Latent Class Growth Analysis Research Articles

청소년의 공동체의식 변화 유형 분류와 주요 예측변인 영향력 검증

This study was conducted to explore the key predictors of change in sense of community during adolescence, to classify latent classes of sense of community changes, and to test the impact of key predictors on classification of latent classes. To this end, SEMforest was applied to KELS 2013 data from 3rd to 8th wave to derive the key predictors of changes in sense of community during middle school and high school, and discontinuous piecewise latent class growth analysis was utilized using a three-step approach. The results were as follows. First, as a result of SEMforest, five student-related variables were found to be common to both the middle and high school years, and two student-related variables were selected differentially for each of the middle and high school years. Additionally, one parental-related variable was derived to be common to both middle and high school years, and two parental-related variables were selected discriminatively for each of the middle and high school years. Second, three latent classes in sense of community during adolescence were identified: low-level decline (22.2%), middle-level gain-decline (52.0%), and high-level gain-decline (25.8%). Third, self-concept (academic and social), rule observance, multicultural acceptance (relationship with multicultural neighbors/friends), and volunteerism awareness were found to have a significant effect on classifying latent classes in both the middle and high school years. Finally, based on the main results, educational implications for fostering a sense of community among adolescents were discussed.

PATTERNS OF ALCOHOL USE OVER TIME AMONG OLDER COUPLES: IMPLICATIONS FOR SELF-RATED HEALTH

Abstract Alcohol use in older adults is increasing which can have implications for health outcomes. Research has examined longitudinal patterns of drinking for individuals over time, but not couples. Couples often engage in concordant drinking behaviors but it is unknown if couples become more or less concordant or discordant in their drinking over time or how increased concordance or discordance influences health. The purpose of this study was to examine patterns of alcohol use over time among older couples and their links with self-reported health. A total of 8,570 husbands and wives completed the main interview of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) for at least three consecutive biennial waves between 1996 and 2016. Latent class growth analysis revealed five trajectories of couple drinking: 1. Concordant - husband and wife light (n = 6398, 75%); 2. Concordant - husband and wife light/moderate (n = 781, 9%); 3. Concordant - husband and wife moderate (n = 296, 3.5%); 4. Discordant - husband heavy and wife light (n = 293, 3.5%); 5. Discordant - husband moderate and wife light (n = 802, 9%). Discordant couples and concordant light couples reported worse self-rated health over time compared with concordant light/moderate and concordant moderate couples. The most common pattern of drinking was concordant drinking with husbands showing light decreasing drinking and wives showing light stable drinking over time. Findings are consistent with literature and suggest that discordant drinking couples have poorer health.

The classed trajectory of media habitus: Television time and socioeconomic status from adolescence to adulthood

Despite a wealth of research about unequal transitions to adulthood in the U.S., we know less about how classed daily life (or “habitus”) carries with individuals as they age and experience socioeconomic mobility. Taking weekly time spent watching television as a form of class habitus, this research traces the trajectories of television time from adolescence to adulthood using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (N = 4,884). Using latent class growth analysis, I find four trajectories of TV time: Falling Watchers (8 %), Rising Watchers (2 %), Rise and Fall Watchers (3 %), and Steady Watchers (86 %). Findings both support and complicate previous understandings of habitus over time. Adolescent socioeconomic measures and socioeconomic mobility were associated with TV trajectory. While the majority of individuals maintained TV time across the life course, TV time habits could also change as individuals aged and these changes were more likely among those who have lower-class experiences.

Co-occurring trajectory of housing stability and parenting stress with child behavior problems: A randomized trial of a housing intervention for young mothers experiencing homelessness.

