Transitions in Subtypes of Withdrawn Behavior from Childhood to Adolescence: The Role of Sports Participation

Withdrawn behavior broadly describes individuals who are isolated from their peer group. Though not a clinical disorder, withdrawn behavior is a construct involved in many psychological problems, and it is likely the behavioral manifestation of distinct motivations and developmental processes. Additionally, withdrawn behavior is often used interchangeably with other psychological constructs, including shyness, social disinterest, and peer exclusion, making accurate classification difficult. In an effort to better understand the classification and developmental course of withdrawn behavior in youth, the current study used latent class analysis (LCA) and latent transition analysis (LTA) to identify distinct subclasses of withdrawn youth and to examine how these youth transition between classes over child and adolescent development. Furthermore, the current study investigated one potential predictor of class transition, sports participation. Results yielded the same two withdrawn classes across time and gender. The majority of youth fell within Class 1, which represented a low symptom class. Class 2 represented a shy/secretive class. For girls, the interpretation of Class 2 changed at Time 3 (e.g., ages 14-17 years), such that the majority of girls in the shy/secretive class also exhibited depressed mood. The majority of youth remained in the same class across time points. Although sports participation did not predict transitions between withdrawn classes, class membership at Time 2 (e.g., ages 10-13 years) predicted sports participation at Time 3, for boys. Taken together, these findings further clarify the nosology and developmental course of withdrawn behavior and the relation between withdrawn behavior and sports participation. It is recommended that future studies identify predictors of class transition and investigate whether withdrawn classes predict diagnostic trajectories

Withdrawn behavior, leisure-time exercise behavior, and screen-time sedentary behavior in a clinical sample of youth

Few studies have explored the relation between withdrawn behavior (WB) and exercise and screen time. The current study used exploratory factor analysis to examine the factor structure of leisure-time exercise behavior (LTEB) and screentime sedentary behavior (STSB) in a clinical sample of youth. Structural equation modeling was employed to investigate the relations between WB and LTEB and STSB, conditional on gender. WB was assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist, and LTEB and STSB were measured using the Vermont Health Behavior Questionnaire. LTEB and STSB emerged as two separate factors. Gender moderated the structure of STSB only. For boys and girls, WB was inversely related to LTEB but not significantly related to STSB. LTEB and STSB are best represented as distinct, uncorrelated constructs. In addition, withdrawn youth may be at risk for poor health outcomes due to lower rates of LTEB. Mental health clinicians, sports psychologists, and related providers may be uniquely qualified to enhance motivation for sports participation in withdrawn youth. © 2016 Human Kinetics, Inc