Change in cohabitation and intrapair similarity of monozygotic (MZ) cotwins for alcohol use, extraversion, and neuroticism.
We have reported cross-sectional evidence that behavioral similarities of adult monozygotic (MZ) cotwins are associated with their age at initial separation and the frequency of their subsequent social interaction (Kaprio et al., 1987; Rose et al., 1988; Rose and Kaprio, 1988). Twins who separated early and twins in infrequent interaction were less alike. Data for those reports came from a 1981 survey of the Finnish Twin Cohort. The Finnish cohort had been surveyed in 1975 with a similar questionnaire, and we now report a longitudinal analysis of the 1975-1981 surveys. All cohabiting MZ cotwins, ages 18-25 at the 1975 baseline, were followed up in 1981, and pairwise similarities at baseline and follow-up were compared for three groups: MZ pairs that remained cohabiting, separated pairs in which the cotwins retained regular contact with one another, and separated cotwins whose social interactions at follow-up were infrequent. For alcohol consumption and EPI Neuroticism scores, relative similarities of the MZ cotwins at follow-up paralleled the relative frequencies of their social contact; baseline differences in resemblance for Extraversion scores preceded follow-up differences in social interaction. These findings clarify the directional nature of associations found in our cross-sectional data and provide new, more compelling evidence of effects of shared experience on sibling resemblance for some dimensions of adult behavior.
Kaprio
J
J
Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Finland.
Koskenvuo
M
M
Rose
R J
RJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D004200:Diseases in Twins; D005120:Extraversion, Psychological; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009497:Neurotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012923:Social Class; D012931:Social Environment; D014427:Twins / Q000523:psychology*; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic / Q000523:psychology*