This study examined the effects of an integrative housing intervention (Ecologically Based Treatment, EBT - independent housing and supportive services) on the co-occurring pattern of housing stability and parenting stress among a sample of substance-using mothers who experience homelessness and have young children in their care. The association between the co-occurring patterns of housing stability and parenting stress and child internalizing and externalizing behaviors was also examined. Mothers were randomized to one of the three conditions: EBT (n = 80), Housing-only (HOU; n = 80), or Services as Usual (SAU; n = 80). Follow-up assessments were completed at 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-months post-baseline. The dual-trajectory latent class growth analyses identified five subgroups of co-occurring patterns: low-greatly improved housing paired with moderate-improved parenting stress, low-greatly improved housing paired with high-improved parenting stress, low-moderately improved housing paired with moderate-static parenting stress, low-worse housing paired with moderate-improved parenting stress, and low-worse housing paired with high-static parenting stress. Findings showed that EBT was more effective in improving housing stability and reducing parenting stress compared to HOU and SAU conditions, and further, HOU was more effective than SAU. Additionally, children whose mothers reported increased housing stability together with improved parenting stress had lower levels of internalizing and externalizing behaviors. The findings provide support to the efficacy of EBT in increasing housing stability and reducing parenting stress. The observed improvements subsequently benefited children's behavioral outcomes.

Trajectories of adaptive functioning from early childhood to adolescence in autism: Identifying turning points and key correlates of chronogeneity.

Previous research has demonstrated heterogeneous adaptive outcomes across the autism spectrum; however, the current literature remains limited in elucidating turning points and associated factors for longitudinal variability (chronogeneity). To address these empirical gaps, we aimed to provide a finer-grained characterization of trajectories of adaptive functioning from early childhood to adolescence in autism. Our sample (N=406) was drawn from an inception cohort of children diagnosed Autistic at ages 2-5. Adaptive functioning was assessed with Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS, 2nd Edition) across 6 visits from the time of diagnosis by age 18. Parallel-process latent growth curve modeling were used to estimate domain-level VABS trajectories, followed by latent class growth analysis to identify trajectory subgroups. Child characteristics at diagnosis, family demographics, and participation outcomes at adolescence were compared across subgroups. Piecewise latent growth models best described VABS trajectories with two turning points identified at around ages 5-6 and 9-10, respectively reflecting transitions into school age and early adolescence. We parsed four VABS trajectory subgroups that vary by level of functioning and change rate for certain domains and periods. Around 16% of the sample exhibited overall adequate functioning (standard score >85) with notable early growth and social adaptation during adolescence. About 21% showed low adaptive functioning (standard score ≤70), with decreasing slopes by age 6 followed by improvements in communication and daily-living skills by age 10. The other two subgroups (63% in total) were characterized by adaptive functioning between low and adequate levels, with relatively stable trajectories entering school age. These subgroups differed most in their cognitive ability at diagnosis, household income, and social participation in adolescence. We identified key individual and family characteristics and time windows associated with distinct adaptive functioning trajectories, which have important implications for providing timely and tailored supports to Autistic people across developmental stages.

Comorbid trajectories of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and depressive symptoms in a 10-year cohort of Chinese Wenchuan earthquake survivors: Course, predictors, and consequences.

Survivors may suffer mental health problems following disasters, particularly posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depressive symptoms. However, few studies have explored longitudinal processes of co-occurring PTSD and depressive symptoms among adolescent survivors and their associated predictors and consequences. The present study examines the codevelopment of both symptoms postearthquake using a 10-year cohort. A total of 1,357 senior high school students reported PTSD and depressive symptoms at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. Self-report measures were also used to evaluate earthquake exposure, negative life events, social support, and trait resilience. At the 10-year follow-up (T10y), 799 participants reported their quality of life (QoL) online and 744 of them provided available data. A parallel-process latent class growth analysis was used to identify trajectories. Multinominal logistic and linear regressions were used, respectively, to analyze the predictors and consequences of these trajectories. Three comorbid trajectories were found: a resilient group (56.7%), a vulnerable group (33.3%), and a chronic high-risk group (9.9%). Gender, injury/missing/killed of family members, witnessing of traumatic sciences, negative life events, social support, and trait resilience were significant predictors of vulnerable and chronic high-risk groups. Finally, adolescents in these two groups were more likely to experience poorer QoL in adulthood. The results highlight the heterogeneity of depression-PTSD comorbidities among adolescent survivors. They also emphasize PTSD-depression symptoms predictors and their adverse impacts on life outcomes in adulthood. Individualized interventions should be provided for adolescents affected by natural disasters, especially those in the vulnerable and higher risk groups. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Trajectories and determinants of acute stress disorder during the COVID-19 centralized quarantine: A latent class growth analysis.

