Twin study shows why some kids are very sensitive

International researchers have studied thousands of sets of twins both identical and non-identical to see if biology plays a part in children being sensitive in uncertain situations.

THE Burstows are a one-in-100,000 family – with two sets of identical twins conceived naturally – and they back up new research showing personalities are formed more by nature than nurture.

International researchers studied thousands of sets of twins both identical and non-identical to see if biology played a part in kids being sensitive in uncertain situations.

Identical twins carry duplicate genes while non-identical are like any other siblings.

The study published in Molecular Psychiatry aimed at discovering if nature or nurture explained the differences in how children handled difficult situations.

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,Evie and Georgia Burstow and their brothers Oliver and Harrison were all conceived naturally. Picture: Steve Pohlner

If identical twins showed no more similarity in their levels of sensitivity than non-identical twins, then genes were unlikely to play a role.

"We are all affected by what we experience — sensitivity is something we all share as a basic human trait. But we also differ in how much of an impact our experiences have on us. Scientists have always thought there was a genetic basis for sensitivity but this is the first time we've been able to actually quantify how much of these differences in sensitivity are explained by genetic factors," Michael Pluess, Professor of Developmental Psychology at Queen Mary University of London and study lead said.

Professor Pluess believes the findings could help in the understanding and handling of sensitivity.

"We know from previous research that around a third of people are at the higher end of the sensitivity spectrum. They are generally more strongly affected by their experiences. This can have both advantages and disadvantages. Because we now know that this sensitivity is as much due to biology as environment, it is important for people to accept their sensitivity as an important part of who they are and consider it as a strength not just as a weakness," he said.

Simone Burstow agrees that biology plays a big part in how her identical twins behave.

“The boys are very connected and tend to seek out the same things and enjoy the same things. They handle difficult situations well but as parents we help them through those times,” she said.

“The same goes for the girls who are very similar in how they handle things.”