Modeling the Etiology of Individual Differences in Early Reading Development: Evidence for Strong Genetic Influences

Title
Modeling the Etiology of Individual Differences in Early Reading Development: Evidence for Strong Genetic Influences
Publication Date
2013
Author(s)
Christopher, Micaela E
Hulslander, Jacqueline
Byrne, Brian J
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5532-9407
Email: bbyrne@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:bbyrne
Samuelsson, Stefan
Keenan, Janice M
Pennington, Bruce
DeFries, John C
Wadsworth, Sally J
Willcutt, Erik G
Olson, Richard K
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Routledge
Place of publication
United States of America
DOI
10.1080/10888438.2012.729119
UNE publication id
une:13621
Abstract
We explored the etiology of individual differences in reading development from post-kindergarten to post-4th grade by analyzing data from 487 twin pairs tested in Colorado. Data from three reading measures and one spelling measure were fit to biometric latent growth curve models, allowing us to extend previous behavioral genetic studies of the etiology of early reading development at specific time points. We found primarily genetic influences on individual differences at post-1st grade for all measures. Genetic influences on variance in growth rates were also found, with evidence of small, nonsignificant, shared environmental influences for two measures. We discuss our results, including their implications for educational policy.
Link
Citation
Scientific Studies of Reading, 17(5), p. 350-368
ISSN
1532-799X
1088-8438
Start page
350
End page
368

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