Fartein Ask Torvik
@torvik.bsky.social
Mental health and behaviour genetics. Senior researcher/associate professor at Norwegian Institute of Public Health & University of Oslo
Reposted by Fartein Ask Torvik
I drafted a letter to the editor, please help me out by DMing, commenting, emailing feedback if you are an expert on colliderbias, id obviosuly ad you as a author, Ideally we submit within 24-48 hrs, draft: zenodo.org/records/1800... (click download if the pdf doesnt preview on zenodo)
Negative Associations Between Early and Adult Performance Arise from Colider Selection Bias
Güllich et al. argue that among elite performers there is a negative associationbetween early and adult performance, a pattern they link to distinct developmentalcausal mechanisms for early, and adult...
zenodo.org
December 20, 2025 at 6:37 PM
I drafted a letter to the editor, please help me out by DMing, commenting, emailing feedback if you are an expert on colliderbias, id obviosuly ad you as a author, Ideally we submit within 24-48 hrs, draft: zenodo.org/records/1800... (click download if the pdf doesnt preview on zenodo)
Reposted by Fartein Ask Torvik
This smells distinctly like collider bias and/or selection bias and/or regression to the mean... You simply can't select teen prodigies, and world class athletes rom databases, and go run regressions without serious consideration of the selection process!
"Most top achievers (Nobel laureates and world-class musicians, athletes, chess players) demonstrated lower performance than many peers during their early years. Across the highest adult performance, peak performance is negatively correlated with early performance" www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Recent discoveries on the acquisition of the highest levels of human performance
Scientists have long debated the origins of exceptional human achievements. This literature review summarizes recent evidence from multiple domains on the acquisition of world-class performance. We re...
www.science.org
December 20, 2025 at 3:48 PM
This smells distinctly like collider bias and/or selection bias and/or regression to the mean... You simply can't select teen prodigies, and world class athletes rom databases, and go run regressions without serious consideration of the selection process!
Reposted by Fartein Ask Torvik
1/4 Thrilled to be sharing new work published today in Nature describing the third wave of results from the PGC Cross-Disorder Group. This reflects a massive group effort to examine shared and unique genetic signal across >1 million cases for 14 psychiatric disorders. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Mapping the genetic landscape across 14 psychiatric disorders - Nature
Genomic analyses applied to 14 childhood- and adult-onset psychiatric disorders identifies five underlying genomic factors that explain the majority of the genetic variance of the individual disorders...
www.nature.com
December 10, 2025 at 4:22 PM
1/4 Thrilled to be sharing new work published today in Nature describing the third wave of results from the PGC Cross-Disorder Group. This reflects a massive group effort to examine shared and unique genetic signal across >1 million cases for 14 psychiatric disorders. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Who wants to join us in Oslo to study how health influences educational underperformance? We are hiring PhDs postdocs candidates for our funded project. We will follow children from birth to emerging adulthood, using behavioural genetic methods and large datasets 945000.webcruiter.no/Main/Recruit...
Two positions as either PhD or postdoctoral fellow on health determinants of education
Do you want to research how health influences school performance and leads to intergenerational inequality? We have two vacant 3-year positions as a PhD fellow or postdoctoral research fellow in the p...
945000.webcruiter.no
December 5, 2025 at 8:58 AM
Who wants to join us in Oslo to study how health influences educational underperformance? We are hiring PhDs postdocs candidates for our funded project. We will follow children from birth to emerging adulthood, using behavioural genetic methods and large datasets 945000.webcruiter.no/Main/Recruit...
Reposted by Fartein Ask Torvik
Key insights (2/2)
• 10 years later, employed grandmothers are 12% less likely to work full-time, compared to a 2% reduction for grandfathers. Women also see larger income drops.
• The gendered patterns in infections + employment suggest women still are more involved in informal childcare provision.
• 10 years later, employed grandmothers are 12% less likely to work full-time, compared to a 2% reduction for grandfathers. Women also see larger income drops.
• The gendered patterns in infections + employment suggest women still are more involved in informal childcare provision.
November 20, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Key insights (2/2)
• 10 years later, employed grandmothers are 12% less likely to work full-time, compared to a 2% reduction for grandfathers. Women also see larger income drops.
• The gendered patterns in infections + employment suggest women still are more involved in informal childcare provision.
• 10 years later, employed grandmothers are 12% less likely to work full-time, compared to a 2% reduction for grandfathers. Women also see larger income drops.
• The gendered patterns in infections + employment suggest women still are more involved in informal childcare provision.
