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Table 3 Differences in specific items on the Life Events Scale at baseline and follow-up

From: Adolescents’ reactions to participating in ethically sensitive research: a prospective self-report study

Life event

Baseline

Follow-up

Enjoy n (%)

Worry/upset n (%)

Enjoy n (%)

Worry/upset n (%)

Yesa

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

n = 1462

n = 373

n = 304

n = 1602

n = 1430

n = 451

n = 235

n = 1694

Problems with schoolwork

χ2 = 1.01, p = 0.06

χ2 = 24.66, p = 0.00

χ2 = 1.94, p = 0.38

χ2 = 14.94, p = 0.00

624 (42.68)

167 (44.77)

170 (55.92)

647 (40.38)

719 (50.28)

242 (53.66)

147 (62.55)

840 (49.59)

Making/keeping friends

χ2 = 1.03, p = 0.06

χ2 = 31.78, p = 0.00

χ2 = 0.66, p = 0.72

χ2 = 23.75, p = 0.00

293 (20.04)

83 (22.25)

89 (29.28)

298 (18.60)

307 (21.47)

102 (22.62)

79 (33.62)

337 (19.89)

Arguments/fights with friends

χ2 = 3.40, p = 0.02

χ2 = 22.05, p = 0.00

χ2 = 3.29, p = 0.19

χ2 = 17.61, p = 0.00

370 (25.31)

108 (28.95)

106 (34.87)

383 (23.91)

372 (26.01)

137 (30.38)

90 (38.30)

429 (25.32)

Problems with girl/boyfriend

χ2 = 1.46, p = 0.48

χ2 = 32.73, p = 0.00

χ2 = 0.55, p = 0.76

χ2 = 23.57, p = 0.00

126 (8.62)

38 (10.19)

53 (17.43)

117 (7.30)

172 (12.03)

60 (13.30)

49 (20.85)

189 (11.16)

Bullied at school

χ2 = 1.45, p = 0.48

χ2 = 14.40, p = 0.00

χ2 = 0.03, p = 0.98

χ2 = 31.92, p = 0.00

216 (14.77)

59 (15.82)

65 (21.38)

223 (13.92)

181 (12.66)

58 (12.86)

57 (24.26)

193 (11.39)

Parents separated or divorced

χ2 = 1.15, p = 0.56

χ2 = 6.82, p = 0.03

χ2 = 0.35, p = 0.84

χ2 = 8.53, p = 0.01

42 (2.87)

11 (2.95)

15 (4.93)

41 (2.56)

41 (2.87)

12 (2.66)

12 (5.11)

42 (2.48)

Serious arguments with parents

χ2 = 6.71, p = 0.04

χ2 = 55.76, p = 0.00

χ2 = 11.43, p = 0.03

χ2 = 23.26, p = 0.00

375 (25.65)

119 (31.90)

133 (43.75)

379 (23.66)

443 (30.98)

149 (33.04)

107 (45.53)

504 (29.75)

Parents fights

χ2 = 2.92, p = 0.40

χ2 = 49.66, p = 0.00

χ2 = 4.96, p = 0.08

χ2 = 22.92, p = 0.00

251 (17.17)

75 (20.11)

92 (30.26)

246 (15.36)

277 (15.87)

94 (20.84)

72 (30.64)

314 (18.54)

You or family member: serious illness or accident

χ2 = 2.28, p = 0.32

χ2 = 13.14, p = 0.00

χ2 = 1.40, p = 0.50

χ2 = 30.45, p = 0.00

322 (22.02)

91 (24.40)

90 (29.61)

339 (21.16)

377 (26.36)

131 (29.05)

98 (41.70)

425 (25.09)

Close friends: serious illness or accident

χ2 = 2.28, p = 0.32

χ2 = 14.59, p = 0.00

χ2 = 6.44, p = 0.04

χ2 = 30.00, p = 0.00

170 (11.63)

53 (14.21)

