Identifying Patterns of Early Risk for Mental Health and Academic Problems in Adolescence: A Longitudinal Study of Urban Youth

Abstract

This investigation examined profiles of individual, academic, and social risks in elementary school, and their association with mental health and academic difficulties in adolescence. Latent profile analyses of data from 574 urban youth revealed three risk classes. Children with the “well-adjusted” class had assets in the academic and social domains, low aggressive behavior, and low depressive symptoms in elementary school, and low rates of academic and mental health problems in adolescence. Children in the “behavior-academic-peer risk” class, characterized by high aggressive behavior, low academic achievement, and low peer acceptance, had conduct problems, academic difficulties, and increased mental health service use in adolescence. Children with the “academic-peer risk” class also had academic and peer problems but they were less aggressive and had higher depressive symptoms than the “behavior-academic-peer risk” class in the first grade; the “academic-peer risk” class had depression, conduct problems, academic difficulties, and increased mental health service use during adolescence. No differences were found between the risk classes with respect to adolescent outcomes.

Longitudinal Pathways from Cumulative Contextual Risk at Birth to School Functioning in Adolescence: Analysis of Mediation Effects and Gender Moderation

“…Specifically, externalizing behaviors demonstrated continuity throughout development and increased the likelihood of lower grades eight years later. These results are consistent with some previous research suggesting that early conduct problems are predictive of poor functioning in both the academic and behavior domains (e.g., Valdez et al 2011). Furthermore, similar to prior studies (e.g., Darney et al 2013), academic difficulties in first grade persisted and had a direct effect on adolescents’ academic performance.…”

“…Moreover, evidence suggests that children with early academic difficulties are more likely to exhibit conduct problems in high school (Darney et al 2013; Dodge et al 2008; Valdez et al 2011). Research also indicates that early externalizing difficulties put children at risk for academic problems in the future, such as poor grades (Masten et al 2005) and dropping out of high school (Jimerson et al 2000; McLeod and Kaiser 2004).…”

What It Means to Be an Adolescent Teacher-And-Peer-Independent Motivation Type

“…This underscores the importance of the often-reported powerful effects of neuroticism for the present sample in particular and the academic context in general (Laidra, Pullmann, & Allik, 2007;Swanberg & Martinsen, 2010;Tyssen et al, 2007). In line with other studies (Brown & Rosellini, 2011;Jylha & Isometsa, 2006) the current study confirmed a relationship between neuroticism and depression and contributed an important insight into the role of depression as a predictor of academic difficulties (Fröjd et al, 2008;Valdez, Lambert, & Ialongo 2011). When considering the less socially motivated and less socially connected independent MT, these results may have particular relevance.…”

Use of Social Emotional Learning Skills to Predict Future Academic Success and Progress Toward Graduation

“…The economic stakes of high school success and successfully entering postsecondary educational or vocational training as a means to increasing both personal earnings and occupational opportunities are paramount (Neild & Boccanfuso, 2010). Through this lens, states are beginning to frame high school success as a foundation for their future economic outlook as retirement numbers far outnumber the future supply of high school graduates (Sullivan, 2012).…”