MPIDR Working Paper

DF-analyses of heritability with double-entry twin data: asymptotic standard errors and efficient estimation

Kohler, H.-P., Rodgers, J. C.
MPIDR Working Paper WP-2000-005
Rostock, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (May 2000)
This working paper has now been published. It is available at Behavior Genetics, 31(2) 179-191
Open Access

Abstract

In this paper we establish the asymptotic distribution of DeFries-Fulker (1985) regression estimates for heritability and shared environmental influences with double-entry twin data. A simple formula to estimate the covariance matrix of the coefficients in DF-regressions is provided, and applications to simulated data and Dabish twin data show that this method can substantially increase the statistical power of the analyses. We also provide an ´efficient DF-analysis´ that yields more precise estimates when additional covariates are included among the explanatory variables. (AUTHORS)
The Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR) in Rostock is one of the leading demographic research centers in the world. It's part of the Max Planck Society, the internationally renowned German research society.