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Applying Biometric Growth Curve Models to Developmental Synchronies in Cognitive Development: The Louisville Twin Study

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Abstract

Biometric latent growth curve models were applied to data from the LTS in order to replicate and extend Wilson’s (Child Dev 54:298–316, 1983) findings. Assessments of cognitive development were available from 8 measurement occasions covering the period 4–15 years for 1032 individuals. Latent growth curve models were fit to percent correct for 7 subscales: information, similarities, arithmetic, vocabulary, comprehension, picture completion, and block design. Models were fit separately to WPPSI (ages 4–6 years) and WISC-R (ages 7–15). Results indicated the expected increases in heritability in younger childhood, and plateaus in heritability as children reached age 10 years. Heritability of change, per se (slope estimates), varied dramatically across domains. Significant genetic influences on slope parameters that were independent of initial levels of performance were found for only information and picture completion subscales. Thus evidence for both genetic continuity and genetic innovation in the development of cognitive abilities in childhood were found.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the original Louisville Twin Study researchers and staff for the meticulous work they did to make it possible for us to revisit these data. This research was supported, in part, by a grant from the National Institute of Aging (1 R03 AG048850-01) and by the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Louisville.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Indiana University Southeast, 4201 Grant Line Road, New Albany, IN, USA

    Deborah Finkel

  2. Department of Pediatrics, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA

    Deborah Winders Davis

  3. Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA

    Eric Turkheimer

  4. Department of Economics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA

    William T. Dickens

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  1. Deborah Finkel
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  2. Deborah Winders Davis
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  3. Eric Turkheimer
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  4. William T. Dickens
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Correspondence to Deborah Finkel.

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Conflict of Interest

Deborah Finkel, Deborah Winders Davis, Eric Turkheimer, and William T. Dickens declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

The secondary data analysis was approved by the Institution Review Board at the University of Louisville and all procedures were done in accordance with their ethical standards. Informed consent was obtained from all participants for the original data collection.

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Finkel, D., Davis, D.W., Turkheimer, E. et al. Applying Biometric Growth Curve Models to Developmental Synchronies in Cognitive Development: The Louisville Twin Study. Behav Genet 45, 600–609 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10519-015-9747-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10519-015-9747-1

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