COVID-19 centralized quarantine may cause acute stress disorder (ASD). However, it is unknown how individuals present heterogeneous ASD trajectories during the COVID-19 centralized quarantine and what factors contribute to these patterns. This study aimed to identify the ASD trajectories and their determinants during the centralized quarantine period, and the mediating effects of resilience on these associations. A longitudinal survey with three waves was conducted in a randomly selected quarantine hotel in Shenzhen, China from October to November 2020. A total of 273 participants completed online measures assessing ASD symptoms, Eysenck's personality constructs of extraversion (E), neuroticism (N), psychoticism (P), and resilience on Day 1, and reported ASD symptoms on Days 7 and 14 during their 14-day centralized quarantine periods. Latent class growth analysis identified three trajectories: constantly high symptoms (CHS, 4.76%), decreasing symptoms (DS, 11.72%), and constantly low symptoms (CLS, 83.52%). The CHS and DS subgroups both reported lower E and higher N scores, but not P, compared with the CLS subgroup. Resilience mediated the effects of three personality constructs on ASD trajectories, except for the association between N and DS membership. Our study highlights the heterogeneity in stress responses to the COVID-19 centralized quarantine. The high-risk subgroup with persistent ASD symptoms was characterized by lower E and higher N. The resilience process accounted for the effects of personality in shaping distinct ASD trajectories. Our findings have implications to detect the populations vulnerable to ASD and provide insights for developing timely resilience enhancement intervention programs.

Trajectories of Self-Rated Health Among Industrially Disabled Individuals: A Latent Class Growth Analysis.

Understanding the self-rated health of industrially disabled individuals is an important variable that significantly affects their quality of life, satisfaction, and return to work after an industrial accident. Since the health of people with industrial disabilities is affected by various environments and variables, interventions and policies that are suitable for their characteristics are needed. This study aimed to identify changes in self-rated health among industrially disabled individuals, distinguish between different latent classes, and verify predictive factors for each latent class. Four time-point datasets from the 2018-2021 panel study of Korean workers' compensation insurance were used. Using the latent growth curve model, an overall trajectory of self-rated health of industrially disabled individuals was confirmed, and the number and characteristics of different trajectories were identified using the latent class growth model. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to identify the predictive factors for each class. Four classes of self-rated health trajectories were identified: low-decreasing (21.7%), moderate-increasing (15.7%), high-decreasing (56.1%), and low-stable (6.5%) classes. A multinomial logistic regression analysis revealed that significant determinants (age, capacity, type of industrial accident, grade of disability, mental activity, outdoor activity, and social relationships) were different for each latent class. Capacity level affected all potential class classifications. To improve the self-rated health of industrially disabled individuals, it is necessary to develop an appropriate strategy that considers the characteristics of the latent class.

Association between BMI trajectories from childhood to early adulthood and the carotid intima-media thickness in early adulthood: Tehran lipid and glucose study

