Changes in behaviour ratings of a national sample of children.

The constancy of ratings of behaviour made at home and school between the ages of 7--11, 11--16 and 7--16 is examined. There were moderate correlations between ratings at the different ages (0.31--0.48) but the majority of children in the 'deviant' (top 13 per cent) group at one age had moved out of that group by a later follow-up (4, 5 or 9 years later). Certain characteristics (social class, sex, family size and birth order) of children with different patterns of ratings at the three ages are also examined.