturity is based on the recognition of maturity indicators; these are visible changes or stages that occur during maturation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fels Research Institute and Department of Pediatrics, Wright State University School of Medicine, Yellow Springs, Ohio, 45387, USA

    Alex F. Roche

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, 19104, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

    Francis E. Johnston

  2. Fels Research Institute and Department of Pediatrics, Wright State University School of Medicine, 45387, Yellow Springs, Ohio, USA

    Alex F. Roche

  3. Free University of Brussels, Pleinlaan 2, 1050, Brussels, Belgium

    Charles Susanne

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Roche, A.F. (1980). The Measurement of Skeletal Maturation. In: Johnston, F.E., Roche, A.F., Susanne, C. (eds) Human Physical Growth and Maturation. NATO Advanced Study Institutes Series, vol 30. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-6994-3_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-6994-3_5

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