Exploring and explaining changes in secondary students’ well-being at school: a person-centered approach by applying latent transition analysis

Using Latent Profile Analysis and Related Approaches in Adolescent Health Research

The present study was designed to explore the profiles of emotional and behavioral problems among Chinese secondary vocational students through a person-centered approach and the association between detected profiles and students’ gender and left-behind status. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was administered to 2,080 secondary vocational students aged 13 to 20 years. The results of latent profiles analysis (LPA) supported a three-profile model: the “well-adjusted” (51.01%), “maladaptive” (14.89%), and “emotional-attentional problems” (34.10%). Female adolescents were more likely to be members of emotional-attentional problems group and male adolescents were more likely to be members of maladaptive group. The current research confirmed the validity of LPA in detecting profiles of mental health problems among secondary vocational students, and further highlighted the theoretical value as well as practical implications in comprehension of the unique classification pattern of emotional and behavioral problems and tailored intervention to this special group of adolescents.

Symptoms of psychological ill-being and school dropout intentions among upper secondary education students: A person-centered approach

Parent involvement in school is a consistent predictor of educational success. However, research has been inconsistent in addressing how parent involvement ought to be defined and measured, which has led to varied findings across schools and educational systems. Attending to the multidimensionality of the construct, this study adopted a person-centred approach to identify subpopulations of school-based parent involvement. Subsequently, profile differences were investigated in relation to student engagement and three antecedent variables (gender, socio-economic status, and authoritative parenting). Data were obtained from primary (10-year old; N = 4,284) and secondary (14-year old; N = 3,346) school students in Singapore. Latent profile analysis was conducted on student-rated surveys of multiple parent involvement behaviours in school and their perceptions. Subsequently, the manual BCH method was employed to concurrently model covariates and outcomes on the latent profile model. Pairwise comparisons between profiles were examined for statistical significance. Consistent across both cohorts, four distinct profiles emerged that revealed high, moderate, selective, and low parent involvement patterns. High parent involvement reflected high ratings across multiple activities, combined with positive perceptions of parental involvement. These profiles differed significantly in terms of their antecedent characteristics, particularly, authoritative parenting, and in relation to their impact on student engagement. Results from this study clarify relations between multi-faceted dimensions of parent involvement in school. Additionally, there is a case for continued school-family partnerships among secondary students as students remain academically engaged when parents are involved in school and students relate positively to their involvement.

Previous research suggests that severe burnout impairs job performance, but most studies have been cross-sectional and variable-centred. This study adopted a person-centred longitudinal approach to examine burnout – performance profiles among Finnish employees (N = 565) over three years. Using latent profile and transition analysis, we investigated how symptoms of burnout (exhaustion, cynicism) and performance dimensions (task performance, organisational citizenship behaviour – OCB) co-emerge and co-develop over time. LPA revealed four distinct burnout – performance profiles. Even moderate burnout symptoms were associated with lower task performance, while OCB towards individuals remained high across all profiles. Four key findings emerged: (1) the relationship between burnout and performance varies depending on the specific symptoms and performance dimensions; (2) even moderate exhaustion associates with impaired performance, even in the absence of other burnout symptoms; (3) most employees remained in the same profile over time, and when transitions occurred, they were typically positive; (4) changing jobs was not associated with changes in burnout – performance profiles, suggesting that burnout symptoms may persist despite changes in the work environment. Overall, burnout and performance appear to reinforce each other – positively or negatively. The person-centred approach provides nuanced insights into individual developmental paths and supports early identification of risk profiles for targeted interventions.

