Abstract
The first aim of this study was to identify developmental trajectories of Attention Problems in twins followed from age 6
to 12 years. Second, we investigated whether singletons follow similar trajectories. Maternal longitudinal ratings on the
Attention Problems (AP) subscale of the Child Behavior Checklist were obtained for a sample of 12,486 twins from the Netherlands
Twin Register and for a general population sample of 1,346 singletons. Trajectories were analyzed by growth mixture modeling
in twins, and compared with singletons. Teacher ratings on the AP subscale of the Teachers’ Report Form were available for
7,179 twins and 1,211 singletons, and were used for cross-sectional mean comparisons at each age. All analyses were conducted
for boys and girls separately. We identified three linear trajectories in both boys and girls, i.e., stable low (62–71%),
low-increasing (15–18%), and high-decreasing (14–21%). Singletons followed three identical trajectories, with similar class
proportions. Teacher ratings yielded no differences in mean levels of Attention Problems between twins and singletons. The
development of Attention Problems from age 6 to 12 years can be characterized by stable low, low-increasing, and high-decreasing
developmental trajectories. Twins and singletons are comparable with respect to the development of Attention Problems in childhood.
to 12 years. Second, we investigated whether singletons follow similar trajectories. Maternal longitudinal ratings on the
Attention Problems (AP) subscale of the Child Behavior Checklist were obtained for a sample of 12,486 twins from the Netherlands
Twin Register and for a general population sample of 1,346 singletons. Trajectories were analyzed by growth mixture modeling
in twins, and compared with singletons. Teacher ratings on the AP subscale of the Teachers’ Report Form were available for
7,179 twins and 1,211 singletons, and were used for cross-sectional mean comparisons at each age. All analyses were conducted
for boys and girls separately. We identified three linear trajectories in both boys and girls, i.e., stable low (62–71%),
low-increasing (15–18%), and high-decreasing (14–21%). Singletons followed three identical trajectories, with similar class
proportions. Teacher ratings yielded no differences in mean levels of Attention Problems between twins and singletons. The
development of Attention Problems from age 6 to 12 years can be characterized by stable low, low-increasing, and high-decreasing
developmental trajectories. Twins and singletons are comparable with respect to the development of Attention Problems in childhood.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-9
- DOI 10.1007/s00787-011-0194-0
- Authors
- Sylvana C. C. Robbers, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, Sophia Children’s Hospital, P.O. Box 2060, 3000 CB Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Floor V. A. van Oort, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, Sophia Children’s Hospital, P.O. Box 2060, 3000 CB Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Tinca J. C. Polderman, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, Sophia Children’s Hospital, P.O. Box 2060, 3000 CB Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Meike Bartels, Department of Biological Psychology, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Dorret I. Boomsma, Department of Biological Psychology, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Frank C. Verhulst, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, Sophia Children’s Hospital, P.O. Box 2060, 3000 CB Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Gitta H. Lubke, Department of Psychology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
- Anja C. Huizink, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, Sophia Children’s Hospital, P.O. Box 2060, 3000 CB Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Journal European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
- Online ISSN 1435-165X
- Print ISSN 1018-8827