TY - JOUR
T1 - Identification and validation of school readiness profiles among high-risk kindergartners
AU - Abenavoli, Rachel M.
AU - Greenberg, Mark T.
AU - Bierman, Karen L.
N1 - Funding Information:
Funding for this project was provided by a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Health . The work of the first author was also supported by grant R305B090007 from the Institute of Education Sciences . The views expressed are the authors’ and do not represent the granting agencies. The authors thank the teachers, parents, and children who made this study possible, as well as Robert Nix, Michael Coccia, Jennifer Ford, and the PATHS to Success research assistants for their hard work in managing the data collection and data processing for this project.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2017/3/1
Y1 - 2017/3/1
N2 - Person-oriented methods recently have been used to examine school readiness patterns of strengths and weaknesses across multiple domains, but more research in high-risk samples is needed. The current study used latent profile analysis to examine whether teacher ratings could be used to identify distinct and valid readiness profiles among 301 high-risk, low-income kindergartners. Four profiles were identified: (1) Well-Adjusted, with strengths in every domain (42%), (2) Competent-Aggressive, with above-average academic abilities and elevated disruptive behavior (19%), (3) Academically Disengaged, with weaknesses in most domains but no disruptive behavior (22%), and (4) Multi-Risk, with severe weaknesses in every domain (17%). These four profiles differed on concurrent direct assessments of language and executive functioning, as well as on peer ratings of behavior. Results highlight heterogeneity among children at risk for poor school adjustment and indicate that valid profiles of school readiness can be derived from teacher ratings. Further, this study suggests that a person-oriented approach can provide a useful framework for researchers, interventionists, and teachers as they consider which different classroom practices or programs may be required to best meet the unique learning and developmental needs of different subgroups of children as they transition to school.
AB - Person-oriented methods recently have been used to examine school readiness patterns of strengths and weaknesses across multiple domains, but more research in high-risk samples is needed. The current study used latent profile analysis to examine whether teacher ratings could be used to identify distinct and valid readiness profiles among 301 high-risk, low-income kindergartners. Four profiles were identified: (1) Well-Adjusted, with strengths in every domain (42%), (2) Competent-Aggressive, with above-average academic abilities and elevated disruptive behavior (19%), (3) Academically Disengaged, with weaknesses in most domains but no disruptive behavior (22%), and (4) Multi-Risk, with severe weaknesses in every domain (17%). These four profiles differed on concurrent direct assessments of language and executive functioning, as well as on peer ratings of behavior. Results highlight heterogeneity among children at risk for poor school adjustment and indicate that valid profiles of school readiness can be derived from teacher ratings. Further, this study suggests that a person-oriented approach can provide a useful framework for researchers, interventionists, and teachers as they consider which different classroom practices or programs may be required to best meet the unique learning and developmental needs of different subgroups of children as they transition to school.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84990909851&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84990909851&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ecresq.2016.09.001
DO - 10.1016/j.ecresq.2016.09.001
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84990909851
SN - 0885-2006
VL - 38
SP - 33
EP - 43
JO - Early Childhood Research Quarterly
JF - Early Childhood Research Quarterly
ER -