ObjectivesTo contribute further knowledge about symptoms of anxiety, depression, body concerns, and self-worth among young talent development (TD) and mainstream students by exploring the indicators within-person combinations prospectively, aiming to identify distinct profiles. MethodsWe included 946 students, n = 168 (45% girls) from three TD sports schools and one ballet class, n = 778 (52% girls) from ten mainstream schools. All were 13–14 years at T1 and 15–16 years at T2. Descriptive statistics were examined via variable-centered approaches: ANOVA and cross-tabulations. Mental health profiles were explored via person-centered approaches: latent profile and latent transition analysis, including profile stability over two years and school type, gender, and perfectionism association with profiles. ResultsTD girls’ and boys’ anxiety and depression scores did not differ, but girls reported more weight-shape concerns. Mainstream schoolgirls fared worse compared to all others. Four retained profiles (distressed-body concerned, dissatisfied, moderate mentally healthy, mentally healthy) showed distinct patterns of co-occurring anxiety, depression, weight-shape concerns, and self-worth. Profile stability was high overall (72–93%). The highest proportion of TD boys was in the mentally healthy, TD girls and mainstream boys in moderate, and mainstream girls within the dissatisfied profile. Noteworthy transitions: TD boys who transitioned were likely changing to healthier profiles and girls to unhealthier. Unhealthier profiles were associated with socially prescribed perfectionism. ConclusionTD students fared relatively better than mainstream students. Still, considerable proportions of girls were identified in the unhealthiest profiles. These findings involving young TD and mainstream students propose a need for specific follow-up measures to promote mental health.

Background Classroom relationships are known to be one of the most important yet complex predictors of student well-being. However, this complexity is frequently not considered, and it remains unclear whether students with different well-being profiles and their transitions are impacted differently by teacher-student and student–student relationships. Objective This study aims to examine secondary school students’ well-being profiles, their transitions over time, and their connection to teacher-student and student–student relationships. Methods Participants included 757 Swiss secondary school students from grade 7 (47.8% female; M age = 13.12, SD age =.60) to grade 8 (44.6% female; M age = 13.92, SD age =.81). Latent profile analysis was conducted to classify students based on a multidimensional construct of student well-being, encompassing positive and negative emotions and cognitions toward school. To examine profile stability and transitions over time, latent transition analysis was used, and relationships with teacher-student closeness and conflict as well as student–student cohesion were analyzed. Results Four well-being profiles emerged: flourishing, perfectionist, worried, and ambivalent. Profiles varied in the composition of well-being dimensions, with school worries prevalent across all profiles. Students with high positive emotions transitioned to profiles with lower well-being, while those with high negative emotions remained in less favorable profiles. Teacher-student closeness and student–student cohesion supported favorable transitions, whereas teacher-student conflict hindered positive changes. Conclusions The identification of four distinct well-being profiles highlights individual differences in well-being and the interplay of positive and negative emotions. Teachers may play a pivotal role in preventing transitions to less favorable profiles, emphasizing the importance of fostering supportive classroom relationships.

This longitudinal study explored patterns of basic psychological needs and self-determined motivation, as well as its association with the teaching style and the physical activity enjoyment in a group of students. The sample consisted of 200 secondary education students (105 girls and 95 boys) aged 11 to 13 years (M = 12.65, SD = 0.79) at the start of the study. Students were assessed twice in a 22 month-period. Descriptive analyses were conducted between major variables at both time points, and to explore the number and nature of clusters, we relied on latent profile analysis. The statistical analyses showed three different patterns: downward, stable and upward, with different outcomes and determinants. The downward pattern was associated with more negative enjoyment and a controlling style, while the upward pattern with more positive enjoyment and autonomy support. This study, which was based on a person-centered approach, provided a bigger picture of the interplay between autonomy, competence, relatedness, self-determined motivation, autonomy/control support, and physical activity enjoyment.

ABSTRACTThe aims of this study were to identify profiles of sedentary behaviour (SB) patterns, based on leisure-time self-reported SB modalities (screen, educative, social, and relaxing) and to evaluate changes in these profiles over 2 years among Spanish youth aged 8–18 years. Latent profile analysis (LPA), a data-driven analytic approach, was used to identify groups of boys and girls (n = 1553; 48% girls; mean±SD age: 12.56 ± 2.49 y) with distinct SB profiles using the SB modalities (time/d) as input variables. Latent transition analysis, an extension of LPA that uses longitudinal data, was used to analyse 2-year changes in these profiles. At baseline, four and three SB profiles were found among boys (labelled: screen, educative, social, and relaxing) and girls (labelled: screen/social, educative, and relaxing), respectively. Overall, more girls (range: 48%-67%) had the same profile over time, than boys (40%-52%). Participants with a screen or relaxing SB profile at baseline were more likely to have an educative profile after 2 years. Youth with a social and an educative SB profile at baseline were more likely to transition to profiles characterized by higher screen and social SB, respectively. Using a novel and person-centered approach, this study identified gender-specific SB profiles that were moderately stable over time.

