Development Trajectories and Influencing Factors of Conduct Problems in Adolescents from Low-Income Families

To investigate the heterogeneous characteristics of the developmental trajectories of conduct problems in adolescents from low-income families and their influencing factors, this study employed a cohort sequential design to conduct a two-year longitudinal survey of 504 adolescents from low-income families (M = 13.99 ± 1.84 years). Results revealed significant heterogeneity in the manifestation of conduct problems among adolescents, leading to the identification of four distinct subgroups: the middle-remission group, the steep-rise group, the constant-low group, and the high-remission group. Additionally, parental style, school connectedness, hope, and coping style emerged as significant predictors for each subgroup’s conduct problems. This study elucidated the developmental trajectory patterns of conduct problems in adolescents from low-income families, and refined group characteristics. It provided a more accurate direction and strategy for designing interventions tailored to adolescents from low-income families.