Exploring latent writing profiles and their connection to intervention responsiveness

We investigated whether elementary students identified as needing intensive early writing interventions exhibit distinct writing profiles based on key writing dimensions—accuracy, productivity, and quality/complexity. We also explored whether the effects of writing support within a Data-Based Individualization (DBI) framework differed by students' writing profile membership. Latent profile analysis conducted on a sample of students (N = 289) with intensive early writing needs—approximately half of whom received DBI support, while the rest received business-as-usual writing instruction—identified three distinct profiles. These profiles varied in the specificity and severity of needs across the writing dimensions. Mixed-effects modeling revealed that students' profile membership did not moderate the impact of DBI on post-intervention writing outcomes. We discuss these findings in relation to theoretical and methodological implications for better understanding and examining young students struggling with beginning writing, as well as practical implications for instructional and assessment practices.