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Latent profiles of home behaviour problems in Trinidad and Tobago
Clara-Christina E Gerstner1, Paul A McDermott1, Emily M Weiss2
1Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Insights
Caregiver reports identified distinct child behavior profiles. Aggressive behaviors in children were linked to poorer academic performance and more behavioral issues observed by teachers.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Caregivers offer unique insights into children's behavior functioning at home.
- Understanding child behavior patterns is crucial for academic and social development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify distinct behavioral profiles in children using parent-reported data.
- To examine the relationship between these behavioral profiles and academic skills.
- To investigate how profile membership predicts teacher-observed behavior problems.
Main Methods:
- Latent profile analysis was used on a nationally representative sample of 709 children (ages 4-13) in Trinidad and Tobago.
- Parent-administered measures of child behavior problems were utilized.
- Academic skills and teacher-observed behaviors were assessed as outcome variables.
Main Results:
- Four distinct behavioral profiles were identified: adjusted behaviors (56%), elevated attention-seeking (21%), withdrawn/disengaged (15%), and aggressive behaviors (8%).
- Children in the aggressive behavior profile showed the lowest academic outcomes.
- The aggressive behavior profile was associated with the highest levels of teacher-observed behavior problems.
Conclusions:
- Parental reports can effectively differentiate behavioral profiles in children.
- Aggressive behavior in children is a significant risk factor for poor academic achievement and behavioral difficulties.
- Targeted interventions for children with aggressive tendencies may improve academic and behavioral outcomes.
Abstract:
Caregivers who interact with children at home can provide a critical, complementary perspective on a child's behaviour functioning. This research used a parent-administered measure of problem behaviours to study perceptions of child behaviours across home situations. We applied latent profile analysis to identify subgroups of children with common behavioural tendencies in a nationally representative sample (N = 709) of 4- to 13-year-old children in Trinidad and Tobago. This study (a) identified latent profiles of children's over- and underactive behaviour problems in varied home settings and (b) examined how profile membership predicted academic skills and teacher-observed problem behaviours. The best-fitting four-profile model included one profile of adjusted behaviours (56%), one of the elevated attention-seeking behaviours (21%), a profile featuring withdrawn and disengaged behaviours (15%) and a relatively rare profile emphasising aggressive behaviours (8%). Children classified in the last profile displayed the poorest academic outcomes and the highest levels of teacher-observed behaviour problems.
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