Appendix 1

Distribution of demographic characteristics, home learning, family routines and psychosocial environment for full and analysed samples

Age 3Age 5
Full sample at age 3 (n=15 382)Socioemotional difficulties (n=11 562)School readiness (n=10 930)Verbal ability (n=11 467)Full sample at age 5 (n=15 042)Socioemotional difficulties (n=13 603)Verbal ability (n=13 537)Non-verbal ability (n=13 533)Spatial ability (n=13 488)
Gender
 Girls49.049.350.249.548.949.149.249.149.2
 Boys51.050.749.850.551.250.950.850.950.8
Demographic characteristics
 Child is firstborn
  Yes41.942.742.942.841.842.442.442.342.4
  No58.157.357.157.258.257.657.657.757.6
 Languages spoken in the home
  English only90.194.594.694.690.292.892.792.792.7
  Any others spoken9.95.55.45.49.87.27.37.37.3
 Mother's age at time of birth
  35+18.318.618.418.617.017.017.017.117.0
  30–3432.733.834.033.830.030.530.530.430.5
  25–2927.227.227.227.128.127.928.028.028.0
  20–2414.914.014.114.216.816.416.516.416.4
  13–196.96.36.46.48.18.18.18.18.0
Sweep 2 (age 3)
 Family income at 3 years
  Richest7.88.68.68.6
  Band 218.719.819.919.9
  Band 321.022.522.722.6
  Band 423.323.223.523.3
  Poorest17.015.715.615.7
  Don't know or refused12.210.29.610.1
Home learning
 A parent has basic skills difficulties
  No85.186.987.186.984.385.385.285.285.2
  Yes41.913.112.913.115.714.714.814.814.8
 Someone reads stories to the child
  Every day63.866.766.666.5
  1–6 days per week31.529.930.030.1
  Less often4.83.43.43.4
 Visits to the library
  At least weekly7.67.98.08.0
  Less often92.492.192.092.0
Age 3Age 5
Full sample at age 3 (n=15 382)Socioemotional difficulties (n=11 562)School readiness (n=10 930)Verbal ability (n=11 467)Full sample at age 5 (n=15 042)Socioemotional difficulties (n=13 603)Verbal ability (n=13 537)Non-verbal ability (n=13 533)Spatial ability (n=13 488)
 Help with the alphabet
  At least weekly68.769.469.269.3
  Less often31.330.630.830.7
 Help with numbers/counting
  At least weekly91.992.993.192.9
  Less often8.17.16.97.1
 Learning songs, poems or rhymes
  At least weekly92.293.893.993.8
  Less often7.86.26.16.2
 Does drawing and painting
  At least weekly94.495.095.395.1
  Less often5.65.04.74.9
Family routines
 Regular bedtimes
  Usually/always80.682.882.782.7
  Rarely/never19.417.217.317.3
 Regular mealtimes
  Usually/always91.893.493.493.4
  Rarely/never8.36.66.76.6
Psychosocial environment
 Maternal K6
  Score <990.491.491.491.3
  Score ≥99.68.68.78.7
 Child–parent relationship (Pianta) scale*
  Normal86.186.886.686.7
  High13.913.313.413.4
 Discipline strategies score*
  Normal89.189.289.289.1
  High10.910.810.810.9
 Parent–child items from HOME Inventory score*
  Normal88.989.590.089.7
  High11.110.510.010.3
 Mother's parenting competence
  Better than average59.059.659.459.3
  Average or worse41.040.440.640.7
 Family rules
  Lots of rules30.831.731.831.9
  Not many rules42.441.041.040.9
  It varies26.827.327.227.3
 Enforcement of rules
  Strictly enforced49.451.050.951.0
  Not very strictly enforced23.922.422.322.3
  It varies26.726.626.926.7
Sweep 3 (age 5)
 Family income at 5 years
  Richest9.810.310.310.310.3
  Band 220.721.621.521.521.6
  Band 320.821.521.521.521.5
  Band 424.424.024.024.023.9
  Poorest15.014.414.414.414.3
  Don't know or refused9.38.48.38.38.3
Home learning
 Someone reads stories to the child
  Every day55.056.256.056.056.0
  1–6 days per week41.741.341.341.441.3
Age 3Age 5
Full sample at age 3 (n=15 382)Socioemotional difficulties (n=11 562)School readiness (n=10 930)Verbal ability (n=11 467)Full sample at age 5 (n=15 042)Socioemotional difficulties (n=13 603)Verbal ability (n=13 537)Non-verbal ability (n=13 533)Spatial ability (n=13 488)
  Less often3.32.62.62.62.6
 Help with reading
  At least weekly97.697.998.098.098.0
  Less often2.42.12.02.02.0
 Help with writing
  At least weekly87.487.787.887.887.8
  Less often12.612.312.212.212.2
 Help with numbers
  At least weekly89.990.290.290.290.2
  Less often10.19.99.89.89.8
 Telling stories to the child
  At least weekly67.768.068.168.068.0
  Less often32.332.032.032.032.0
 Visits to the library
  At least weekly9.08.88.88.88.8
  Less often91.091.291.291.291.3
 Musical activities
  At least weekly91.592.492.292.292.2
  Less often8.57.77.87.87.8
 Draws, paints or makes things
  At least weekly75.075.475.375.375.3
  Less often25.024.624.724.724.7
Family routines
 Regular bedtimes
  Usually/always90.190.890.890.890.8
  Rarely/never9.99.29.29.29.2
 Regular mealtimes
  Usually/always93.093.693.693.693.6
  Rarely/never7.06.46.46.46.4
Psychosocial environment
 Maternal K6
  Score <989.790.390.190.190.2
  Score ≥910.39.79.99.99.8
 Discipline strategies score*
  Normal84.184.484.484.384.4
  High15.915.615.615.715.6
 Mother's parenting competence
  Better than average59.860.059.959.959.9
  Average or worse40.240.040.140.140.1
 Whether the mother felt close to the child
  Extremely close70.070.370.170.170.1
  Less close30.029.729.929.929.9
  • * High scores indicate unfavourable circumstances.

  • HOME, Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment.