Why are twin studies important for research?
Twins possess special features that enable researchers to better understand the influence of genetics and environment on child development. Identical twins (monozygotic) come from the same egg and share all of their genes. Fraternal twins (dizygotic) come from two seperate eggs and share, on average, half of their genes just like average non-twin siblings. Studying twin pairs allows researchers to compare children who experience very similar environments and who have a fixed rate of genetic similiarity. At the Child Emotion Center, this allows us to examine how genetics and the environment work together to contribute to risk and resilience and give children the capacity to bounce back after trauma, adversity, and stress.
