Brazilian Twin Studies: A Scoping Review
Eloisa de Souza Fernandes1, Isabella França Ferreira1, Renata Pereira de Felipe1
1Departamento de Psicologia Experimental, Instituto de Psicologia (IP), Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Brazil.
Summary
Brazilian twin research is growing, with most studies in health and psychology. This trend shows increasing scientific interest and potential global impact.
Area of Science:
- Brazilian twin research spans multiple scientific domains.
- Health sciences, particularly medicine, dominate the publication landscape.
- Psychology, odontology, and biology are also significant areas of study.
Background:
- Brazilian twin research is internationally underrepresented.
- There is a need to comprehensively understand and categorize existing studies.
- Previous meta-analyses may have overlooked Brazilian contributions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a comprehensive investigation of Brazilian twin research across different fields.
- To assess the representation of psychological research within the broader twin studies.
- To identify characteristics of Brazilian twin research that might explain its exclusion from global meta-analyses.
Main Methods:
- A scoping review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines.
- Six databases (CAPES, BDLTD, PePSIC, PubMed, Google Scholar, SciELO) were searched up to 2022.
- Keywords related to twins and Brazil were used in Portuguese and English.
Main Results:
- 340 publications were included in the review.
- Approximately 53.8% utilized the classic twin design for heritability studies.
- Publication numbers have doubled roughly every decade, indicating growth.
- Health sciences, led by medicine (approx. 50%), followed by psychology, odontology, and biology, constitute the majority of studies.
Conclusions:
- Brazilian scientists' interest in twin research is steadily increasing.
- This growing trend holds significant potential for contributing to the global scientific landscape.
- Further investigation into the characteristics of these studies is warranted to ensure their inclusion in future global analyses.
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