Table 1

Mean Subscale Scores by age and gender for the parent completed SDQ in a community sample of 3 – 17 year old Chinese children


Mean Scores (Std. Dev.)

SDQ Scale Parent
Total (n = 1965)
[Male n = 950, Female = 1015]
3 – 10 years (n = 1217)
[Male n = 595, Female = 622]
11 – 17 years (n = 748)
[Male n = 355, Female = 393]

Emotional Symptoms
1.97 (1.83) [UK 1.9]*
Male
1.84 (1.77)
2.09 (1.83)
Male
1.94 (1.75)
1.76 (1.83)
Male
1.66 (1.81)


Female
2.09 (1.88)

Female
2.25 (1.89)

Female
1.85(1.85)
Conduct Problems
1.57 (1.45) [UK 1.6]*
Male
1.77 (1.55)
1.59 (1.42)
Male
1.80 (1.52)
1.53 (1.50)
Male
1.72 (1.60)


Female
1.39 (1.33)

Female
1.40 (1.30)

Female
1.35(1.40)
Hyperactivity – Inattention
4.22 (2.42) [UK 3.5]*
Male
4.64 (2.44)
4.49 (2.45)
Male
4.88 (2.47)
3.77 (2.30)
Male
4.25 (2.35)


Female
3.83 (2.33)

Female
4.13 (2.38)

Female
3.33 (2.16)
Peer Problems
2.71 (1.67) [UK 1.5]*
Male
2.84 (1.69)
2.71 (1.70)
Male
2.70 (1.74)
2.72 (1.62)
Male
3.05 (1.59)


Female
2.59 (1.64)

Female
2.71 (1.67)

Female
2.42 (1.58)
Prosocial Behaviour
7.14 (1.98) [UK 8.6]*
Male
6.80 (2.01)
7.16 (1.91)
Male
6.84 (1.94)
7.13 (2.07)
Male
6.76 (2.12)


Female
7.46 (1.89)

Female
7.47 (1.83)

Female
7.46 (1.97)
Total Difficulties
10.48 (4.93) [UK 8.4]*
Male
11.09 (4.99)
10.89 (4.84)
Male
11.32(4.89)
9.77 (5.00)
Male
11.03 (5.17)


Female
9.90 (4.80)

Female
10.49 (4.77)

Female
8.27 (5.11)

* UK norms as reported in [38]

Du et al. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health 2008 2:8   doi:10.1186/1753-2000-2-8