Skip to main content

Table 3 Association between behavioural stability profiles, and sociodemographic and birth variables

From: Persistence and change in behavioural problems during early childhood

 

Normal n (%) or M (SD)

Improved n (%) or M (SD)

Concurrent n (%) or M (SD)

Persistent n (%) or M (SD)

Χ2 or F-value

Mother’s ethnicity

 European

3055 (63.2)

99 (31.3)

148 (35.5)

44 (19.1)

586.5**

 Maori

540 (11.2)

74 (23.4)

78 (18.7)

66 (28.7)

 

 Pacific

426 (8.8)

79 (25.0)

117 (28.1)

95 (41.3)

 

 Asian/Other

810 (16.8)

64 (20.3)

74 (17.7)

25 (10.9)

 

Mother’s education

 No secondary school

214 (4.4)

36 (11.4)

53 (12.8)

44 (19.2)

356.90**

 Secondary school/diploma/trade certificate

2399 (49.6)

222 (70.5)

282 (68.3)

157 (68.6)

 

 Bachelor’s degree or higher

2227 (46.0)

57 (18.1)

78 (18.9)

28 (12.2)

 

Mother’s age

 < 20 years

139 (2.9)

28 (8.8)

35 (8.4)

31 (13.4)

291.21**

 20 to 29 years

1652 (34.1)

167 (52.7)

220 (52.5)

134 (58.0)

 

 30 years and over

3053 (63.0)

122 (38.5)

164 (39.1)

66 (28.6)

 

Child’s gender

 Male

2481 (50.6)

176 (54.5)

249 (58.2)

136 (57.9)

13.97

 Female

2418 (49.4)

147 (45.5)

179 (41.8)

99 (42.1)

 

Parity

 First born

2056 (42.5)

133 (42.1)

183 (43.9)

87 (37.8)

2.37

 Subsequent birth

2785 (57.5)

183 (57.9)

234 (56.1)

143 (62.2)

 

Planned pregnancy

 Yes

3207 (66.5)

140 (44.4)

191 (46.0)

80 (34.9)

198.37**

 No

1619 (33.5)

175 (55.6)

224 (54.0)

149 (65.1)

 

Area-level deprivation

 Low

1603 (34.4)

56 (18.5)

63 (15.3)

16 (7.2)

389.48**

 Medium

1778 (38.2)

91 (30.1)

108 (26.2)

49 (22.2)

 

 High

1277 (27.4)

155 (51.3)

241 (58.5)

156 (70.6)

 

Rurality

 Urban

4181 (89.8)

284 (94.0)

380 (92.2)

215 (97.3)

20.58*

 Rural

477 (10.2)

18 (6.0)

32 (7.8)

6 (2.7)

 

 Gestational age in weeks

39.20 (1.71)

39.15 (1.67)

39.06 (1.67)

39.27 (1.42)

1.11

 Birthweight in grams

3526.35 (553.65)

3497.95 (553.78)

3459.73 (540.71)

3510.15 (545.86)

2.07

  1. Behavioural stability profiles were based on SDQ total difficulties categorisations at 2 and 4.5 years
  2. Note: **p < .001, *p < .05