On day 4 of International Multiple Births Awareness Week we are discussing 'Identity, culture and belonging'. Dr Lara Alamad, Deputy Director of the EBMBC, discusses twin identity in a summary of her recent PhD.
While twins are a common phenomenon, many people still rely on outdated stereotypes about what it means to be a twin. While these assumptions may seem harmless, twins may experience them as frustrating, inaccurate, and often hurtful. Yet despite this widespread misunderstanding of twins and twinship, surprisingly little research has explored how young twins themselves understand and experience these relationships, especially during adolescence, a critical period for developing identity and independence.
To address this gap, my doctoral research explored the experiences of eight pairs of identical female twins aged 10 to 17 living in the UK. I chose identical female twins as the research group because Research has suggested that identical female twins may experience stronger levels of interdependence than other types of twins and that they may have lower levels of self-esteem. Using narrative inquiry, I conducted two rounds of online interviews, first speaking with twins together and discussing their lives chronologically. In the second stage, I interviewed the twins separately and also included a photo-based activity to encourage deeper reflection on their experiences.
The participants consistently described the support and companionship of their twin relationship as the greatest benefit of being a twin. Having twins means that there is “always someone there”. Participants also felt comfortable in their individual identities, stating that they felt they looked less identical as they got older. However, many twins spoke about negative assumptions they encountered, particularly in school settings. Some described being treated as a unit or being subjected to unfavourable comparisons to their twin. These experiences often felt dismissive and, at times, resembled everyday microaggressions.
Despite these challenges, the twins actively developed their own identities, often by pursuing different interests, friendships, and activities. The study highlights the importance of listening to twins’ voices and recognising them as individuals. For professionals working with twins and their families, it underlines that understanding the reality of twinship, rather than the myths surrounding it is essential and supporting twins means valuing both twins as individuals and their twinship.