Objective To investigate the impact of genetic factors on mental health status in child and adolescent twins. Methods A total of 102 pairs of twins aged 6 to 16 years were recruited with the support from educational committees and schools. After the guardians of these twins had signed an informed consent form, the Chinese version growth and the state of health evaluation (Development and Well-Bing Assessment, DAWBA) were completed by the parents of these twins to investigate their mental health status. Buccal mucosa samples were collected from all twins for DNA extraction and zygosity identification test. Result A total of 102 pairs of twins were recruited, among whom 93 pairs finished the investigation, including 50 monozygotic pairs and 43 dizygotic pairs. The results of emotional symptoms and behavior symptoms and the impact of symptoms from the DAWBA screening questionnaire showed that the intrapair correlation coeficien of the emotional disorder and the oppositional/conduct disorder and the impact in monozygotic twins were more remarkable than those in dizygotie twins, including separation anxiety (MZ group correlation coefficient (r) = 0.821, Plt;0.01; DZ group r=0.348, Plt;0.01), generalized anxiety (MZ group r=0.546, Plt;0.01; DZ group r=0.309, Plt;0.01), a special terror symptoms (MZ group r=0.849, Plt;0.01; DZ group r=0.726, Plt;0.01 ), and oppositional defiant / conduct disorder (MZ group r=0.237, Plt;0.01; DZ group r=0.163, Plt;0.01), attention deficit - hyperactivity disorder (MZ group r=0.640, Plt;0.01; DZ group r=0.198, Plt;0.01), autistic symptoms (MZ group r=0.680, Plt;0.01; DZ group r=0.372, Plt;0.01). Conclusion Genetic factors play an important role in mental health status of child twins.
Objective To investigate the impact of genetic and environmental factors on mental health status and to estimate the prevalence of subclinical psychiatric symptoms and psychological problems in child and adolescent twins, by using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Methods A total of 59 pairs of twins aged 6-16 years were recruited with support from educational committees and schools. After the guardians of these twins had signed an informed consent form, SDQ were completed by the parents and teachers of these twins to investigate their mental health status. Buccal mucosa samples were collected from all twins for DNA extraction and zygosity identification test. Results The intrapair correlation coefficients of monozygotic twins were significantly different from those of dizygotic twins in terms of emotional symptoms, inattention-hyperactivity, peer problems, impact and diagnostic predictions (including any psychiatric disorder, emotional disorder, oppositional/conduct disorders, ADHD/hyperkinesis). The results from the SDQ screening questionnaire showed that up to 37.5% of the studied twins were suffering from a psychiatric disorder, including emotional disorder (5.5%), oppositional/conduct disorder (29.7%), and ADHD/hyperkinesis (14.8%).Conclusion Genes plays an important role in the mental health status of child and adolescent twins. More attention should be paid to the mental development and mental health in these twins, because of the considerable prevalence of subclinical psychiatric symptoms and psychological problems.
Objective To investigate the prevalence of behavior problems in twins aged 10-16 years, and to provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of twins’ behavior problems. Methods Sixty-four pairs of twins aged 10-16 years in Chengdu city participated in this study. The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), completed by parents, was used to assess behavior problems. The prevalence of behavior problems in twins and the distribution characteristics for boys and girls and zygosities were estimated. Results The prevalence of behavior problems in the twins in this study was 6.25%. This was lower than the prevalence in a nationwide non-twins epidemiologic survey (P=0.0045). No significant difference was found in the prevalence of behavior problems between boys and girls and between different zygosities (P=0.891; P=0.258). Social problems were the main behavior problems noted in these twins, accounting for 38%. Conclusions The prevalence of behavior problems in twins aged 10-16 years is lower than that of non-twins. Social problems are the most common behavior problems in the twins in this study.