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Table 2 Prevalence rates of mental health problems by relative age at school.

From: Continuous admission to primary school and mental health problems

Age-group (years), grade

N

CBCL Total Problems scores (mean, standard error)

P-value

  

Old

Middle

Young

 

5–6 (grade 2)

9,069

17.10 (0.27)

17.81 (0.27)

18.02 (0.28)

0.017 *

Cross-section

1,332

15.64 (0.64)

16.03 (0.67)

16.27 (0.65)

0.588 *

RCT

7,737

17.35 (0.30)

18.10 (0.30)

18.32 (0.30)

0.018 *

7–12 (grades 4–8)

1,602

18.73 (0.67)

18.31 (0.68)

18.77 (0.62)

0.696 *

13–15 (i.e. grades 1–3 of Dutch secondary school)

1,237

16.88 (0.86)

17.11 (0.71)

17.57 (0.80)

0.489 *

  

Prevalence rates of CHP assessed psychosocial problems ***

 
  

Old

Middle

Young

 

5–6 (grade 2)

9,172

297/2,990 (9.9%)

367/3,064 (12.0%)

422/3,118 (13.5%)

<0.0001 (2x) **

Cross-section

1,435

54/485 (11.1%)

660/464 (12.9%)

74/486 (15.2%)

0.166/0.059**

RCT

7,737

243/2,507 (9.7%)

308/2,601 (11.8%)

347/2,633 (13.2%)

<0.0001 (2x) **

7–12 (grades 4–8)

1,701

59/562 (10.5%)

61/535 (11.4%)

67/604 (11.1%)

0.888/0.751**

13–15 (i.e. grades 1–3 of Dutch secondary school)

1,344

52/415 (12.5%)

53/478 (11.1%)

50/451 (11.1%)

0.746/0.513 **

  1. Ages 5–6 concerns the combined cross-sectional and RCT data, the other two ages only concern the cross-sectional data. Data on the CBCL were lacking for 309 children in the cross-sectional study (these did not differ from the remaining regarding any of the variables indicated in Table 1). CBCL = Child Behavior Checklist. CHP = Child Health Professional (doctor or nurse).
  2. * Of Spearman correlation coefficient with relative age.
  3. ** Chi-square test and Mantel's test for linearity, respectively, for differences in prevalence rates by relative age.
  4. *** Number of children having a problem/total number of children.