Are twins’ behavioural/emotional problems different from singletons’?
Abstract
We compared twins with singletons in the National Epidemiological Child Psychiatric Study, which included 122 twins and 5455 singletons, born in 1981 and selected at random. Behavioural and emotional symptoms were assessed in 1989 on the basis of questionnaires filled in by the parents (Rutter Parent Questionnaire) (RA2), teachers (Rutter Teacher Questionnaire) (RB2) and the children themselves (Children's Depression Inventory) (CDI). Parents' reported proportions of probable behavioural/emotional disorders did not differ between the twin and singleton girls, but among the twin boys there was a nonsignificant trend of being more often probably disturbed. Twins were reported to be less disturbed than singletons according to the teachers' assessments. No difference was found between twins and singletons in their self-reports. When analysing parents' reported values of various sum scores, the twin boys obtained slightly higher scores than singletons, while twin girls scored significantly lower on total and emotional disturbances. Twin boys obtained lower mean scores than singletons for probable disorder in the teachers' evaluations, the differences arising mostly in the emotional area. The same type of trend, however nonsignificant, was found among the teachers' evaluations of girls. No significant difference was found in the mean scores for hyperactivity. This large population-based sample suggests that twins may have a lower rate of behavioural problems in childhood than singletons, a finding that has to be taken into account in behavioural genetic studies.
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Twins and singletons have similar rates of psychiatric disorders such as ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder, and conduct disorder, and similar behavioral and emotional problems.
“Twins and singletons have been found to experience similar rates of psychiatric disorders (e.g., attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder) and behavioral and emotional problems (Gjone and Novik, 1995; Moilanen et al., 1999; Simonoff et al., 1997; van den Oord et al., 1995).”
From Human Aggression Across the Lifespan (2011) · cites this paper as Moilanen et al., 1999
Twins and singletons have generally been found to experience similar rates of psychiatric disorders and behavioral and emotional problems.
“Further, twins and singletons have generally been found to experience similar rates of psychiatric disorders and behavioral and emotional problems (Gjone & Novik, 1995; Moilanen et al., 1999; Simonoff et al., 1997; van den Oord et al., 1995).”
From Genetic and environmental influences on impulsivity: A meta-analysis of twin, family and adoption studies (2011) · cites this paper as Moilanen et al., 1999
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“attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder) and behavioral and emotional problems (Gjone and Novik, 1995; Moilanen et al., 1999; Simonoff et al., 1997; van den Oord et al., 1995).”
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Taylor, M. J., Larsson, H., Gillberg, C., Lichtenstein, P., & Lundström, S. (2019) · Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry · doi:10.1111/jcpp.12988 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
- Authors
- Moilanen, I., Linna, S. L., Ebeling, H., Kumpulainen, K., Tamminen, T., Piha, J., & Almqvist, F.
- Affiliations
- University of Oulu (FI)
- University of Eastern Finland (FI)
- Tampere University (FI)
- University of Turku (FI)
- University of Helsinki (FI)
- Corresponding author
- Moilanen, I.
- Venue
- European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
- Published
- 1999-12
- Volume
- 8
- Issue
- S4
- Pages
- S62-S67
- ISSN
- 1018-8827 (ISSN-L)
- 1435-165X
- OpenAlex
- W2039735851
- Cited by
- 79
- References
- 16
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 1.79
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Assisted Reproductive Technology and Twin Pregnancy
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Social Sciences › Demography › Family Dynamics and Relationships
- Keywords
- twins, singletons, behavioral problems, emotional problems, child psychopathology, hyperactivity, sex differences, parent report, teacher reports, self-report, behavioral genetics
- MeSH terms
- Child, Child Behavior Disorders, Female, Finland, Humans, Male, Mass Screening, Parents, Surveys and Questionnaires, Sensitivity and Specificity, Severity of Illness Index, Twins, Comorbidity, Mood Disorders
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