Table 4 Mean SDQ score over time overall, by gender and in participants with very high total scores at baseline

Emotional problem scale

[0–10]

Boys (n = 38)

5.50

(2.05)

[1–10]

4.29

(2.02)

[0–9]

3.46

(2.19)

[0–8]

F(2,31) = 18.03

p < 0.001

^{b, d}

Girls (n = 33)

4.91

(1.96)

[1–8]

4.0

(1.97)

[0–9]

2.70

(1.56)

[0–6]

F(2,24) = 15.02

p < 0.001

^{c, d}

Overall

5.24

(2.0)

[1–10]

4.15

(1.97)

[0–9]

3.14

(1.95)

[0–8]

F(2,58) = 28.90

p < 0.001

^{b, c, d}

Conduct problem scale

[0–10]

Boys (n = 38)

3.77

(1.83)

[0–7]

2.50

(1.31)

[0–6]

2.11

(1.63)

[0–7]

F(2,29) = 4.69

p = 0.017

^b,d

Girls (n = 33)

3.30

(2.07)

[0–7]

1.56^a

(1.46)

[0–6]

1.64

(1.28)

[0–4]

χ²(2) = 15.31

p < 0.001

^{b, d}

Overall

3.55

(1.94)

[0–7]

2.03^a

(1.45)

[0–6]

1.91^a

(1.43)

[0–7]

χ²(2) = 25.40

p < 0.001

^{b, d}

Hyperactivity scale

[0–10]

Boys (n = 38)

5.42

(2.02)

[1–10]

3.62

(1.86)

[0–8]

3.19

(2.04)

[0–9]

F(2,33) = 17.55

p < 0.001

^{b, d}

Girls (n = 33)

4.94¹

(2.20)

[0–9]

3.61

(1.95)

[0–8]

2.86

(1.74)

[0–6]

χ²(2) = 12.65

p = 0.002

^{b, d}

Overall

5.21

(2.09)

[0–10]

3.59

(1.89)

[0–8]

3.08

(1.91)

[0–9]

F(2,61) = 24.20

p < 0.001

^{b, d}

Peer problem scale

[0–10]

Boys (n = 38)

3.80

(1.47)

[0–7]

3.14

(1.59)

[0–7]

2.91

(1.50)

[0–6]

F(2,30) = 4.95

p = 0.014

^d

Girls (n = 33)

3.75

(1.57)

[0–6]

3.0

(1.32)

[0–5]

2.61

(1.26)

[0–5]

F(2,24) = 2.43

p = 0.11

Overall

3.78

(1.51)

[0–7]

3.07

(1.45)

[0–7]

2.78

(1.39)

[0–6]

F(2,56) = 7.34

p = 0.001

^d

Prosocial scale

[10–0]

Boys (n = 38)

6.33

(1.95)

[2–10]

7.74

(1.40)

[4–10]

7.68

(1.96)

[3–10]

F(2,29) = 8.71

p = 0.001

^{b, d}

Girls (n = 33)

6.91

(1.93)

[4–10]

8.13

(1.45)

[5–10]

8.04

(1.53)

[5–10]

F(2,24) = 6.82

p = 0.005

^{b, d}

Overall

6.61

(1.93)

[2–10]

7.90

(1.44)

[4–10]

7.80

(1.79)

[3–10]

F(2,56) = 15.94

p < 0.001

^{b, d}

Total Difficulty Scale

[0–40]

Boys (n = 38)

18.52

(5.08)

[10–32]

13.61

(4.53)

[6–22]

11.24

(5.56)

[2–23]

F(2,25) = 22.14

p < 0.001

^{b, d}

Girls (n = 33)

16.97

(6.23)

[4–26]

12.27

(5.62)

[3–27]

9.74

(4.17)

[2–19]

F(2,21) = 15.69

p < 0.001

^d

Overall

17.77

(5.67)

[4–32]

12.9

(5.07)

[3–27]

10.62^a(4.98)

[2–23]

χ²(2) = 34.16

p < 0.001

^{b, c, d}

6.96

(1.33)

[4–10]

4.46

(2.21)

[1–9]

3.81

(2.29)

[0–8]

F(2,19) = 24.99

p < 0.001

^{b, d}

4.79

(1.50)

[2–7]

2.26

(1.81)

[0–6]

1.86

(1.35)

[0–5]

F(2,18) = 18.66

p < 0.001

^{b, d}

7.17

(1.20)

[5–10]

3.96

(1.94)

[1–8]

3.38

(2.22)

[0–9]

F(2,19) = 27.55

p < 0.001

^{b, d}

4.46

(1.32)

[2–6]

2.78

(1.70)

[0–6]

2.75

(1.48)

[0–6]

F(2,17) = 6.43

p = 0.008

^{b, d}

6.26

(2.30)

[2–10]

8.22

(1.54)

[4–10]

7.57

(2.20)

[3–10]

F(2,17) = 15.53

p < 0.001

^{b, d}

23.38^a

(2.95)

[20–32]

13.91

(5.93)

[3–27]

11.55

(5.64)

[4–23]

χ²(2) = 21.33

p < 0.001

^{b, d}