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Adolescent mental health profiles through a latent dual-factor approach
Kelly N Clark1, Christine K Malecki2
1Department of Psychology, 236 Audubon Hall, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, United States of America.
Journal of School Psychology
|February 22, 2022
Summary
This study identified three adolescent mental health profiles: Complete Mental Health, Symptomatic but Content, and Troubled. Demographic factors and academic traits predicted profile membership, informing school mental health practices.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Educational Psychology
- Adolescent Mental Health
Background:
- The dual-factor model integrates subjective well-being and psychopathology for a holistic view of mental health.
- Schoolwide screenings benefit from this comprehensive dual-factor approach to assess student mental health.
- Adolescent mental health is a critical area for research and intervention in educational settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To empirically identify distinct mental health profiles among middle school adolescents using latent profile analysis (LPA).
- To examine the predictive influence of demographic variables, academic achievement, grit, and growth mindset on mental health profile membership.
- To evaluate the empirical support for the dual-factor model of mental health in an adolescent school population.
Main Methods:
- Latent profile analysis (LPA) was employed to identify mental health profiles in a sample of 404 U.S. middle school students (Grades 6-8).
- Predictor variables included gender, socioeconomic status (SES), racial identity, Individualized Education Program (IEP) status, academic achievement, general grit, academic grit, and growth mindset.
- Statistical analyses were conducted to determine significant predictors of profile membership.
Main Results:
- Three distinct mental health profiles emerged: Complete Mental Health, Symptomatic but Content, and Troubled.
- Demographic variables (gender, SES, racial identity, IEP status) significantly predicted profile membership.
- Academic achievement, general grit, academic grit, and growth mindset also significantly predicted mental health profile membership, partially supporting the dual-factor model.
Conclusions:
- The findings provide empirical evidence for distinct mental health profiles in adolescents, aligning partially with the dual-factor model.
- Demographic factors and psychosocial variables like grit and growth mindset play a significant role in shaping adolescent mental health trajectories.
- These results have implications for refining school psychological theory and practice, particularly in designing targeted mental health interventions and screenings.
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