Using Latent Profile Analysis to Classify Primary Students' Social-Emotional and Behavioral Functioning

• In Event: Factors Contributing to Children's Development

Abstract

This study examined subgroups of elementary school children’s social, emotional, and behavioral functioning using teacher ratings of children with the Behavioral and Emotional Screening System. A latent profile analysis was conducted with 5,150 students. Subscale scores in the areas of Externalizing Risk, Internalizing Risk, and Adaptive Skills were used to identify profiles. Students’ gender and race were added to investigate the impact of covariates. The results identified four profiles of risk. Significant differences of covariates were also found across profiles. This study indicated that subgroups of behavioral functioning were identified in primary grades. Furthermore, the covariates of gender and race helped distinguish the latent profile differences.

Authors

• Ning Jiang, University of South Carolina - Columbia

• Ruiqin Gao, University of South Carolina - Columbia

• Christine DiStefano, University of South Carolina

• Jin Liu, University of South Carolina - Columbia