Early Influences on the School Social Adjustment of Twins

Abstract

AbstractThe birth of twins is often accompanied by complications which may affect both twins equally (eg, prematurity) or which may establish differences between the twins (eg, one coming home from hospital first). Parents' ratings of behaviour may reflect and even perpetuate the influence of such variables and it is of interest to see if people less familiar with the twins' history can observe any long-term effects. In the La Trobe Twin Study teachers routinely complete the Bristol Social Adjustment Guide, an assessment of social maladjustment in children aged 5-16 years. Extreme prematurity and problems at delivery were generally associated with the Underreaction syndrome - the child who is unforthcoming, withdrawn and depressed. Withdrawal, depression and maladaptive behaviour to classroom peers were much more common among those twins discharged from hospital after the cotwin. A major mediating factor was that the parents admitted to greatly preferring the one to come home first. These raise questions both about the practice of bringing twins home separately (which occurred in 21% of the cases) and about intervening variables in studies of personality and temperament.