Depression has become increasingly prevalent among adolescents, posing significant challenges for mental health professionals. While most studies on depression adopt a cross-sectional perspective or a variable-centred approach, these methods often fail to illuminate the developmental trajectories of depression in individuals. We employed Latent Profile Transition Analysis (LPTA), a person-centred approach, to analyse longitudinal data from a large adolescent sample (N=978; Mage=16.26, SD=0.89; 52.2% females). This study aimed to identify distinct subgroups of depression and observe transitions between these groups over time, considering stress, anxiety, and rumination as covariates to predict these transitions and aid in the development of targeted interventions. We identified three distinct subgroups: 'low/no depression', 'moderate depression', and 'high depression'. Individuals in the low/no depression and moderate depression groups displayed a predominant tendency toward stability rather than change. Conversely, individuals in the high depression group showed a high probability of transitioning to the moderate depression group. Stress, rumination, and anxiety were significant predictors of transitions into more severe depressive groups. Notably, the predictive power of rumination diminished over time. This study relied solely on self-reported measures, which may introduce response bias. This study reveals dynamic trajectories of depression among adolescents using a person-centred approach, emphasising the importance of closely monitoring those in the moderate depression subgroup. Stress, anxiety, and rumination emerged as crucial predictors of transitions in depression severity, underscoring the need for targeted early interventions.

Secondary students' emotions, perceptions of instructional quality, and achievement in Mathematics: A representative study with Swiss students towards the end of compulsory education

Increasing evidence shows that personality pathology starts to develop from (late) childhood onwards. The current study extends previous research by examining maladaptive personality change using both a variable-centered approach (i.e., mean-level changes) and a person-centered approach (i.e., latent profile transitions). Data were used from a 3-wave longitudinal study on Dutch youth (at T1: N = 492, mean age = 10.1). Maladaptive personality traits (i.e., Emotional Instability, Disagreeableness, Introversion, and Compulsivity) were assessed yearly using the Dimensional Personality Symptom Item Pool (DIPSI). A Factor of Curves model indicated presence of a higher-order developmental factor, reflecting low initial levels and small decreases over time, which explained change in all DIPSI traits. Latent profile analyses revealed three quantitatively different maladaptive personality trait profiles. Latent Transition Analysis demonstrated substantial stability in profiles over time. Small groups showed a transition toward another (often more adaptive) profile. Although a person-centered approach may have some merit when aiming to detect high-risk subgroups, the current results suggest that a variable-centered approach—and a Factor of Curves model capturing shared underlying developmental processes in particular—is favorable over a person-centered approach.

Postoperative symptoms in lung cancer patients are complex and dynamic, yet recovery is highly heterogeneous. Traditional analyses often fail to capture individual recovery trajectories, limiting the ability to provide personalized care. This study aimed to identify distinct postoperative symptom trajectories and their clinical predictors using a person-centered approach. We conducted a prospective longitudinal study with 394 patients undergoing uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (uniportal VATS) for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer. Patient-reported symptoms were collected at 1, 7, 14, and 30days postoperatively. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was used to identify distinct symptom profiles, and Latent Transition Analysis (LTA) modeled the transitions between these profiles over time. Multinomial logistic regression was used to identify predictors of these transitions. LPA identified two distinct recovery profiles: a "Rapid Recovery" group (C1) and a "High-Symptom, Slow Recovery" group (C2). The first postoperative week was a critical window, with 73.0% of patients in the High-Symptom,Slow Recovery group transitioning to the Rapid Recovery group. This transition rate slowed significantly in subsequent weeks. A higher ASA classification, use of a thicker chest tube, and extensive lymph node dissection predicted a slower recovery. Conversely, better pulmonary function (FEV1%, MVV%) facilitated a faster transition, while postoperative complications were associated with a negative trajectory shift. Postoperative recovery in lung cancer patients follows predictable, heterogeneous trajectories. This person-centered approach enables the early identification of high-risk patients based on preoperative and surgical factors. Understanding these distinct pathways allows for a shift from a one-size-fits-all model to staged, personalized interventions designed to optimize symptom management and enhance patient recovery.

Changes in depression among older adults in China: A latent transition analysis

Dynamics of change of academics’ teaching approaches: A latent profile transition analysis