Early predictors of behavioural problems in pre-schoolers – a longitudinal study of constitutional and environmental main and interaction effects

Table 3 Bivariate logistic regression predicting externalizing problems at age 3

	Odds ratio	95.0 % CI for OR	p-value
Externalizing ≥ 90th percentile
Apgar 5 min	2.380	0.506–11.198	0.272
Non-optimal birth characteristics	1.427	0.886–2.298	0.144
EPDS	2.952	1.705–5.113	<0.001
Life events	4.812	2.610–8.873	<0.001
LSS	3.275	1.728–6.205	<0.001
Parental unemployment	3.419	1.989–5.877	<0.001
Sex	1.480	0.941–2.329	0.090
Parental immigration status	1.948	1.070–3.546	0.029
Aggressive ≥ 90th percentile
Apgar 5 min	1.214	0.153–9.610	0.855
Non-optimal birth characteristics	1.182	0.704–1.986	0.528
EPDS	2.066	1.111–3.841	0.022
Life events	4.170	2.175–7.995	<0.001
LSS	2.075	0.983–4.379	0.056
Parental unemployment	2.981	1.667–5.331	<0.001
Sex	1.037	0.647–1.661	0.881
Parental immigration status	1.167	0.563–2.417	0.678
Destructive ≥ 90th percentile
Apgar 5 min	6.371	1.826–22.229	0.004
Non-optimal birth characteristics	1.635	1.021–2.618	0.041
EPDS	3.002	1.732–5.204	<0.001
Life events	2.911	1.481–5.724	0.002
LSS	3.325	1.754–6.304	<0.001
Parental unemployment	3.489	2.027–6.005	<0.001
Sex	1.804	1.133–2.872	0.013
Parental immigration status	2.578	1.463–4.543	0.001

CI confidence interval, OR odds ratio, EPDS Edinburgh postnatal depression scale, LSS life stress score, CBCL child behaviour checklist. Results concerning Small for Gestational Age (SGA), smoking during pregnancy, birthweight, duration of gestation, neonatal illness, non-optimal pregnancy/birth, BDNF and 5-HTTLPR were not statistically significant and are not shown
Logistic regression. Dependent variables: CBCL (externalizing, aggressive and destructive symptoms). Independent variables (0 is used as a reference level): Apgar (0 < 7, 1 ≥ 7), Non-optimal birth characteristics (0 = no birth adversity, 1 = one or more birth adversities), EPDS (0 ≤ 9, 1 ≥ 10), Life Events and LSS (0 < 90th percentile, 1 ≥ 90th percentile), Parental unemployment (0 = both parents employed, 1 = one or both parents unemployed), sex (0 = girls and 1 = boys), Parental immigration status (0 = both parents born in Sweden, 1 = one or both parents born abroad)

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