Elsevier

Journal of School Psychology

Volume 91, April 2022, Pages 112-128
Journal of School Psychology

Adolescent mental health profiles through a latent dual-factor approach☆

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2022.01.003Get rights and content

Abstract

The dual-factor model of mental health emphasizes the integration of subjective well-being and psychopathology to obtain a complete conceptualization of mental health. When used in schoolwide screenings, this dual-factor approach provides a more comprehensive picture of students' mental health. In a sample of adolescents (N = 404) attending a Midwestern U.S. middle school (Grades 6–8), the current study empirically identified mental health groups through latent profile analysis (LPA) and examined how profile membership was predicted by various demographic variables, academic achievement, general grit, academic grit, and growth mindset. Three mental health profiles emerged: Complete Mental Health (above average life satisfaction and affect, below average internalizing and externalizing problems), Symptomatic but Content (average to above average life satisfaction and affect, above average internalizing and externalizing difficulties), and Troubled (below average life satisfaction and affect, above average internalizing and externalizing difficulties). These profiles partially supported the dual-factor model of mental health, although a vulnerable group was not identified. Gender, SES, racial identity, and IEP status were significant predictors of mental health profile membership. Academic achievement, general grit, academic grit, and growth mindset were also significant predictors of mental health group membership. Limitations, future directions, and implications are discussed, including how these findings inform school psychological theory and practice.

Section snippets

Adolescent mental health profiles through a latent dual-factor approach

School psychologists play an important role in the delivery of both academic and mental health services to promote students' well-being, and a growing literature base suggests a clear link between academic and social-emotional functioning (Gettinger et al., 2021). Early adolescence is a pivotal time, as youth of this age demonstrate a normative pattern of decline in their academic performance as well as poorer mental health (Eccles et al., 1991). Almost half of adolescents (49.5%) meet criteria

Participants

Participants were adolescents attending a suburban middle school in the U.S. Midwest (N = 404; 55% girls) in May of the 2018–2019 school year. The sample included 83 sixth graders (20.5%), 153 seventh graders (37.9%), and 168 eighth graders (41.6%). All enrolled students (N ~ 600) were invited to participate, and approximately 67% participated. Students not participating either did not assent (n = 7), were opted out by a parent or guardian, or were absent during data collection. Participants

Results

Bivariate correlations, descriptive statistics, internal consistency coefficients, and percentage of missing data are provided in Table 1. There were no missing data for demographic variables.

Discussion

In striving to support students' academic and social-emotional functioning, school psychologists may benefit from broadening their conceptualization of mental health from a traditional model that emphasizes psychopathology to a dual-factor approach that also considers subjective well-being. Prior research has indicated that approximately half of adolescents report experiencing at least one mental health disorder (Merikangas et al., 2010), and early adolescence is a period of rapid fluctuation

Conclusion

Although traditional mental health models emphasize the presence of psychopathology, the current study provides evidence of the utility of the dual-factor approach for conceptualizing mental health within a sample of early adolescents. Given school psychologists' pivotal role in identifying and servicing the mental health needs of students, a dual-factor conceptualization of school mental health is vital. The current results suggest that early adolescents were grouped via LPA into 3 of the 4

Declaration of Competing Interest

None.

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    This research was funded by the Society for the Study of School Psychology.

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