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From learning to read to reading to learn: substantial and stable genetic influence
Nicole Harlaar1, Philip S Dale, Robert Plomin
1MRC Social, Genetic, & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK. n.harlaar@iop.kcl.ac.uk
Child Development
|March 3, 2007
Summary
Genetic factors significantly influence reading abilities in children, showing stability from ages 7 to 10. These genetic effects remain strong even as reading skills evolve from basic to advanced levels.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Behavioral Genetics
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- Understanding the origins of reading ability variations is crucial for educational interventions.
- Longitudinal data is needed to track developmental trajectories and stability in reading skills.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the genetic and environmental influences on reading achievement stability and change.
- To examine the developmental patterns of individual differences in early reading abilities.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal twin study with 4,291 pairs.
- Teacher-based assessments of reading achievement using U.K. National Curriculum (NC) criteria at ages 7, 9, and 10.
- Biometric modeling to estimate heritability and environmental influences.
Main Results:
- Substantial heritability of reading achievement (0.57–0.67) observed at ages 7, 9, and 10.
- Modest shared environmental influences (0.10–0.17) on reading abilities.
- Genetic factors primarily mediated the stability of National Curriculum (NC) scores, with evidence for age-specific genetic influences.
Conclusions:
- Genetic influences on reading are substantial and stable throughout elementary school years.
- Reading ability development is significantly shaped by genetic factors, even with the transition from 'learning to read' to 'reading to learn'.
- Both stable and age-specific genetic factors contribute to reading achievement over time.
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