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Development trajectories of emotional symptoms in economically disadvantaged adolescents: population heterogeneity and risk factors

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Abstract

This study explored the developmental trajectory and influencing factors of emotional symptoms in adolescents from economically disadvantaged families. We recruited 444 students from Hunan Province, China, from economically disadvantaged families classified as below the local income threshold, to participate in this study. The participants (165 boys and 279 girls) were ranged from 10 to 15 years, with the average age being 13.61 ± 1.62 year. Follow-up surveys were administered on the first and second year after the original survey in October 2017. Their developmental trajectories were analyzed from an individual-centered perspective using a latent class growth analysis. The 3-steps approach was used to analyze the effects of gender, age, and ecological risks on various classes. Latent class growth analysis favored a three classes solution: C1(resilient class), C2(stable class), and C3(disturbed class). There is population heterogeneity in the developmental trajectories of emotional symptoms among economically disadvantaged adolescents. Individuals with more ecological risk are more likely to belong to the stable class or the disturbed class.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Funding

This research was supported by the National Social Science Fund of China (grant numbers 22BSH161) awarded to Dr. Zhihua Li.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department and Institute of Psychology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, Zhejiang Province, China

    Yakun Dong, Yanan Xu, Qianying Li & Zhenyu Zou

  2. College of Education, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, 411201, Hunan Province, China

    Zhihua Li

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  1. Yakun Dong
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Contributions

ZL was mainly responsible for the overall conception, design of this study. YD wrote the manuscript and carried out the statistical analysis. YX, QL, and ZZ were responsible for the questionnaire survey and sorting out.

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Correspondence to Zhihua Li.

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This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. The study was reviewed and approved by the Academic Committee of the Ningbo University.

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Written informed consent to participate in this study was obtained from the participants themselves and their legal guardians/next of kin.

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The authors have no competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article.

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Dong, Y., Xu, Y., Li, Q. et al. Development trajectories of emotional symptoms in economically disadvantaged adolescents: population heterogeneity and risk factors. Curr Psychol (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-04037-3

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