Psychosocial Profiles and Reintegration-Relevant Indicators Among Korean Youth Completing Probation: A Latent Profile Analysis

Abstract

Although research on psychosocial factors among youth on probation is well established using variable-centered approaches, studies using person-centered analytic methods to examine how these factors co-occur within individuals in this population remain scarce. To fill this gap, the current study applied latent profile analysis to 197 Korean youth aged 15–19 surveyed as they completed or had recently completed probation. Three distinct psychosocial profiles were identified: Low-Risk (24.4%), Medium-Risk (53.3%), and High-Risk (22.3%). Multinomial logistic regression showed that higher desistance identity and stronger probation officer relationships were associated with Low-Risk membership compared with both other groups, while no reintegration-relevant indicator differentiated High-from Medium-Risk youth in the main model. The findings highlight the need for person-centered intervention strategies that tailor supervision and services to the specific psychosocial needs of these youth.