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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

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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

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