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Published on: September 17, 2019
Chaotic homes and school achievement: a twin study.
Ken B Hanscombe1, Claire M A Haworth, Oliver S P Davis
1King's College London, MRC Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK. ken.hanscombe@kcl.ac.uk
Summary
Childhood household chaos is linked to lower school performance, with genetic factors playing a significant role. This study reveals that heritable traits influence both a child's perception of home environment and academic achievement.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Genetics
- Developmental Psychology
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- Chaotic home environments are associated with poor academic outcomes in children.
- Previous research suggests genetic influences on both household chaos and academic achievement.
- The interplay between environmental chaos and academic performance, specifically the role of heritable factors, remains underexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the extent to which genetic factors mediate the relationship between household chaos and children's school performance.
- To explore the genetic and environmental pathways underlying the association between home environment disorder and academic achievement.
- To be the first study to examine the genetic and environmental contributions to the link between household chaos and academic performance.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from over 2,300 twin pairs, assessing children's perceptions of family chaos at ages 9 and 12.
- Measured children's school performance at age 12.
- Employed multivariate genetic analysis with child-specific measures to dissect genetic and environmental influences on the covariation between chaos and achievement.
Main Results:
- A significant negative correlation (r = -.26) was observed between children's experience of family chaos and their school achievement.
- Shared environmental factors accounted for 63% of the association between household chaos and academic performance.
- Genetic factors explained a significant 37% of the association, indicating a heritable component.
Conclusions:
- The association between chaotic homes and poor school performance is not solely environmental but is partly explained by genetic factors.
- Heritable factors influence not only a child's experience of their home environment but also their academic success.
- The relationship between a child, their home environment, and academic performance is complex, involving both shared environmental and genetic influences.
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