Vella SA, et al. - Using data from the first five waves of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC), researchers sought distinct trajectories of overall mental health risk among children aged 4-12 years, as well as factors predictive of these trajectories. The analysis yielded six distinct trajectories of mental health risk: Low Difficulty (72.9%), Improvers (9.7%), Decliners (7.9%), Early Decliners/Late Improvers (4.7%), Early Improvers/Late Decliners (2.7%), and High Difficulty (2.2%). Significant predictors of mental health trajectories were child sex, sociability, parental warmth, sports participation, and household income. To address the predictors and improve access to early mental health services, they recommend focusing on the High Difficulties group and the Early Improvers/Late Decliners group.