Elsje van Bergen|Margaret J. Snowling|Eveline L. de Zeeuw|Catharina E. M. van Beijsterveldt|Conor V. Dolan|Dorret I. Boomsma
Why do children read more? The influence of reading ability on voluntary reading practices
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam|University of Oxford|University of Oxford|Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam|Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam|Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam|Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
study investigates causal relationships reading print exposure investigates whether amount children read outside school determines well read vice versa previous findings behavioural studies suggest reading predicts print exposure use twindata apply behaviourgenetic approach direction causality modelling suggested heath et al investigate causal relationships two traitspartial data available large sample twin children n 11559 262 siblings enrolled netherlands twin register children assessed around 75 years age mothers completed questionnaires reporting childrens time spent reading activities reading ability additional information reading ability available teacher ratings performance national reading tests siblings reading test results availablethe reading ability twins comparable siblings national norms showing twin findings generalized population measurement model specified two latent variables reading ability print exposure correlated 41 heritability analyses showed reading ability highly heritable genetic environmental influences equally important print exposure exploited fact two constructs differ genetic architecture fitted direction causality models results supported causal relationship running reading ability print exposurehow much well children read moderately correlated individual differences print exposure less heritable individual differences reading ability importantly present results suggest childrens reading ability determines much choose read rather vice versa