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Eight-Year Follow-up of Cognitive Development in 33 Twin Pairs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2014

B. Alin Åkerman
B. Alin Åkerman*
Affiliation:
Department of Special Education, Institute of Education, Stockholm, Sweden
*
Institute of Special Education, P.O Box 47308, 100 74 Stockholm, Sweden

Abstract

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This is a follow-up study of twins, including 33 twinpairs from the Stockholm area, aiming to study the cognitive development of twins at eight years of age. The twins have been followed at different ages from birth onwards. All children were tested with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children in a Swedish translation (WISC). The WISC test consists of a Verbal and a Performance Scale. There were no significant differences between twin girls and twin boys on these Scales. On the Performance subtests Block Design, Object Assembly, and Coding, however, the twin girls performed significantly better than the twin boys. In comparing cognitive development for twins and singletons, the twin group had somewhat lower average scores than the singletons. Prematurity and low birth weight continued to be related to cognitive development at eight years of age. Also at this age the school teacher completed a questionnaire about the twins social behaviour and some personality traits. There was a relation between one questionnaire factor, a low score of assertiveness, and the mother's negative or ambivalent expectations concerning the twin pregnancy. The twin group with the mother's negative expectations also had significantly lower results on the subtests Comprehension and Coding. Negative mothers had more premature twins than mothers who were positive toward the twin pregnancy.

Keywords

TwinsCognitive developmentMental developmentPrematurityBirthweight
Type
Research Article
Information
Acta geneticae medicae et gemellologiae: twin research , Volume 44 , Issue 3-4 , October 1995 , pp. 179 - 188
Copyright
Copyright © The International Society for Twin Studies 1995

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