Reposted by Fartein Ask Torvik
Key insights (1/2)
• Respiratory infections jump in the first years of grandparenthood: +56% for women, +31% for men
• Grandparents are slightly less likely to see a doctor for mental disorders (−4.5%) & cardiovascular issues (−3.3%)
• Grandmothers have fewer musculoskeletal-related visits (−3.8%)
• Respiratory infections jump in the first years of grandparenthood: +56% for women, +31% for men
• Grandparents are slightly less likely to see a doctor for mental disorders (−4.5%) & cardiovascular issues (−3.3%)
• Grandmothers have fewer musculoskeletal-related visits (−3.8%)
November 20, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Key insights (1/2)
• Respiratory infections jump in the first years of grandparenthood: +56% for women, +31% for men
• Grandparents are slightly less likely to see a doctor for mental disorders (−4.5%) & cardiovascular issues (−3.3%)
• Grandmothers have fewer musculoskeletal-related visits (−3.8%)
• Respiratory infections jump in the first years of grandparenthood: +56% for women, +31% for men
• Grandparents are slightly less likely to see a doctor for mental disorders (−4.5%) & cardiovascular issues (−3.3%)
• Grandmothers have fewer musculoskeletal-related visits (−3.8%)
Reposted by Fartein Ask Torvik
New preprint📈📉
What happens to health and work when people become grandparents? Using Norwegian register data on all individuals born 1950-1960, we use event-study models comparing grandparents to not-yet grandparents to track changes in health and labour supply.
🔗 www.ssrn.com/abstract=571...
What happens to health and work when people become grandparents? Using Norwegian register data on all individuals born 1950-1960, we use event-study models comparing grandparents to not-yet grandparents to track changes in health and labour supply.
🔗 www.ssrn.com/abstract=571...
November 20, 2025 at 3:47 PM
New preprint📈📉
What happens to health and work when people become grandparents? Using Norwegian register data on all individuals born 1950-1960, we use event-study models comparing grandparents to not-yet grandparents to track changes in health and labour supply.
🔗 www.ssrn.com/abstract=571...
What happens to health and work when people become grandparents? Using Norwegian register data on all individuals born 1950-1960, we use event-study models comparing grandparents to not-yet grandparents to track changes in health and labour supply.
🔗 www.ssrn.com/abstract=571...
Reposted by Fartein Ask Torvik
Since search is dead, how soon do you think Google Scholar is headed for the Google Graveyard? I'm betting it's soon, and academia is NOT prepared
Google Scholar Is Doomed
Academia built entire careers on a free Google service with zero guarantees. What could go wrong?
hannahshelley.neocities.org
August 13, 2025 at 1:28 AM
Since search is dead, how soon do you think Google Scholar is headed for the Google Graveyard? I'm betting it's soon, and academia is NOT prepared
Reposted by Fartein Ask Torvik
Here is a free link to the paper if you don't have access:: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/author...
I also wrote a more detailed thread when I posted the preprint last year. Check it out here if you are interested: bsky.app/profile/hfsu...
I also wrote a more detailed thread when I posted the preprint last year. Check it out here if you are interested: bsky.app/profile/hfsu...
We have a new preprint!📰Here, we describe the association between parental income and psychiatric disorders from childhood and into adulthood, and use children of twins and siblings to differentiate social selection from social causation (1/n)🧵 Link: doi.org/10.1101/2024...
August 4, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Here is a free link to the paper if you don't have access:: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/author...
I also wrote a more detailed thread when I posted the preprint last year. Check it out here if you are interested: bsky.app/profile/hfsu...
I also wrote a more detailed thread when I posted the preprint last year. Check it out here if you are interested: bsky.app/profile/hfsu...
Reposted by Fartein Ask Torvik
Accompanying the paper is an interactive web page with figures and tables showing the prevalence of psychological codes in the ICPC-2 by age, sex, and parental income quartile. Check it out here:
hfsu.shinyapps.io/prevalence_b...
hfsu.shinyapps.io/prevalence_b...
August 4, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Accompanying the paper is an interactive web page with figures and tables showing the prevalence of psychological codes in the ICPC-2 by age, sex, and parental income quartile. Check it out here:
hfsu.shinyapps.io/prevalence_b...
hfsu.shinyapps.io/prevalence_b...
Reposted by Fartein Ask Torvik
Our new paper is out today! 🎉 In it, we use administrative register data to document how psychiatric disorders are strongly linked to parental income, from childhood far into adulthood. Furthermore, we attempt to separate causation and selection using kinship-based models.
doi.org/10.1111/jcpp...
doi.org/10.1111/jcpp...
August 4, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Our new paper is out today! 🎉 In it, we use administrative register data to document how psychiatric disorders are strongly linked to parental income, from childhood far into adulthood. Furthermore, we attempt to separate causation and selection using kinship-based models.
doi.org/10.1111/jcpp...
doi.org/10.1111/jcpp...
Reposted by Fartein Ask Torvik
Our new study is just out in Psychological Science! We study cognitive ability at age 18 and mental health 20 years later in 270k Norwegian men. We include different mental disorders, compare education by ability, and run sibling-fixed effects. Check it out here: doi.org/10.1177/0956...
June 28, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Our new study is just out in Psychological Science! We study cognitive ability at age 18 and mental health 20 years later in 270k Norwegian men. We include different mental disorders, compare education by ability, and run sibling-fixed effects. Check it out here: doi.org/10.1177/0956...
