Boys' and girls' latent profiles of behavior and social adjustment in school: Longitudinal links with later student behavioral engagement and academic achievement?

Publication date: August 2018 Source:Journal of School Psychology, Volume 69 Author(s): E. Olivier, I. Archambault, V. Dupéré Using a person-centered approach, this study identified profiles of students exhibiting behavior and social adjustment problems in school. We conducted Latent Profile Analysis to identify these subgroups in a sample of 582 fifth and sixth graders. We found four profiles among girls—well-adjusted girls (66.10%); girls displaying externalizing behaviors and student–teacher conflict (4.75%); girls exhibiting internalizing behaviors and isolation from peers (10.17%); and girls with student–teacher nonclose interactions and nonprosocial behaviors toward peers (18.98%). We found three profiles among boys—well-adjusted boys (78.05%); boys displaying externalizing behaviors and student–teacher conflict (10.10%); and boys with externalizing, internalizing, and social problems with peers and teachers (11.85%). Next, we investigated longitudinal associations between these profiles and student behavioral engagement and academic achievement. Path analysis revealed that, compared to students with a well-adjusted profile, having a non-adjusted profile was associated with negative changes in teacher-reported behavioral engagement. Girls with an Externalizing Problem/Student–teacher Conflict profile or an Internalizing Problems/Peer Isolation profile also showed negative changes throughout the school year in their self-reported behavioral engagement ...
Source: Journal of School Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research