The purpose of this study was to identify school adjustment groups by applying
a Latent Profile Analysis(LPA) and to investigate the effects of children’s
emotional problems and study habits on determining the membership of these
groups. LPA and multiple logistic regression were conducted using the data of
2,200 third-graders from the Korean Children and Youth Panel Study. The results
are listed as follows. First, four school adjustment groups were identified:
adjustment, approach to adjustment, maladjustment risk, and maladjustment group.
Second, accomplishment value and mastery goal orientation were relatively strong
predictors of membership of the school adjustment groups. Time management was
also a significant variable that predicted the membership of maladjustment or the
maladjustment-risk group. Third, attention problems and depression were the most
consistent predictors of membership of maladjustment or the maladjustment-risk
group. Physical symptoms and social withdrawal were also significant. Based on
the results, implications for intervention to promote early school adjustment were
discussed.