Table 4.
Comparison of patterns of LD (language disorder) by SEB (social, emotional and behavioural) difficulties scores from 4 to 7 years of age with (1) comparing unstable LD vs never LD and (2) comparing persistent LD vs never LD (N = 771)
| Never LD Mean (sd), n = 593 |
Unstable LD Mean (sd), n = 134 |
Persistent LD Mean (sd), n = 44 |
Unadjusted mean diff (95% CI) (1) |
P value | Unadjusted mean diff (95% CI) (2) |
P value | Adjusted mean diff (95% CI) (1)a | P value | Adjusted mean diff (95% CI) (2)a | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 years of age | |||||||||||
| Emotional symptoms | 1.32 (1.47) | 1.76 (1.68) | 1.75 (1.37) | 0.44 (0.16, 0.72) | 0.002 | 0.43 (− 0.03, 0.90) | 0.07 | 0.37 (0.09, 0.66) | 0.01 | 0.39 (− 0.10, 0.87) | 0.1 |
| Conduct problems | 1.45 (1.38) | 1.90 (1.50) | 2.36 (1.61) | 0.45 (0.19, 0.72) | 0.001 | 0.91 (0.48, 1.34) | < 0.001 | 0.36 (0.10, 0.63) | 0.007 | 0.71 (0.25, 1.16) | 0.002 |
| Hyperactivity/inattention | 3.10 (2.10) | 3.75 (2.38) | 5.14 (2.71) | 0.66 (0.24, 1.07) | 0.002 | 2.04 (1.37, 2.71) | < 0.001 | 0.42 (0.01, 0.84) | 0.04 | 1.54 (0.84, 2.24) | < 0.001 |
| Peer problems | 1.17 (1.35) | 1.78 (1.56) | 2.07 (1.70) | 0.60 (0.34, 0.87) | < 0.001 | 0.89 (0.46, 1.33) | < 0.001 | 0.53 (0.26, 0.80) | < 0.001 | 0.71 (0.25, 1.17) | 0.003 |
| Prosocial behaviour | 7.53 (1.79) | 7.13 (1.76) | 6.90 (1.84) | − 0.40 (− 0.73, − 0.06) | 0.02 | − 0.63 (− 1.18, − 0.09) | 0.02 | − 0.27 (− 0.60, 0.07) | 0.1 | − 0.26 (− 0.83, 0.32) | 0.4 |
| Total difficulties | 7.04 (4.06) | 9.19 (4.75) | 11.31 (4.89) | 2.16 (1.36, 2.95) | < 0.001 | 4.28 (2.98, 5.58) | < 0.001 | 1.69 (0.91, 2.47 | < 0.001 | 3.34 (2.01, 4.67) | < 0.001 |
| 5 years of age | |||||||||||
| Emotional symptoms | 1.29 (1.41) | 1.48 (1.52) | 1.68 (1.51) | 0.19 (− 0.08, 0.46) | 0.2 | 0.39 (− 0.05, 0.83) | 0.08 | 0.13 (− 0.14, 0.40) | 0.4 | 0.27 (− 0.20, 0.74) | 0.3 |
| Conduct problems | 1.34 (1.36) | 1.67 (1.45) | 2.07 (1.81) | 0.32 (0.06, 0.59) | 0.02 | 0.73 (0.30, 1.16) | 0.001 | 0.23 (− 0.03, 0.50) | 0.08 | 0.63 (0.17, 1.09) | 0.007 |
| Hyperactivity/inattention | 2.83 (2.05) | 3.43 (2.31) | 4.43 (2.60) | 0.60 (0.20, 1.00) | 0.004 | 1.60 (0.95, 2.26) | < 0.001 | 0.38 (− 0.02, 0.78) | 0.06 | 1.13 (0.43, 1.82) | 0.002 |
| Peer problems | 0.93 (1.23) | 1.20 (1.31) | 1.66 (1.61) | 0.28 (0.04, 0.51) | 0.02 | 0.74 (0.35, 1.12) | < 0.001 | 0.20 (− 0.05, 0.44) | 0.1 | 0.53 (0.11, 0.95) | 0.01 |
| Prosocial behaviour | 8.03 (1.70) | 7.84 (1.68) | 7.39 (1.85) | − 0.20 (− 0.52, 0.12) | 0.2 | − 0.65 (− 1.17, − 0.12) | 0.02 | − 0.09 (− 0.42, 0.23) | 0.6 | − 0.30 (− 0.86, 0.27) | 0.3 |
| Total difficulties | 6.39 (3.96) | 7.78 (4.15) | 9.85 (5.61) | 1.39 (0.62, 2.16) | < 0.001 | 3.46 (2.20, 4.72) | < 0.001 | 0.94 (0.19, 1.69) | 0.02 | 2.55 (1.25, 3.86) | < 0.001 |
| 7 years of age | |||||||||||
| Emotional symptoms | 1.50 (1.72) | 1.68 (1.83) | 1.61 (1.51) | 0.18 (− 0.14, 0.50) | 0.3 | 0.11 (− 0.42, 0.64) | 0.42 | 0.09 (− 0.24, 0.42) | 0.6 | 0.16 (− 0.42, 0.74) | 0.6 |
| Conduct problems | 1.24 (1.39) | 1.55 (1.64) | 1.93 (1.80) | 0.32 (0.04, 0.59) | 0.02 | 0.70 (0.25, 1.14) | 0.002 | 0.20 (− 0.08, 0.48) | 0.2 | 0.64 (0.15, 1.12) | 0.01 |
| Hyperactivity/inattention | 2.70 (2.16) | 3.64 (2.71) | 4.30 (2.75) | 0.94 (0.51, 1.37) | < 0.001 | 1.59 (0.89, 2.30) | < 0.001 | 0.77 (0.33, 1.20) | 0.001 | 1.06 (0.29, 1.83) | 0.007 |
| Peer problems | 0.82 (1.18) | 1.22 (1.67) | 1.39 (1.45) | 0.40 (0.16, 0.64) | 0.001 | 0.57 (0.17, 0.69) | 0.005 | 0.27 (0.02, 0.51) | 0.03 | 0.41 (− 0.03, 0.84) | 0.07 |
| Prosocial behaviour | 8.38 (1.63) | 8.25 (1.70) | 7.82 (1.96) | − 0.13 (− 0.45, 0.18) | 0.40 | − 0.56 (− 1.07, − 0.05) | 0.03 | − 0.08 (− 0.39, 0.24) | 0.6 | − 0.71 (− 1.26, − 0.15) | 0.01 |
| Total difficulties | 6.26 (4.31) | 8.09 (5.92) | 9.23 (5.68) | 1.84 (0.95, 2.72) | < 0.001 | 2.97 (1.53, 4.42) | < 0.001 | 1.33 (0.45, 2.20) | 0.003 | 2.26 (0.72, 3.80) | 0.004 |
aAdjusted for sex, SEIFA disadvantage score at baseline, mother’s education level at baseline, maternal mental health score at each age, maternal age at baseline, non-verbal IQ at age 4 or 7, English spoken at home at baseline and family history of communication problems