[A Prospective Twin Registry in Southwestern China: exploring the effects of genetic and environmental factors on cognitive and behavioral development and mental health well-being in children and adolescents]

Abstract

Objective: The goals, prospects and methods of the Prospective Twin Registry in Southwestern China (TRiSC) are described. The aim of this study is to measure children's behavioral development and psychopathology from phenotypic, genetic and environmental perspectives.

Methods: The children's self-report, as well as parental and teachers' informant report were used to measure the children's behavior and psychopathology, and the latter was related to the children's general cognitive abilities, and to the parenting style. Other variables of interest such as children's temperament and parental health status were also used.

Results: Nine thousand and three hundred thirty nine pairs of 0-16 years old twins have been registered, 324 pairs of them were monozygotic based on DNA samples as well as the detailed information on behavioral and cognitive aspects.Analysis has been performed for the influences of genetic and environmental factors on children's behavior and cognition.

Conclusion: School-based twins recruitment is a helpful method in child and adolescent twin study. TRiSC has been a valuable resource for research on the development of children's behavior and cognition.