Trajectories of positive youth development, predictors, and mental health outcomes among Chinese adolescents: Examining group differences amid rural‐to‐urban migration

Abstract Massive parental labor migration in China has created distinct developmental experiences for adolescents varied in rural or urban residency and parental migration status, yet limited research has examined heterogeneity in positive development across these diverse groups. This study investigated developmental trajectories of positive youth development (PYD), their key predictors, and associated mental health outcomes among 3331 Chinese adolescents ( M age = 11.91 years; 55.2% boys) across three waves from 2017 to 2019. Multigroup latent growth curve models were estimated for rural‐to‐urban migrant (27.5%), rural left‐behind (15.0%), rural local (10.7%), and urban local (46.7%) adolescents. The four adolescent groups differed significantly in initial PYD levels. Migrant and left‐behind adolescents demonstrated significant linear growth in PYD, while local adolescent groups showed stable levels; however, PYD slopes did not differ significantly across groups. Social mobility belief, parent–child communication, and positive school environment were independently and interactively related to initial PYD levels, with varying effects across groups. Increases in PYD were associated with decreases in depression and externalizing problem behaviors across all groups. These findings provide longitudinal evidence of positive development across diverse adolescent groups, offering insights into context‐specific developmental processes shaped by macro‐level contexts. Group variations highlight the need for context‐sensitive strategies to promote adolescents' positive development amid rural‐to‐urban migration.