Background and aimsChildhood and adolescence overweight/obesity is an important predictor of obesity and increased long-term cardiometabolic abnormalities in adulthood. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) trajectories among children and adolescents with adulthood carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) as a determinant of subclinical atherosclerosis.MethodsIn this prospective cohort study, 1265 participants aged 3 to 18 were followed up for 18 years. By using Latent Class Growth Analysis, three groups of BMI and WC trajectory were defined; low stable, moderate-increasing, and high-increasing. Linear and logistic regression analysis were used to investigate the association of each lifetime BMI and WC trajectory group with cIMT.ResultsAlthough the high-increasing BMI trajectory group was significantly associated with higher cIMT (ß=0.0464, P < 0.001), moderate-increase was not (ß=0.0096, P = 0.102); in reference to the low-stable BMI trajectory group. Among WC trajectory groups, both moderate- (ß=0.0177, P = 0.006) and high-increasing (ß=0.0533, P < 0.001), in reference to the low-stable group, were significantly associated with higher cIMT. The results did not change after adjustment for baseline BMI. The ORs of high-increasing BMI, moderate-increasing WC, and high-increasing WC trajectories were 3.24, 1.92, and 3.29, respectively for high cIMT.ConclusionOur study resulted that a high-increasing trajectory of childhood BMI and moderate- and high-increasing trajectories of childhood WC are associated with higher cIMT and higher risk of high-cIMT. Regular monitoring and screening of BMI and WC trajectory from childhood may improve identifying individuals with high risks of cardiovascular disease, more accurately.

Longitudinal trajectories of the career barriers of school dropouts using latent class growth analysis

Longitudinal trajectories of the career barriers of school dropouts using latent class growth analysis

Identifying characteristics of adolescents with persistent loneliness during COVID-19: A multi-country eight-wave longitudinal study.

Elevated loneliness experiences characterise young people. While loneliness at this developmental juncture may emerge from age-typical upheaval in social relationships, there is little data on the extent to which young people experience high and persistent levels of loneliness, and importantly, who is most vulnerable to these experiences. Using the widespread social restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, which precipitated loneliness in many, we aimed to examine adolescents' loneliness profiles across time and the demographic predictors (age, sex, and country) of more severe trajectories. Participants aged 12-18years, recruited into a multi-wave study (N=1039) across three sites (UK, Israel, and India) completed a 3-item loneliness measure fortnightly across 8 timepoints during the pandemic. Latent class growth analysis suggested 5 distinct trajectories: (1) low stable (33%), (2) low increasing (19%), (3) moderate decreasing (17%), (4) moderate stable (23%), and (5) high increasing (8%). Females and older adolescents were more likely to experience persistently high loneliness. These findings indicate a need for interventions to reduce loneliness in adolescents as we emerge from the pandemic, particularly for those groups identified as being at highest risk.

Dynamic changes in lactate levels within the first 24 hours in septic patients as a prognostic indicator: A retrospective cohort study utilizing latent class growth analysis.

Elevated lactate levels are common in sepsis patients. This study aimed to assess the effect of dynamic changes in lactate levels within the first 24 hours following admission on patient prognosis. We extracted data from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC)-IV database and classified patients using latent class growth analysis (LCGA). This analysis classified sepsis patients into different groups based on dynamic changes in lactate levels during the initial 24 hours post-admission, dividing this time frame into four periods (0-3 h, 3-6 h, 6-12 h, and 12-24 h). The highest lactate level recorded in each period was then used for patient classification. We subsequently compared the baseline characteristics and outcomes between these different groups. Our study encompassed 7,830 patients, whom LCGA successfully divided into two classes: class 1 (steady lactate class) and class 2 (increasing lactate class). Class 2 demonstrated a worse clinical status at baseline, as indicated by vital signs, disease severity scores, and laboratory results. Importantly, class 2 also had a significantly higher 28-day mortality rate than class 1 (55.6% vs 13.5%, P < 0.001). In conclusion, LCGA effectively categorized sepsis patients into two distinct groups based on their dynamic changes in lactate levels during the first 24 hours post-admission. This methodology has potential utility in clinical practice for managing sepsis patients.

Brief Report: Social Factors Associated With Trajectories of HIV-Related Stigma and Everyday Discrimination Among Women Living With HIV in Vancouver, Canada: Longitudinal Cohort Findings.

