Profiles of Academic Demands and Resources Predicting Engagement and Motivation Among At-Risk Students

This study examined how students’ personal resources (academic efficacy and future goals) and teacher-student relationships associate with academic outcomes within a school-based early intervention programme designed to support socio-emotional and motivational functioning. Latent Profile Analysis identified five profiles across two time points: Diminished-Resource, Low-Conflict, Moderate-Resource–Moderate-Conflict, Elevated-Conflict, and Adaptive-Low-Conflict. Approximately 43% of students transitioned between profiles, with a notable pattern of one-third moving from Adaptive-Low-Conflict to Elevated-Conflict over time. Profiles characterised by higher personal resources predicted future goals and academic efficacy. Behavioural engagement, however, showed unexpected results, with profiles that demonstrated elevated conflict exhibiting the highest engagement. The findings underscore the dynamic nature of students’ demands–resources configurations and suggest that uniform interventions may be insufficient for this population. Profile-specific assessment and targeted support, including intentional efforts to strengthen teacher-student relationships, may be critical for optimising engagement and motivational outcomes among students experiencing elevated academic and relational demands. Implications for school-based practitioners and early intervention design are discussed.