title: What effect does classroom separation have on twins' behavior, progress at school, and reading abilities?
abstract: We investigated the effects of classroom separation on twins' behavior, progress at school, and reading abilities. This investigation was part of a longitudinal study of a nationally-representative sample of twins (the E-risk Study) who were assessed at the start of school (age 5) and followed up (age 7). We examined three groups of twins: pairs who were in the same class at both ages; pairs who were in separate classes at both ages; and pairs who were in the same class at age 5, but separated by age 7. When compared to those not separated, those separated early had significantly more teacher-rated internalizing problems and those separated later showed more internalizing problems and lower reading scores. Monozygotic (MZ) twins showed more problems as a result of separation than dizygotic (DZ) twins. No group differences emerged for externalizing problems, ADHD or prosocial behaviors. The implications of the findings for parents and teachers of twins, and for school practices about separating twins, are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK.
authors.forename: Lucy A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Tully
authors.forename: Terrie E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Moffitt
authors.forename: Avshalom
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caspi
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kiernan
authors.forename: Penny
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Andreou
mesh_terms: D001010:Anxiety, Separation / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004200:Diseases in Twins; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011932:Reading; D012574:Schools; D014427:Twins / Q000523:psychology*