Identifying the Types of Trajectories for Each of the Five Child Behavior Checklist Sub-Concepts

This study aimed to investigate whether the trajectories of change for the sub-concepts of the Child Behavior Checklist — specifically depression and anxiety, attention, withdrawal, delinquency, and aggression — manifest as a single type or as various latent types. The necessity of this study stems from the limitations of current Child Behavior Checklist categorizations, which often fail to capture the nuanced trajectories of child behavior and emotional problems. Also, identifying diverse latent trajectories is crucial for understanding the complex patterns of behavioral and emotional development in children. By providing a more detailed categorization, this research can contribute to a better understanding of child and adolescent development, ultimately informing more targeted interventions and support strategies. Utilizing latent class growth analysis, we analyzed a sample of 747 participants from the Korea Welfare Panel Study’s supplementary survey of children. The major findings are as follows: depression and anxiety trajectories were distinguished into four categories; attention’s trajectories were distinguished into two categories; withdrawal’s trajectories were classified into two categories; delinquency’s trajectories were differentiated into two categories; and aggression’s trajectories were divided into three categories. These findings highlight the diverse patterns of behavioral and emotional development in children and underscore the importance of tailored approaches in supporting their psychosocial, emotional, and behavioral well-being.