Academic Journal
Longitudinal Study of Language of Twins at Ages 9 and 14 Years: Twinning, Zygosity, and Heritability.
| Τίτλος: | Longitudinal Study of Language of Twins at Ages 9 and 14 Years: Twinning, Zygosity, and Heritability. |
|---|---|
| Συγγραφείς: | Rice, Mabel L.1 mabel@ku.edu, Zubrick, Stephen R.2, Earnest, Kathleen Kelsey3, Hoffman, Lesa4 |
| Πηγή: | Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research. Jun2026, Vol. 69 Issue 6, p2742-2756. 15p. |
| Θεματικοί όροι: | *Language & languages, *Cross-sectional method, *Research funding, *Twins, *Descriptive statistics, *Maximum likelihood statistics, *Audiometry, *Longitudinal method, *Child development, *Vocabulary, *Data analysis software, *Language acquisition, *Genetics, *Cognition, *Phenotypes |
| Γεωγραφικοί όροι: | Western Australia |
| Περίληψη: | Purpose: This unprecedented longitudinal twin study focused on the arc of language acquisition from first words to adolescence, with data collection at 2, 4, and 6 years of age, reported in four previous studies and now new data at ages 9 and 14 years. Method: The method is a classic twin study design for estimating inherited versus environmental effects. The sample consisted of 1,188 children from 594 twin pairs, ascertained from birth records and followed for studying language and cognitive development. Here, we report language and nonverbal cognitive phenotypes at ages 9 and 14 years. Previous research reports from the sample at younger ages, as well as data from cross-sectional samples in other studies, supported the following generalizations: (a) Twinning effects persisted into adolescence for young children, such that twin children's language milestones were delayed relative to norms for singleton children; (b) twin type, that is, zygosity effects persisted although perhaps reduced with age; (c) gender also played a role for young children with advantages for girls relative to boys; and (d) heritability increased with age. Results: As in earlier studies, twins' standard scores for language were below the expected mean scores of 100 provided by test developers, 97 (SD = 14) at age 9 years and 95 (SD = 15) at age 14 years, although the gap relative to age peers is closing. Twin type effects, in which there was a slight disadvantage for monozygotic twins at age 4 years, disappeared at ages 9 and 14 years. Gender was significant at ages 9 and 14 years for vocabulary only but in the opposite direction than expected--with boys outperforming girls; however, this is consistent with singleton longitudinal findings from our lab. Models of heritability included adjustments for gender effects and other covariates. Heritability estimates at ages 9 and 14 years did not significantly differ. The final heritability estimates at age 14 years were .49, .71, and .85 for vocabulary, omnibus language, and nonverbal intelligence quotient (IQ), respectively, suggesting greater environmental effects for vocabulary relative to language and nonverbal IQ. Conclusion: The findings are consistent with previous reports, offering further empirical precision in estimation of the role of genetics in the transition from childhood to adolescence and further support for the need to consider genetics as well as the home environment in the lives of twin children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | Academic Search Index |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: asx DbLabel: Academic Search Index An: 194600821 RelevancyScore: 1532 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 1532.4189453125 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Longitudinal Study of Language of Twins at Ages 9 and 14 Years: Twinning, Zygosity, and Heritability. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rice%2C+Mabel+L%2E%22">Rice, Mabel L.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> mabel@ku.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zubrick%2C+Stephen+R%2E%22">Zubrick, Stephen R.</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Earnest%2C+Kathleen+Kelsey%22">Earnest, Kathleen Kelsey</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hoffman%2C+Lesa%22">Hoffman, Lesa</searchLink><relatesTo>4</relatesTo> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Speech%2C+Language+%26+Hearing+Research%22">Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 69 Issue 6, p2742-2756. 15p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+%26+languages%22">Language & languages</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cross-sectional+method%22">Cross-sectional method</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+funding%22">Research funding</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Twins%22">Twins</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+statistics%22">Descriptive statistics</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Maximum+likelihood+statistics%22">Maximum likelihood statistics</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Audiometry%22">Audiometry</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Longitudinal+method%22">Longitudinal method</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+development%22">Child development</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Vocabulary%22">Vocabulary</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+analysis+software%22">Data analysis software</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+acquisition%22">Language acquisition</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Genetics%22">Genetics</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognition%22">Cognition</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Phenotypes%22">Phenotypes</searchLink> – Name: SubjectGeographic Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Western+Australia%22">Western Australia</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Purpose: This unprecedented longitudinal twin study focused on the arc of language acquisition from first words to adolescence, with data collection at 2, 4, and 6 years of age, reported in four previous studies and now new data at ages 9 and 14 years. Method: The method is a classic twin study design for estimating inherited versus environmental effects. The sample consisted of 1,188 children from 594 twin pairs, ascertained from birth records and followed for studying language and cognitive development. Here, we report language and nonverbal cognitive phenotypes at ages 9 and 14 years. Previous research reports from the sample at younger ages, as well as data from cross-sectional samples in other studies, supported the following generalizations: (a) Twinning effects persisted into adolescence for young children, such that twin children's language milestones were delayed relative to norms for singleton children; (b) twin type, that is, zygosity effects persisted although perhaps reduced with age; (c) gender also played a role for young children with advantages for girls relative to boys; and (d) heritability increased with age. Results: As in earlier studies, twins' standard scores for language were below the expected mean scores of 100 provided by test developers, 97 (SD = 14) at age 9 years and 95 (SD = 15) at age 14 years, although the gap relative to age peers is closing. Twin type effects, in which there was a slight disadvantage for monozygotic twins at age 4 years, disappeared at ages 9 and 14 years. Gender was significant at ages 9 and 14 years for vocabulary only but in the opposite direction than expected--with boys outperforming girls; however, this is consistent with singleton longitudinal findings from our lab. Models of heritability included adjustments for gender effects and other covariates. Heritability estimates at ages 9 and 14 years did not significantly differ. The final heritability estimates at age 14 years were .49, .71, and .85 for vocabulary, omnibus language, and nonverbal intelligence quotient (IQ), respectively, suggesting greater environmental effects for vocabulary relative to language and nonverbal IQ. Conclusion: The findings are consistent with previous reports, offering further empirical precision in estimation of the role of genetics in the transition from childhood to adolescence and further support for the need to consider genetics as well as the home environment in the lives of twin children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1044/2026_JSLHR-25-00673 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 15 StartPage: 2742 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Western Australia Type: general – SubjectFull: Language & languages Type: general – SubjectFull: Cross-sectional method Type: general – SubjectFull: Research funding Type: general – SubjectFull: Twins Type: general – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics Type: general – SubjectFull: Maximum likelihood statistics Type: general – SubjectFull: Audiometry Type: general – SubjectFull: Longitudinal method Type: general – SubjectFull: Child development Type: general – SubjectFull: Vocabulary Type: general – SubjectFull: Data analysis software Type: general – SubjectFull: Language acquisition Type: general – SubjectFull: Genetics Type: general – SubjectFull: Cognition Type: general – SubjectFull: Phenotypes Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Longitudinal Study of Language of Twins at Ages 9 and 14 Years: Twinning, Zygosity, and Heritability. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Rice, Mabel L. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Zubrick, Stephen R. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Earnest, Kathleen Kelsey – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Hoffman, Lesa IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 06 Text: Jun2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 10924388 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 69 – Type: issue Value: 6 Titles: – TitleFull: Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research Type: main |
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