Asset Profiles That Support Latinx Adolescents’ School Functioning and Mental Health

J Lat Psychol. 2025 Jul 17. doi: 10.1037/lat0000301. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The present study had two aims: (a) to take a person-centered approach and identify profiles of assets that include active coping, bicultural competency, and preparation for bias, among Latinx adolescents, and (b) examine the relations between asset profiles and Latinx adolescents’ school functioning and mental health. The present study used cross-sectional data from 201 middle school students (M = 12.35, SD = 1.05). Latent profile analysis was used to identify unique profiles, and a classify-analyze approach was taken to examine differences in school belonging, grades, and depressive symptoms by profile membership. Five unique profiles emerged, the average competencies-low bias preparation; high competencies-low bias preparation; average assets; high assets; and average to low competencies-high bias preparation profiles. The ANCOVAs showed adolescents’ school belonging and depressive symptoms differed by profile membership, no differences were found for grades. Latinx adolescents rely on both universal and ethnic-cultural assets to support school belonging and mental health (i.e., lower depressive symptoms).

PMID:40927429 | PMC:PMC12416907 | DOI:10.1037/lat0000301