Open AccessDeveloping SENSES: Student experience of non-shared environment scales
Author(s) -
Sündüs Yerdelen,
Tracy L. Durksen,
Kaili Rimfeld,
Robert Plomin,
Kathryn Asbury
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0202543
Subject(s) - variance (accounting) , psychology , exploratory factor analysis , convergent validity , social psychology , internal consistency , twin study , consistency (knowledge bases) , explained variation , concurrent validity , developmental psychology , psychometrics , cognitive psychology , statistics , biology , mathematics , genetics , heritability , geometry , accounting , business
Twin and adoption studies find that non-shared environmental (NSE) factors account for variance in most behavioural traits and offer an explanation for why genetically identical individuals differ. Using data from a qualitative hypothesis-generating study we designed a quantitative measure of pupils’ non-shared experiences at the end of formal compulsory education (SENSES: Student Experiences of Non-Shared Environment Scales). In Study 1 SENSES was administered to n = 117 16–19 year old twin pairs. Exploratory Factor Analysis yielded a 49-item 10 factor solution which explained 63% of the variance in responses. SENSES showed good internal consistency and convergent and divergent validity. In Study 2 this factor structure was confirmed with data from n = 926 twin pairs and external validity was demonstrated via significant correlations between 9 SENSES factors and both public examination performance and life satisfaction. These studies lend preliminary support to SENSES but further research is required to confirm its psychometric properties; to assess whether individual differences in SENSES are explained by NSE effects; and to explore whether SENSES explains variance in achievement and wellbeing.