Social-Emotional Competence Growth Profiles in Upper Elementary School Years and Pathways to Mental Health Outcomes in Middle School.

ABSTRACT: Social-emotional competence (SEC) is an essential factor for healthy youth development. However, few studies have examined patterns of SEC growth trajectories among non-Western youth, and whether and how their SEC growth patterns during elementary school years predict later mental health. Using five-year panel data on a nationally representative sample of South Korean youth (N = 2607; 49.6% girl, M_age = 10, SD_age = 0.1 at baseline), we first identified three latent profiles of SEC growth trajectories throughout upper elementary years (Grades 4 to 6), distinguished by initial and continued mean-level differences in both self-management and group collaboration. Informed by self-determination theory, we found that these SEC growth profiles significantly predicted

SUBMITTER: Lee J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12652882 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature