Latent Profiles of School-Contextual Self-Determination Constructs among Middle School Students : Differences in Problem Behaviors and Smartphone Addiction and Predictors

This study explored latent profiles of self-determination in school contexts among early adolescents, analyzed differences in internalizing and externalizing problems as well as smartphone addiction across these profiles, and examined predictors of profile membership. Data from the 14th wave of the Panel Study on Korean Children were used, focusing on 1,049 first-year middle school students. The latent profile analysis identified five distinct groups. BCH tests indicated significant differences among the groups, with those in the overall low, relatedness-skewed–competence-vulnerable, and externally pressured profiles experiencing higher levels of maladjustment. Additionally, multinomial logistic regression revealed that self-esteem, achievement pressure, and parental attachment were significant predictors of profile membership. These findings emphasize the diversity in adolescents' self-determination and its implications for their psychological and behavioral adjustment.