1. THE CULTURE OF
EDUCATING , RAISING,
AND BEING A TWIN
By Jean Leddy
Stonehill
College

2. TWINS…

3. LITERATURE REVIEW
Bartels, M., Beijstervedlt, C., Boomsma, D., Huizink, A., Polderman, T., Verhulst, F.
(1979). No Effect of Classroom Sharing on Educational
Achievement in Twins, a Longitudinal Cohort Study. Journal of
Epidemiology and Community Health, 64, 36-40.
Bradley, E. (1958). Guidance and Teaching of Twins. The Clearly House, 13, 364-366.
Brown, A., Matheny, A. (1971). The Behavior of Twins: Effects of Birth Weight and Birth
Sequence. Child Development, 42, 251-257.
Kozlak, J. (1978). Identical Twins: Perceptions of the Effects of Twinship. Humboldt
Journal of Social Relations, 5, 105-130.
Werner, E. (1973). From Birth to Latency: Behavioral Differences in a Multiracial Group of
Twins. Child Development, 44, 438-444.

4. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Educating
What is the culture of educating twins?
Raising
What is the culture of raising twins?
Being
What is the culture of being a twin?

5. METHODS
Methods
-opportunity sampling
-snow ball sampling
-qualitative interviewing
-opened ended interviewing/
semi-unstructured interviews
-interviews conducted face to
face, over the phone, and
through email
Participants
-in total 21 participants
-participants raised in the following
states and regions: NY, MA, VT, CA, CT,
NJ and Armenia
Categories of participants fell under:
~educators of twins
~siblings of twins
~parents of twins (2 generations)
~twins (fraternal male/ female twins,
fraternal female twins, and identical
female twins)

6. Findings’ Topics
I. Names
II. Dress
III. Elementary School through
High School
IV. College
V. Post- College
VI. My Best Friend
Reference Key
21 interviewees
Teachers n=2
Siblings n=2
Parents n=5
Old n=3 Young n=2
Twins=12
Fraternal male/female n=4
Fraternal female/female n=3
Identical female/female n=5

7. CONCLUSION
1) Describe what is like being a parent of twins.
2) What are the advantages of being a twin, if any?
3) What are the disadvantages of being a twin, if any?

8. FUTURE RESEARCH
• encompass a larger sample
• equal representation of males and females in study
• explore school policy changes, involving the placement of twins in
schools, classes, and dormitories
• look into twins outcomes in school, careers, sports, and
relationships in comparison to singletons