From preschool language skills to writing in adolescence: Evidence of genetic continuity.

Abstract

Given the importance of writing for academic achievement, this study aimed to understand how early oral language contributes to later writing skills. The first objective was to determine if preschool language skills were associated with high school writing, and if so, whether they contributed directly or indirectly through school age language. The second aim was to explore the extent to which genetic and environmental factors explained these potential associations. The sample was drawn from the Quebec Newborn Twin Study, a longitudinal follow-up of twins born in the greater Montreal area, Quebec, Canada. Language skills were assessed when children were 1.5, 2.5, 6, 7, 10, and 12 years old. Writing skills were measured at 15 years old. Participants who completed the writing task in French were included in the study (n = 316 twin pairs: 46% males). Mothers of these participants self-identified mostly as White. About 74% of them had a postsecondary diploma or certificate, and 27% further had a university degree. Most families had an income higher than 30,000 CND. Results indicate that preschool language was modestly associated with high school writing (r = .25) and that school age language fully mediated this association. Genes explained 53% of the association between preschool language and school age language and 64% of the association between school age language and high school writing. These results highlight the developmental continuity from oral to written language from preschool to high school and show that genetic factors largely account for this continuity.