55 (18.09)

172 (10.74)

196 (13.71)

77 (17.07)

61 (25.96)

217 (12.91)

Death in immediate family

χ2 = 1.80, p = 0.41

χ2 = 4.90, p = 0.08

χ2 = 1.92, p = 0.37

χ2 = 6.80, p = 0.03

35 (2.40)

13 (3.49)

13 (4.28)

37 (2.31)

28 (1.96)

12 (2.66)

10 (4.26)

30 (1.77)

Death of someone close

χ2 = 3.47, p = 0.18

χ2 = 14.93, p = 0.00

χ2 = 2.21, p = 0.33

χ2 = 19.61, p = 0.00

235 (16.07)

69 (18.50)

72 (23.68)

240 (14.98)

242 (16.92)

86 (19.07)

64 (27.23)

267 (15.76)

Family or friends suicide

χ2 = 4.54, p = 0.10

χ2 = 22.08, p = 0.00

χ2 = 1.16, p = 0.56

χ2 = 20.16, p = 0.00

25 (1.71)

12 (3.22)

12 (3.95)

24 (1.50)

54 (3.78)

19 (4.21)

19 (8.09)

53 (3.13)

Family attempt suicide or self-harm

χ2 = 4.16, p = 0.13

χ2 = 86.62, p = 0.00

χ2 = 1.89, p = 0.39

χ2 = 54.23, p = 0.00

44 (3.01)

6 (1.61)

27 (8.88)

25 (1.56)

54 (3.78)

18 (3.99)

24 (10.21)

49 (2.89)

Friend attempt suicide or self-harm

χ2 = 2.21, p = 0.33

χ2 = 99.44, p = 0.00

χ2 = 1.51, p = 0.47

χ2 = 80.69, p = 0.00

220 (15.05)

56 (15.01)

101 (33.22)

186 (11.61)

288 (20.14)

93 (20.62)

93 (39.57)

298 (17.59)

Physically abused

χ2 = 9.50, p = 0.00

χ2 = 14.51, p = 0.00

χ2 = 1.48, p = 0.48

χ2 = 17.61, p = 0.00

16 (1.09)

8 (2.14)

9 (2.96)

14 (0.87)

21 (1.47)

6 (1.39)

8 (3.40)

20 (1.18)

Trouble with police

χ2 = 12.89, p = 0.00

χ2 = 17.72, p = 0.00

χ2 = 2.01, p = 0.37

χ2 = 1.89, p = 0.39

15 (1.03)

12 (3.22)

9 (2.96)

20 (1.25)

26 (1.81)

12 (2.66)

6 (2.55)

33 (1.95)

Worries about sexual orientation

χ2 = 3.37, p = 0.19

χ2 = 19.13, p = 0.00

χ2 = 0.77, p = 0.68

χ2 = 53.67, p = 0.00

88 (6.02)

18 (4.83)

32 (10.53)

75 (4.68)

29 (2.03)

32 (7.09)

43 (18.30)

104 (6.14)

Forced to engage in sexual activity

χ2 = 1.39, p = 0.50

χ2 = 20.05, p = 0.00

χ2 = 1.23, p = 0.54

χ2 = 54.70, p = 0.00

19 (1.30)

6 (1.61)

11 (3.62)

14 (0.87)

29 (2.03)

10 (2.22)

14 (5.96)

25 (1.48)

Other distressing event

χ2 = 0.41, p = 0.81

χ2 = 87.57, p = 0.00

χ2 = 0.33, p = 0.85

χ2 = 108.57, p = 0.00

 

199 (13.61)

53 (14.21)

90 (29.61)

170 (10.61)

247 (17.27)

75 (16.63)

93 (39.57)

237 (13.99)

  1. NB: At both time points, being worried or upset is associated with experiencing more negative life events
  2. aPercentages represent the proportion of participants responding yes or no to this question, who reported experiencing the given life event in the previous 12 months