Women living with HIV (WLHIV) experience stigma rooted in social inequities. We examined associations between social factors (food insecurity, housing insecurity, violence, sexual minority identity, and substance use) and HIV-related stigma and Everyday Discrimination trajectories among WLHIV. This community-based open longitudinal cohort study with WLHIV living in and/or accessing HIV care in Metro Vancouver, Canada, plotted semiannual averages (2015-2019) of recent (past 6-month) HIV-related stigma and Everyday Discrimination. We examined distinct trajectories of HIV-related stigma and Everyday Discrimination using latent class growth analysis (LCGA) and baseline correlates of each trajectory using multinomial logistic regression. Among participants (HIV-related stigma sample: n = 197 participants with n = 985 observations; Everyday Discrimination sample: n = 203 participants with n = 1096 observations), LCGA identified 2 distinct HIV-related stigma and Everyday Discrimination trajectories: sustained low and consistently high. In multivariable analysis, concurrent food and housing insecurity (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 2.15, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.12-4.12) and physical/sexual violence (AOR: 2.57, 95% CI: 1.22-5.42) were associated with higher odds of the consistently high (vs. sustained low) HIV-related stigma trajectory. Sexual minority identity (AOR: 2.84, 95% CI: 1.49-5.45), concurrent food and housing insecurity (AOR: 2.65, 95% CI: 1.38-5.08), and noninjection substance use (less than daily vs. none) (AOR: 2.04, 95% CI: 1.03-4.07) were associated with higher odds of the consistently high (vs. sustained low) Everyday Discrimination trajectory. Social inequities were associated with consistently high HIV-related stigma and Everyday Discrimination among WLHIV. Multilevel strategies can address violence, economic insecurity, intersecting stigma, and discrimination to optimize health and rights among WLHIV.

Longitudinal impacts of adverse childhood experiences on multidimensional health outcomes: Predicting trajectories in mental, physical, and behavioral health

BackgroundAdverse childhood experiences (ACEs) elevate the risk of poor health later in life. ObjectiveThis study aims to provide a more comprehensive investigation of the multidimensional health risks associated with ACEs, to address a gap in the understanding of their longitudinal impact on mental, physical, and behavioral health domains. Participants and settingThis study included 6, 504 participants (51.61 % females) from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (1994–2018). MethodsWe utilized latent class growth analysis to identify trajectories from adolescence to adulthood in three health domains: depression (Mental Health, MH), self-report physical health (SRH), and binge drinking frequency (BDF). Binary logistic regression was then used to assess the unique contributions of different types of ACEs to these longitudinal health trajectories. ResultsThree to four trajectories were identified for MH (consistently low, decreasing, increasing), SRH (consistently low, decreasing, increasing, consistently high), and BDF (consistently low, decreasing, moderate). Regression results showed that experience of emotional abuse and witnessed community violence elevated the risk associated with unfavorable trajectories in the mental health and behavioral health domains, respectively. ConclusionsIndividual ACEs differentially predicted mental, physical, and behavioral health trajectories, potentially through various pathways. Prevention of ACEs could mitigate health risks for adolescents and young adults across these domains.

Pathways to self-sufficiency in the microfinance ecosystem

We used latent class growth analysis to study the trajectories followed by microfinance institutions for 10 years. This technique can detect groups of firms that follow different patterns of change over time. We identified groups of institutions that followed the same strategy and iso-performance groups of institutions with the same outcome trajectory. The trajectories were analyzed with categorical regression and decision trees, which constitutes a novel approach to latent class growth analysis. Lending money to the poorest while making a profit is not straightforward and it is challenging for microfinance institutions to be self-sufficient. We found that the most useful strategy was to improve efficiency by lowering operating costs, followed by the control of credit risk. Deviating from the mission also had a positive effect on self-sufficiency, but was a strategy followed by few institutions. Rarely did changes in interest rates or not lending to women prove valuable. The findings are useful for the stakeholders of these institutions and particularly for managers.

Memory Trajectories and Disability Among Older Couples: The Mediating Role of Depressive Symptoms.

Using a dyadic approach, this study examined the mediating effect of depressive symptoms on the longitudinal relationships between husbands' and wives' memory trajectories and their prospective disability status. Longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study 2004-2018 were used. Older (aged 50+) heterosexual couples who had no limitations in the activity of daily living at the baseline (2004) were included (N = 1,310). Latent class growth analysis grouped wives and husbands into distinct memory trajectories in 2004-2014. A structural equation model examined the actor and partner effects of memory trajectories on depressive symptoms in 2016 and disability status in 2018. The mediating effect of depressive symptoms was tested. A total of 4 distinct memory trajectories were found: persistently high, high and slow decline, moderate and slow decline, and low and rapid decline. Only the wife's low and rapid decline memory trajectory predicted her own more depressive symptoms (β = 0.588, 95% CI: 0.209, 0.967) and her husband's more depressive symptoms (β = 0.326, 95% CI: 0.004, 0.648). Meanwhile, depressive symptoms had strong and significant actor effects on disability (β = 0.046, 95% CI: = 0.036, 0.057 for wives; β = 0.060, 95% CI: = 0.046, 0.074 for husbands). The wife's low and rapid decline trajectory was associated with her own and her husband's more depressive symptoms, which in turn increased the disability risk for both partners. Timely identification and treatment of memory decline among wives have the potential to mitigate couples' depressive symptoms and, ultimately, disability risks.

Sex-Specific Depressive Symptom Trajectories Among Adolescents in Los Angeles County, 2013 to 2017

After remaining stable for many years, the prevalence of depression among adolescents increased over the past decade, particularly among girls. In this study, we used longitudinal data from a cohort of high school students to characterize sex-specific trajectories of depressive symptoms during this period of increasing prevalence and widening gender gap in adolescent depression. Using data from the Health and Happiness Cohort, a longitudinal 8-wave study of high school students residing in Los Angeles County from 2013 to 2017 (N = 3,393), we conducted a multiple-group, latent class growth analysis by sex to differentiate developmental trajectories in depressive symptoms scores measured by the Center for Epidemiological Studies- Depression (CES-D) scale (range, 0-60). A 4-class solution provided the best model fit for both girls and boys. Trajectories among girls included low stable (35.1%), mild stable (42.8%), moderate decreasing (16.2%), and high arching (5.9%). Trajectories among boys included low stable (49.2%), mild increasing (34.7%), moderate decreasing (12.2%), and high increasing (3.9%). Average scores consistently exceeded or crossed the threshold for probable depression (≥16). Across comparable sex-specific trajectory groups, the average CES-D scores of girls were higher than those of boys, whose average scores increased over time. In a diverse cohort of students in Los Angeles County, depressive symptom trajectories were comparable to prior time periods but with a higher proportion of students in trajectories characterized by probable depression. Trajectories differed by sex, suggesting that future research should consider differential severity and onset of depression between boys and girls.

Cognitive trajectories: exploring the predictive role of subjective cognitive decline and awareness of age-related changes for cognitive functioning.

We investigated whether aspects of subjective cognitive aging, including awareness of age-related gains and losses in cognition (AARC-gains, AARC-losses) and subjective cognitive decline (SCD), predict change in objective cognitive function as measured by verbal reasoning (VR) and working memory (WM). We used longitudinal data for 3,299 cognitively healthy UK residents aged 65+. We used data on AARC and SCD assessed in 2019, and cognitive tasks assessed in 2019, 2020, and 2021. We used latent growth curve modeling, latent class growth analysis, and growth mixture modeling. For VR, multiple growth trajectories were not evident. Mean VR at baseline was 37.45; this remained stable over time. Higher AARC-gains in cognition (mean intercept = -0.23; 95%CI: -0.31; -0.16), higher AARC-losses in cognition (mean intercept = -0.37; 95%CI: -0.46; -0.28), and lower SCD (mean intercept = 2.92; 95%CI: 2.58; 3.58) were associated with poorer VR at baseline. A three-class growth mixture model-class varying best represented trajectories of WM. In Class 1 (N = 182) mean WM at baseline was 31.20; this decreased by 2.48 points each year. In Class 2 (N = 119) mean WM at baseline was 23.12; this increased by 3.28 points each year. In Class 3 (N = 2,998) mean WM at baseline was 30.11; and it remained stable. Higher AARC-gains (Odds Ratio = 1.08; 95%CI: 1.03; 1.14) and AARC-losses (Odds Ratio = 1.10; 95%CI: 1.04; 1.16) in cognition predicted greater likelihood of being in Class 2 than Class 3. Although both higher AARC-gains and AARC-losses indicate poorer concurrent cognition, higher AARC-gains may be a resource that facilitates future cognitive improvement.

