Twin research in Hungary

Presented by:

Zsófia DrjenovszkyRita HegedűsAndrás Pári

MSZT: 11.2012.

Antecedents

• MSZT in 2011• 3 aspects• Make up for the lack• Long-range• Proposals

Twin researchers in Hungary

• (Saile, Tivadar 1928; Darányi, Gyula 1941; Malán, Milán 1962)

• Czeizel, Endre• Métneki, Júlia• (Bagdy, Emőke; Mérei, Ferenc)• Tárnoki brothers• Littvay, Levente

About our research

• Research questions: - Is being twin an asset?- Do demographic characteristics have an effect?

• Reasons:- Changes in the law and the area of the progress of the medical researches- Relevant literature in Hungary is limited- Sociological point of view

• In the year 2012:- Contact with the Hungarian researchers- Finding twins and parents of twins

Collecting data by questionnaire

• Reasons for collecting data by questionnaire

• The questionnaire• How could we reach the target group?

- twin festivals - snowball method (internet)- invitation

• Advantages/Disadvantages

The twins’ sample

• Questionnaires filled in at twin festivals: 81

• Questionnaires filled in at other places: 141

• Online respondents: 123 people (56,7%)

• Both member of a set of twins: 77 • One member of a set of twins: 63• Two or three members of a triplet: 2 (in

sum: 5 people)

RESULTS – The sample

(Twins’ questionnaires)(140 people)

• Identical twins /fraternal twins: 83 and 55 people• Conception: 3 people by artificial ways• Gender: 105 female/35 male respondent (75% / 25%)• Gender and type of twins: 62 identical females

21 identical males26 fraternal females8 fraternal males20 fraternal, male-female twins(of which 15 female, 5 male respondents)

• Siblings: beside his/her twin, 103 respondents have one or more siblings (74%)• Age: 38,2 years on average

62

21

26

8

20

The use of ‘twinship’ – questions and methods

Question: Is there a difference between twins in that how deeply they feel about being a twin and in the degree and type of the usage of being a twin? So, is ‘twinship’ an asset?

Methods: Linear regression

Dependent variables: 7 indexes dealing with the features of being a twin (evaluating of being a twin, extrinsic characteristics of use, use of twins’ bonds, active and passive use of the advantages, general use of being a twin)

Independent variable: gender, zygozity

The use of ‘twinship’ - results

1. ‘Twinship’ is more important for women, they are more involved in the theme. – Not confirmed.

2. Women use their ‘twinship’ as an extrinsic feature more than men. – Confirmed if we controlled for zygozity.

3. Men rather then women use their ‘twinship’ in territories where they have to show results, such as education. – Not confirmed. On the contrary, it was women who do that.

4. Women are inclined to use of their ‘twinship’ in a passive

way, while men in a more active way. – Partly confirmed. Women use their twinship more in both an active and passive way.

Use of ‘twinship’ – assumptions and results. 1. Gender

1. ‘Twinship’ is more important for identical twins, and they are those who use the advantage of being a twin more than the fraternal twins. – Confirmed.

2. There is an order in the use of the advantage of being a twin. It is: female identical – male identical – female fraternal – male fraternal – male/female fraternal twins. – Partly confirmed. The real order is: female identical – male identical – male/female fraternal – female fraternal – male fraternal twins. So the ‘mixed’ fraternal twins are more impressed in their ‘twinship’ then the unisexed pairs.

Use of ‘twinship’ – assumptions and results. 2. Type of twins

The parents and their twins (PARENTS’ questionnaires)

• PARTICIPATION of 575 PARENTS (92% are mothers): Altogether: 1150 person’s data received (= information on both parent’s socio-demographic background)

Respondents are from:1 Individual (personal) request for parents having twins – 48%2 Twin research database (Special thanks for the Dr. Tárnoki’s

) – 23%3 Twin festivals (Szigethalom, Ágfalva, Kunhegyes) – 20%4 Not specified – 9%

TWINS:- Age: 1 months old – 18 years old Average age at the sample:

4 yrs 3 months [ since 2006 in each kindergarten group we could statistically find at least

one twinpair!] - Gender: first born 51% boy, 49% girl

RESULTS – Age, marital status(Parents’ questionnaires)

Average age at the birth of the twins: - Mother: 31,2 years old [National average (2010)= 29,1 yrs; Budapest= 31,7 yrs]- Father: 33,8 years old

Marital status at the birth of the twins:- Since ’90s the twin births’ rate has increased among married

mothers- At age 30-34 the chance of having twins are 4%; Age 35-39 is 5%- 80% of the couples are married

RESULTS – The twins in family (Parents’ questionnaires)

RESULTS – Rate of assisted reproduction (Parents’ questionnaires)

1. Among lower educated parents the rate of natural conception is higher (76%)and the rate of test-tube babies are lower (19%)

2. Families participated in assisted reproductional treat-ment have far more high(59,5%) family income.

3. Among religious families* the rate of test-tube baies are more less (16%); natural conception rate is 81%! (*religious= attend to religious service, goes to church at least once a month)

RESULTS – Assisted reproduction and mother’s age

(Parents’ questionnaires)

RESULTS – Family income(Parents’ questionnaires)

RESULTS – ”Twin being” (Parents’ questionnaires)

• Almost each respondent are PROUD OF HAVING TWINS (98,8%)

BUT! Only 49,7% of the parents said that there are MORE ADVANTAGES than disadvantages (4,2%) having twins.

(46,1% „Couldn’t decide”)

• „TWIN BEING”: 1/3 of the parents thinks that being a twin for the children is VERY IMPORTANT, 46% said that IMPORTANT, but not necessary, 18% opinion is not very important

Thank you for your attention!