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Behavioral problems are commonly observed in primary school children, yet the educational contexts in which children's behaviors occur vary across regions of the world. Thus, culturally adapted and context-specific behavioral assessments are needed to successfully identify and support children at risk for severe behavior problems. This study examines behavior problems in a nationally representative sample (N = 700) of primary school students in Trinidad and Tobago using the Adjustment Scales for Children and Adolescents, a contextually-based assessment that has been adapted and standardized for use with this population. We applied latent profile analysis, a person-centered approach, to identify distinct patterns of behavior problems and contexts in which behaviors occurred. The resultant 6-profile model consisted of two profiles of adjusted children making up 60% of the sample and four profiles of at-risk children with elevated underactive and/or overactive behavior problems associated with different classroom contexts. Profiles were differentially associated with classroom learning behaviors and reading ability. The most vulnerable subgroup of primary school students showed high levels of under- and overactive behaviors in peer, learning, and teacher contexts, deficits in reading fluency, problem-solving, and motivation.

Caregivers who interact with children at home can provide a critical, complementary perspective on a child's behaviour functioning. This research used a parent‐administered measure of problem behaviours to study perceptions of child behaviours across home situations. We applied latent profile analysis to identify subgroups of children with common behavioural tendencies in a nationally representative sample (N = 709) of 4‐ to 13‐year‐old children in Trinidad and Tobago. This study (a) identified latent profiles of children's over‐ and underactive behaviour problems in varied home settings and (b) examined how profile membership predicted academic skills and teacher‐observed problem behaviours. The best‐fitting four‐profile model included one profile of adjusted behaviours (56%), one of the elevated attention‐seeking behaviours (21%), a profile featuring withdrawn and disengaged behaviours (15%) and a relatively rare profile emphasising aggressive behaviours (8%). Children classified in the last profile displayed the poorest academic outcomes and the highest levels of teacher‐observed behaviour problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]