Table 4.

Strengths and difficulties questionnaire means (95% CI) scores from the Northern Ireland youth wellbeing survey and mental health of children and young people by age and gender.

	Total sample		Boys		Girls
5-10 Years	UK (2017) (N = 1428)	NI (2020) (N = 1134)	UK (2017) (N = 711)	NI (2020) N = (604)	UK (2017) (N = 717)	NI (2020) (530)
Total difficulties	8.16 (7.81–8.51)	8.67 (8.24–9.09)	8.92 (8.39–9.45)	9.94 (9.31–10.560	7.32 (6.85–7.79)	7.22 (6.68–7.76)
Emotional symptoms	1.99 (1.87–2.11)	2.14 (2.00–2.29)	1.95 (1.80–2.11)	2.32 (2.12–2.53)	2.03 (1.85–2.20)	1.94 (1.74–2.15)
Conduct problems	1.49 (1.40–1.59)	1.45 (1.35–1.55)	1.68 (1.53–1.82)	1.65 (1.50–1.79)	1.29 (1.16–1.43)	1.23 (1.10–1.36)
Hyperactivity and inattention	3.45 (3.29–3.62)	3.51 (3.34–3.68)	3.93 (3.69–4.18)	4.18 (3.93–4.43)	2.92 (2.71–3.14)	2.75 (2.54–2.97)
Peer problems	1.22 (1.13–1.32)	1.54 (1.43–1.65)	1.36 (1.21–1.50)	1.77 (1.60–1.94)	1.08 (0.96–1.19)	1.28 (1.13–1.43)
Prosocial behaviour	8.73 (8.62–8.84)	8.40 (8.28–8.52)	8.41 (8.23–8.58)	8.03 (7.85–8.21)	9.09 (8.97–9.22)	8.82 (8.67–8.96)
	Total sample		Boys		Girls
11–16 years	UK (2017) (N = 4228)	NI (2020) (N = 810)	UK (2017) (N = 2135)	NI (2020) (N = 432)	UK (2017) (N = 2093)	NI (2020) (N = 378)
Total difficulties	7.92 (7.40–8.45)	10.14 (9.68–10.60)	8.26 (7.46–9.1)	10.29 (9.63–10.94)	7.59 (7.02–8.16)	9.92 (9.28–10.56)
Emotional symptoms	2.21 (2.05–2.37)	2.97 (2.80–3.13)	1.91 (1.68–2.1)	2.51 (2.30–2.72)	2.51 (2.31–2.72)	3.49 (3.23–3.74)
Conduct problems	1.25 (1.12–1.38)	1.61 (1.49–1.73)	1.37 (1.17–1.6)	1.82 (1.64–2.00)	1.13 (1.00–1.27)	1.38 (1.22–1.54)
Hyperactivity and inattention	2.78 (2.59–2.96)	3.82 (3.64–4.01)	3.20 (2.90–3.5)	4.15 (3.89–4.42)	2.37 (2.15–2.58)	3.43 (3.18–3.68)
Peer problems	1.68 (1.53–1.83)	1.72 (1.59–1.84)	1.78 (1.54–2.0)	1.78 (1.60–1.97)	1.58 (1.41–1.74)	1.61 (1.45–1.78)
Prosocial behaviour	8.64 (8.50–8.78)	8.09 (7.97–8.21)	8.45 (8.24–8.70)	7.71 9 (7.54–7.88)	8.82 (8.66–8.99)	8.54 (8.38–8.69)