Revisiting the association between reading achievement and antisocial behavior: new evidence of an environmental explanation from a twin study.

Journal Article (Journal Article)

Previous studies have reported, but not explained, the reason for a robust association between reading achievement and antisocial behavior. This association was investigated using the Environmental Risk (E-Risk) Longitudinal Twin Study, a nationally representative 1994-1995 birth cohort of 5- and 7-year-olds. Results showed that the association resulted primarily from environmental factors common to both reading and antisocial behavior and was stronger in boys. Environmental factors also explained the relation between reading disability and conduct disorder. Leading candidate environmental risk factors weakly mediated the association. For boys the best explanation was a reciprocal causation model: poor reading led to antisocial behavior, and vice versa. In contrast, the relation between reading achievement and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder was best explained by common genetic influences.

Full Text

Duke Authors

Cited Authors

  • Trzesniewski, KH; Moffitt, TE; Caspi, A; Taylor, A; Maughan, B

Published Date

  • January 2006

Published In

Volume / Issue

  • 77 / 1

Start / End Page

  • 72 - 88

PubMed ID

  • 16460526

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1467-8624

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 0009-3920

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2006.00857.x

Language

  • eng