Parental Perceptions of Twins and the Co-Twin Relationship

To assess the unique relationship twins share with each other, mothers of twins were self-selected via announcements distributed through 17 Mothers of Multiples Clubs in Texas. Participants completed a survey containing Likert scale and open-ended items including demographic information and questions regarding how participants perceive their twins. Mothers reported that 63.8% of their twins were fraternal, and 36.2% were identical. Factor analyses, correlations, and independent samples t-tests were conducted to determine significant relationships between variables. Significant correlations were found between the Favoritism Scale and the Perceived Positive Twin Relationship Scale, as well as between parents identifying more with one twin and parental perception that parent-child relationships impact co-twin relationships. This was an exploratory study, and further research is needed to more fully understand the twin relationship and how parents perceive it