This research study is being done to explore the role of social relationships on health outcomes. A great deal of evidence has found that high-quality social relationships are associated with a lower risk of illness and death from a variety of diseases. Social disconnection and poor relationship quality are both associated with a higher risk of negative health outcomes. Identical and same-sex fraternal twin pairs where either both members of the pair are married or in a long-term relationship, OR one member is married or in a long-term relationship and the other is divorced or widowed are eligible to participate. In twin pairs where both twins are married or in a long-term relationship, we will also invite the spouse or partner to complete a questionnaire. By comparing twin pairs to other twin pairs, and comparing twins to their cotwin, we can better understand the contribution of genetics and unique environment to social relationships, relationship quality, and health outcomes. Data collection began in March 2023 and is ongoing.
Individuals who have a history of brain injury or illness, history of substance abuse, and/or single individuals who have never been married or in a long-term relationship are not eligible to take part in the study.
We plan to enroll 1,000 pairs of twins (2,000 individuals). Participants in this study will complete the following tasks:
- Complete a detailed questionnaire which asks about demographics, health history, health behaviors, relationship quality, and social support.
- Provide a saliva sample which will be processed into DNA. DNA will be used for methylation analysis. This means that the chemicals that sit on top of the DNA will be analyzed, and not the actual DNA itself. Data will be analyzed to estimate biological age, which is a highly accurate estimate of chronological age. DNA will not be used for whole genome sequencing.
- Complete a neuropsychological exam. This exam will be done using Zoom Health, which is HIPAA-compliant. A trained psychometrist from the University of Arizona will administer the exam. During this exam, the psychometrist will conduct a series of tests to measure your cognitive abilities. There are 12 tests total. The first test is a brief screener that measures topics such as orientation, executive functioning, memory, and attention. If you fail this test, you will not complete the remainder of the exam. The remaining tests assess memory, attention span, and language fluency.
Sub-study: Daily Social Functioning and Health Outcomes in Twins
Identical twins who are discordant – one is married or in a long-term relationship, and the other is divorced or widowed – will be invited to collect additional data for one week. Data will objectively measure social interactions by providing you with a smartwatch that has an app which is able to detect conversations. The app does not record any actual audio content but captures the start time and conversation length. This data will allow us to understand how time spent in spoken conversation with others can influence health outcomes.