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Causal twin model for testing direct phenotypic effects in the presence of genetic and environmental confounding

Research Method · All research methods
Evidence · 1 claim (1 for) · 1 study (1 associational), q3 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 1 claim rests on one study

Description

The article fits a causal twin model, depicted in Fig. 2, that estimates the putatively causal regression coefficients of self-control and grit on school performance while allowing background A, D, or E correlations (dashed double-headed arrows) between the traits. The article explains that "the strongest support for the causal hypothesis would be the finding that the phenotypic regression coefficients ... are significant, while the background correlations are all zero". Because causal effects and confounding are not mutually exclusive, the model fits the phenotypic regression while permitting A, D, or E confounding, with the classical twin design supplying the decomposition into additive genetic, dominance, and environmental components.

Accounts

  • Causal twin model for testing direct phenotypic effects in the presence of genetic and environmental confounding: The article fits a causal twin model, depicted in Fig. 2, that estimates the putatively causal regression coefficients of self-control and grit on school performance while allowing background A, D, or E correlations (dashed double-headed arrows) between the traits. The article explains that "the strongest support for the causal hypothesis would be the finding that the phenotypic regression coefficients ... are significant, while the background correlations are all zero". Because causal effects and confounding are not mutually exclusive, the model fits the phenotypic regression while permitting A, D, or E confounding, with the classical twin design supplying the decomposition into additive genetic, dominance, and environmental components. (Kevenaar et al. (2023))

Claims

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Key Sources

  • Kevenaar, S. T., van Bergen, E., Oldehinkel, A. J., Boomsma, D. I. & Dolan, C. V. (2023). The relationship of school performance with self-control and grit is strongly genetic and weakly causal. npj Science of Learning, 8:53. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-023-00198-3
Page metadata
Field Value
type research-method
id causal-twin-model-for-testing-direct-phenotypic-effects-in-the-presence-of-genetic-and-env
title Causal twin model for testing direct phenotypic effects in the presence of genetic and environmental confounding
description The article fits a causal twin model, depicted in Fig.
status review
generated by process:settle-candidates on 2026-10-26
trust unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content

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