A Person-Centered Analysis of Risk Factors that Compromise Wellbeing in Emerging Adulthood.
The transition to adulthood is a major life course transition that can pose risk to wellbeing. Research is needed to identify patterns of risk for compromised wellbeing, in order to best identify supports for individuals during this potentially vulnerable transition. The purpose of this study was to identify profiles of risk in an emerging adulthood sample, and to relate these profiles to mental health and subjective and academic wellbeing. Undergraduate emerging adults (N = 903, 82 % female), aged 18-25 years (M = 21.14, SD = 1.75), completed a series of questionnaires about risk factors, mental health, and academic variables. Results from a latent profile analysis identified four distinct risk profiles: Low Risk (76 %), Low Social Support Risk (4 %), Financial Risk (11 %), and Multiple Risk (8 %). The risk profiles were subsequently related to mental health and subjective and academic wellbeing outcomes, using a pseudo-class draws approach. Analyses indicated that the risk-pattern profiles differed in several ways across outcomes. Implications for targeted interventions are discussed.
Department of Psychology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, QC, H4B 1R6, Canada. snewcombanjo@gmail.com.
Sarah E
SE
Newcomb-Anjo
Department of Psychology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, QC, H4B 1R6, Canada.
Erin T
ET
Barker
Department of Psychology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada.
Andrea L
AL
Howard
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D010551:Personality; D010553:Personality Development; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
Academic stress; Emerging adulthood; Latent profile analysis; Person-centered methods; Risk factors; Wellbeing