Mapping area variability in social and behavioural difficulties among Glasgow pre-schoolers: linkage of a survey of pre-school staff with routine monitoring data

Barry, S.J.E. , Marryat, L., Thompson, L. , Ellaway, A. , White, J., McClung, M. and Wilson, P. (2015) Mapping area variability in social and behavioural difficulties among Glasgow pre-schoolers: linkage of a survey of pre-school staff with routine monitoring data. Child: Care, Health and Development, 41(6), pp. 853-864. (doi: 10.1111/cch.12237) (PMID:25707313)

Abstract

Background: Social, emotional and behavioural development in early to middle childhood impact upon many outcomes in future life and are influenced by home, neighbourhood and school environments. We used linked data to investigate differences between areas in Glasgow City in level of difficulties in pre-school age children, after consideration of demographics, including area-level deprivation. Methods: Pre-school education staff completed Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires (SDQ) on all children progressing to school from a local authority or partnership (local authority-funded private) pre-school in Glasgow City between 2010 and 2012. These data were linked to individual (age, gender) and area-level (deprivation) demographics from the City Council Education Services Department. Statistical models were fitted to the SDQ scores, adjusting for age, gender, area deprivation, year of school entry, pre-school establishment attended and electoral ward of residence. Correlation between neighbouring wards was incorporated to allow for clustering of scores. Results: Boys and those living in more deprived areas had higher levels of difficulties. Children aged 5.0–5.5 years had fewest difficulties, while the oldest and youngest children had similar levels of difficulties. There were no significant secular trends by year of school entry. There remained differences among areas after adjusting for these variables, with children living in some areas having fewer difficulties than would be expected based on their socio-demographic characteristics. Conclusions: There remained differences in children's levels of difficulties between areas after adjusting for age, gender, area deprivation and year of school entry. Children in some very deprived areas had fewer difficulties than might be expected, while those in relatively affluent areas had more difficulties than expected based on their deprivation level. There may be other, unmeasured, individual- and area-level reasons for children's level of difficulties, and these require further exploration.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Ellaway, Dr Anne and Thompson, Dr Lucy and Wilson, Prof Philip and White, Mrs Jane and Barry, Dr Sarah and Marryat, Dr Louise
• Authors: Barry, S.J.E., Marryat, L., Thompson, L., Ellaway, A., White, J., McClung, M., and Wilson, P.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Robertson Centre; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > MRC/CSO SPHSU; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Mental Health and Wellbeing; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Public Health; College of Science and Engineering > School of Mathematics and Statistics > Statistics
• Journal Name: Child: Care, Health and Development
• Publisher: Wiley
• ISSN: 0305-1862
• ISSN (Online): 1365-2214
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2015 Wiley
• First Published: First published in Child: Care, Health and Development 41(6):853-864
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher.