title: The genetic-environmental etiology of cognitive school readiness and later academic achievement in early childhood.
abstract: Using a genetic design of 840 60-month-old twins, this study investigated the genetic and environmental contributions to (a) individual differences in four components of cognitive school readiness, (b) the general ability underlying these four components, and (c) the predictive association between school readiness and school achievement. Results revealed that the contribution of the shared environment for cognitive school readiness was substantial. Genetic effects were more important for the core abilities underlying school readiness than for each specific skill, although shared environment remained the largest factor overall. Genetic, shared, and nonshared environmental factors all accounted for the predictive association between school readiness and early school achievement. These results contribute to a better understanding of the early determinants of school readiness.
authors.affiliation: Groupe de recherche sur l'inadaptation psychosociale chez l'enfant, Ecole de psychologie, Université Laval, Québec G1K 7P4, Canada.
authors.forename: Jean-Pascal
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lemelin
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boivin
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Forget-Dubois
authors.forename: Ginette
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dionne
authors.forename: Jean R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Séguin
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brendgen
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vitaro
authors.forename: Richard E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Tremblay
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pérusse
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001076:Aptitude; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition; D004522:Educational Status; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012931:Social Environment; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014427:Twins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D014477:Underachievement