Hand preference trajectories as predictors of language outcomes above and beyond SES: Infant patterns explain more variance than toddler patterns at 5 years of age.

Prior studies found hand preference trajectories predict preschool language outcomes. However, this approach has been limited to examining bimanual manipulation in toddlers. It is not known whether hand preference during infancy for acquiring objects (i.e., reach-to-grasp) similarly predicts childhood language ability. The current study explored this motor-language developmental cascade in 90 children. Hand preference for acquiring objects was assessed monthly from 6 to 14 months and language skill was assessed at 5 years. Latent class growth analysis identified three infant hand preference classes: left, early right, and late right. Infant hand preference classes predicted 5-year language skills. Children in the left and early right classes, who were categorized as having a consistent hand preference, had higher expressive and receptive language scores relative to children in the inconsistent late right class. Consistent classes did not differ from each other on language outcomes. Infant hand preference patterns explained more variance for expressive and receptive language relative to previously reported toddler hand preference patterns, above and beyond socioeconomic status (SES). Results suggest that hand preference, measured at different time points across development using a trajectory approach, is reliably linked to later language.

Physical activity and transitioning to retirement: evidence from the China health and retirement longitudinal study

BackgroundThe impact of retirement on physical activity among older individuals remains ambiguous. This study aims to investigate the influence of retirement on physical activity and delineate the trajectories of physical activity changes during the retirement transition among elderly Chinese residents. Additionally, we endeavor to examine the factors that contribute to each trajectory.MethodsThis longitudinal cohort study used data from four surveys of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study and included a sample of 428 individuals who underwent formal retirement and provided information on physical activity. We employed generalized estimating equation to explore the impact of the retirement transition on physical activity among Chinese older adults. Latent class growth analysis was used to identify distinct trajectories of physical activity, and binary logistic regression was performed to identify pre-retirement factors influencing changes in physical activity.ResultsOur findings indicate that retirement can lead to a decline in physical activity among older Chinese residents (OR = 0.85, 95%CI 0.75 ~ 0.97). We identified three distinct trajectories of physical activity during the retirement transition: Trajectory 1 – “sustained low level of physical activity” (7.94%); Trajectory 2 – “middle level of physical activity with gradual decline” (69.16%); Trajectory 3 – “sustained high level of physical activity with significant fluctuations” (22.90%). Furthermore, we discovered that individuals in the “middle level of physical activity and gradual decline” trajectory were more likely to have an annual income exceeding 40,000 yuan (OR = 9.69, 95%CI 1.12 ~ 83.63), reside in urban areas (OR = 2.27, 95%CI 1.14 ~ 4.52), and have a fondness for playing Mahjong (OR = 2.42, 95%CI 1.18 ~ 5.00) compared to those in the “sustained high level of physical activity with significant fluctuations” trajectory. Additionally, having an annual income exceeding 40,000 yuan (OR = 19.67, 95%CI 1.30 ~ 298.61) predicted membership in the “sustained low level of physical activity” trajectory when compared to the “sustained high level of physical activity with significant fluctuations” trajectory.ConclusionRetirement represents a substantial milestone in the life course and is associated with notable alterations in physical activity patterns. Among older Chinese residents, the trajectories of physical activity during the retirement transition exhibit diverse paths and are influenced by pre-retirement factors, including annual income, residential location, and hobbies. The findings of this study have important implications for the formulation of policies aimed at promoting healthy aging among individuals approaching retirement age.