Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-27T22:17:11.676Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Childhood Behavior Problems: A Comparison of Twin and Non-twin Samples

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2014

J.S. Gau ,
J.L. Silberg ,
M.T. Erickson  and
J.K. Hewitt
J.S. Gau*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, USA
J.L. Silberg
Affiliation:
Department of Human Genetics, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, USA
M.T. Erickson
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, USA
J.K. Hewitt
Affiliation:
Department of Human Genetics, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, USA
*
Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284-2018, USA

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

This study compares standardized measures of childhood behavior problems in a community-based twin sample with those for normative samples from the general population. Maternal parent ratings on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) for 1824 twins were compared with the CBCL normative sample. The results indicated that twins showed small but consistently higher levels of problem behaviors. These elevations were significant for older children on both internalizing and externalizing behaviors; for younger children the elevations were significant for externalizing but not internalizing behaviors.

Keywords

Child behaviorTwin childrenProblem behavior
Type
Research Article
Information
Acta geneticae medicae et gemellologiae: twin research , Volume 41 , Issue 1 , January 1992 , pp. 53 - 63
Copyright
Copyright © The International Society for Twin Studies 1992

References

REFERENCES

1.Achenbach, TM, Edelbrock, C (1983): Manual for the Child Behavior Checklist and Revised Child Behavior Profile. Burlington, VT: University of Vermont Department of Psychology.Google Scholar
2.Barkley, RA (1990): Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Handbook for Diagnosis and Treatment. New York: Guilford.Google Scholar
3.Bulmer, MG (1970): The Biology of Twinning in Man. Oxford: Clarendon.Google Scholar
4.Graham, P, Stevenson, J (1985): A twin study of genetic influences on behavioral deviance. Am Acad Child Psychiatry, 24: 33–41.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5.Hewitt, JK (1990): Genetics as a framework for the study of behavioral development. In Hahn, ME, Hewitt, JK, Henderson, ND, Benno, RH (eds), Developmental behavior genetics: Neural, biometrical and evolutionary approaches. New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 298–303.Google Scholar
6.Kendler, KS, Neale, MC, Kessler, RC, Heath, AC, Eaves, LJ (in press): A population based twin study of major depression in women: The impact of varying definitions of illness. Arch Gen Psychiatry.Google Scholar
7.MacGillivray, I, Campbell, DM, Thompson, B (1988): Twinning and Twins. Chichester: Wiley & Sons.Google Scholar
8.MacGillivray, I, Nylander, PPS, Corney, G (1975): Human Multiple Reproduction. London: W.B. Saunders.Google Scholar
9.Pasamanick, B, Knobloch, H (1966): Retrospective studies on the epidemiology of reproductive casualty: old and new. Merril-Palmer Behav Dev, 12: 7–26.Google Scholar
10.Rutter, M (1982): Syndromes attributed to “Minimal Brain Dysfunction” in childhood. Am J Psychiatry, 139: 21–33.Google ScholarPubMed
11.Silberg, JL, Erickson, MT, Meyer, JM, Eaves, LJ, Rutter, ML, Hewitt, JK (submitted): The contribution of genetic and environmental factors to maternal ratings of behavioral and emotional problems in adolescents. J Consult Clin Psychology.Google Scholar
12.Stevenson, J, Graham, P (1988): Behavioral deviance in 13-year-old twins: An item analysis. J Am Acad Child Adolescent Psychiatry, 27: 791–797.Google Scholar
13.Strauss, AA, Kephart, NC (1940): Behavior differences in mentally retarded children measured by a new behavior rating scale. Am J Psychiatry, 16: 46–53.Google Scholar