As the Appendix on SDQ in the 2001 and 2003-2004 Codebook of the NHIS public use files explains:

• emotional symptoms;

• conduct problems;

• hyperactive behavior;

• peer relationships;

• prosocial behavior.

DIFBURDEN was an element in the second part of the SDQ, which the same source describes as follows:

More information on the SDQ-EX is available at www.sdqinfo.org. This source describes the second section of the SDQ-EX, which includes DIFBURDEN, as the "Impact Supplement."

In the 2001, 2003-2004, and 2019 forward NHIS, if parents said (in EMODIFF) that the child had minor, definite, or severe difficulties with emotions, concentration, behavior, or getting along with others, they were asked how long the difficulties had been present (DIFMOS). Interviewers asked further follow-up questions only of those whose difficulties lasted one month or longer for 2001, 2003, and 2004. In 2019 forward, the follow-up questions were asked of all those indicated minor, definite, or severe difficulties in EMODIFF, regardless of their response to DIFMOS. The follow-up questions were the basis of the following variables:

• Difficulties upset or distress child (DIFUPSET)

• Child's difficulties interfere with home life (DIFHOME)

• Child's difficulties interfere with friendships (DIFFRIEND)

• Child's difficulties interfere with classroom learning (DIFLEARN)

• Child's difficulties interfere with leisure activities (DIFLEISURE)

DIFUPSET was based on the question, "Do the difficulties upset or distress your child?" The remaining four variables were based on the query, "Do the difficulties interfere with your child's everyday life in the following areas: Home life? Friendships? Classroom learning? Leisure activities?"

These aforementioned elements of the SDQ-EX Impact Supplement all address the effect of children's difficulties (with emotions, concentration, behavior, or getting along with others) on children themselves. By contrast, DIFBURDEN addresses the effect of children's difficulties on their parents or other family members.

The SDQ Scoring Guide provides guidance on how responses for the aforementioned variables--other than DIFBURDEN--"can be summed to generate an impact score that ranges from 0 to 10 for the parent-completed version." Variable descriptions for these other variables address how IPUMS NHIS values for these other variables can be combined into a score useful for evaluate the effect of the child's difficulties on the child himself or herself.