Mental health trajectory groups: Family income, neighborhood disadvantage, and role of the school environment

AI Summary

Low family income predicted persistent clinically elevated internalizing and externalizing trajectories from ages 9 to 13; neighborhood disadvantage showed no significant association.
Positive school climate independently predicted membership in low-decreasing internalizing and externalizing trajectories, acting as a promotive factor rather than moderating socioeconomic risks.
Interventions should prioritise family economic support and improving school climate to reduce adolescent mental health problems.

AI Summary

While family income and neighborhood disadvantage have been associated with adolescent mental health, less is known about their independent associations with distinct, group-based patterns of change.

Moreover, little is known about how school environments are associated with such mental health trajectory patterns, and if they serve as independent promotive factors or are protective factors that mitigate risk.

Growth mixture modeling was utilized to identify subgroups with distinct mental health trajectories, and logistic regression was used to examine the association between family income, neighborhood environment and trajectory group membership, and moderation by baseline school and school district characteristics, controlling for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and parental education.

Basic summary

J Res Adolesc. 2026 Jun;36(2):e70213. doi: 10.1111/jora.70213.

ABSTRACT

While family income and neighborhood disadvantage have been associated with adolescent mental health, less is known about their independent associations with distinct, group-based patterns of change. Moreover, little is known about how school environments are associated with such mental health trajectory patterns, and if they serve as independent promotive factors or are protective factors that mitigate risk. Data come from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study^SM(ABCD study^®; n = 9769; baseline through year 2; ages 9-13). Internalizing and externalizing behaviors were measured with the Child Behavior Checklist. Growth mixture modeling was utilized to identify subgroups with distinct mental health trajectories, and logistic regression was used to examine the association between family income, neighborhood environment and trajectory group membership, and moderation by baseline school and school district characteristics, controlling for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and parental education. Two trajectory classes were identified for internalizing (91%; low-decreasing, 9%; high-increasing) and externalizing behaviors (92%; low-decreasing, 8%; high-stable). Lower family income was associated with a high-increasing trajectory pattern of internalizing and a high-stable pattern of externalizing behaviors. A more positive school climate predicted belonging to the low-decreasing trajectory group for internalizing and externalizing behaviors, though there was no evidence of moderation. Low family income, but not neighborhood disadvantage, was a risk factor for trajectories of internalizing and externalizing behavior elevated within a clinical range that persisted from age 9 through early adolescence. However, a positive school climate was a promotive, rather than a protective, factor for internalizing and externalizing trajectories. Supporting families with resources and enhancing the school context may improve adolescent mental health.

PMID:42322025 | DOI:10.1111/jora.70213

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