Genetic and environmental influences on data missingness in developmental cognitive neuroscience
G Bussu1, A M Portugal2, C Viktorsson2
1Development and Neurodiversity Lab, Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. giorgia.bussu@gmail.com.
Communications Psychology
|April 22, 2026
Summary
Familial factors significantly influence missing data in infant development studies. Understanding these genetic and environmental influences is crucial for accurate research analysis and interpretation.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Behavioral Genetics
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Missing data is a common challenge in scientific research, impacting analysis and interpretation.
- Limited understanding exists regarding the factors contributing to data loss in developmental studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the genetic and environmental contributions to data missingness in infant brain and behavioral development.
- To assess patterns of missing data across multiple developmental assessment technologies.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data missingness in 594 infant twins (monozygotic and dizygotic) at 5 months of age.
- Utilized electroencephalography (EEG), pupillometry, and gaze tracking data.
- Examined familial factors (genetics and shared environment) influencing data loss.
Main Results:
- Significant familial factors (additive genetics and/or shared environment) were identified for data missingness across all experiments.
- Low correlation in missing data amounts across experiments indicated specific contributing factors.
- Missing data patterns were largely unique to each experimental procedure.
Conclusions:
- Genetic and environmental factors play a substantial role in data missingness during infant development studies.
- The specificity of missingness factors highlights the need for tailored strategies.
- Improved procedural and analytical methods are essential to minimize data loss and its impact on research findings.
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