Preadolescent development: case studies in twins

The authors studied eight sets of healthy twins, ranging in physical maturity from prepubertal to late pubertal, and their parents, to assess psychological changes in early adolescence. A phase-specific psychosocial regression correlates with the biological onset of puberty. We present preliminary findings related to twinship, parental reactions, and longitudinal development, based on detailed case studies. Parents experienced increased conflict, detachment, and pride in response to their twins' psychosocial development at puberty. The more advanced child in a pair tended to lead in all spheres of adjustment-school success, heterosexual interest, peer friendships, and independent behavior. Although the more advanced child began to break away from his twin, in general the twin relationships remained close. Differences in personality traits and rate of psychosocial development within a twinship tended to remain consistent or to become accentuated. They were occasionally narrowed but rarely reversed from early childhood through early adolescence. Some of the differences were fostered by dissimilar patterns of identifying with the parents.