Reposted by Fartein Ask Torvik
3/7
🎓 Educational attainment also independently predicted better mental health.
But the highest risk was for men who were low in both cognition and education.
This group faced the highest probability of adult psychiatric diagnoses.
🎓 Educational attainment also independently predicted better mental health.
But the highest risk was for men who were low in both cognition and education.
This group faced the highest probability of adult psychiatric diagnoses.
June 28, 2025 at 9:58 AM
3/7
🎓 Educational attainment also independently predicted better mental health.
But the highest risk was for men who were low in both cognition and education.
This group faced the highest probability of adult psychiatric diagnoses.
🎓 Educational attainment also independently predicted better mental health.
But the highest risk was for men who were low in both cognition and education.
This group faced the highest probability of adult psychiatric diagnoses.
Reposted by Fartein Ask Torvik
🧵1/7
New study: How do adolescent cognitive ability and education predict adult mental disorders?
🧠📚➜🧑⚕️
Using Norwegian register data (N = 272,351 men) of GP diagnoses and military assessed cognitive abilities.
👇
New study: How do adolescent cognitive ability and education predict adult mental disorders?
🧠📚➜🧑⚕️
Using Norwegian register data (N = 272,351 men) of GP diagnoses and military assessed cognitive abilities.
👇
June 28, 2025 at 9:58 AM
🧵1/7
New study: How do adolescent cognitive ability and education predict adult mental disorders?
🧠📚➜🧑⚕️
Using Norwegian register data (N = 272,351 men) of GP diagnoses and military assessed cognitive abilities.
👇
New study: How do adolescent cognitive ability and education predict adult mental disorders?
🧠📚➜🧑⚕️
Using Norwegian register data (N = 272,351 men) of GP diagnoses and military assessed cognitive abilities.
👇
Reposted by Fartein Ask Torvik
Last week, our new paper on indirect assortative mating was published.🍾 Let’s take a closer look at what this means, why it matters, and what we found (🧵/32):
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
June 11, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Last week, our new paper on indirect assortative mating was published.🍾 Let’s take a closer look at what this means, why it matters, and what we found (🧵/32):
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Fartein Ask Torvik
1/13 New preprint out! We developed methods to test a key assumption in family-based genetic studies: that siblings don’t genetically influence each other’s traits. Spoiler: mostly they don’t, but there’s a twist with ADHD ratings at age 3 👶
osf.io/preprints/ps...
osf.io/preprints/ps...
https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/b4c76_v1
t.co
June 10, 2025 at 10:22 AM
1/13 New preprint out! We developed methods to test a key assumption in family-based genetic studies: that siblings don’t genetically influence each other’s traits. Spoiler: mostly they don’t, but there’s a twist with ADHD ratings at age 3 👶
osf.io/preprints/ps...
osf.io/preprints/ps...
Reposted by Fartein Ask Torvik
I will write a detailed thread next week. If something is confusing until then, I highly recommend the supplementary notes, where I go through the logic more slowly and in greater depth.
June 6, 2025 at 6:01 PM
I will write a detailed thread next week. If something is confusing until then, I highly recommend the supplementary notes, where I go through the logic more slowly and in greater depth.
Reposted by Fartein Ask Torvik
Results imply that partners are strongly assorting (r=.68) on education-associated trait(s) with large shared-environmental effects (i.e. Social Homogamy). Accounting for this in intergenerational models reveals previously hidden or underestimated environmental effects.
June 6, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Results imply that partners are strongly assorting (r=.68) on education-associated trait(s) with large shared-environmental effects (i.e. Social Homogamy). Accounting for this in intergenerational models reveals previously hidden or underestimated environmental effects.
Reposted by Fartein Ask Torvik
Our paper on indirect assortative mating is now out in @natcomms.nature.com! In it, we provide refined definitions of terms used to explain partner similarity, develop statistical models, and find evidence of surprisingly high social homogamy for education.
Link: doi.org/10.1038/s414...
Link: doi.org/10.1038/s414...
June 6, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Our paper on indirect assortative mating is now out in @natcomms.nature.com! In it, we provide refined definitions of terms used to explain partner similarity, develop statistical models, and find evidence of surprisingly high social homogamy for education.
Link: doi.org/10.1038/s414...
Link: doi.org/10.1038/s414...
Reposted by Fartein Ask Torvik
Very grateful that I got to present at the ESSGN past Friday. In the study I presented, we looked at intergenerational transmission of education in a sample of the Norwegian population register. We used a Children-of-Twins model to look at GPA at age 16 and educational attainment in the parents.
May 26, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Very grateful that I got to present at the ESSGN past Friday. In the study I presented, we looked at intergenerational transmission of education in a sample of the Norwegian population register. We used a Children-of-Twins model to look at GPA at age 16 and educational attainment in the parents.
Reposted by Fartein Ask Torvik
New preprint!
We find no evidence that parental mental health influences children's academic achievement when comparing families in the Norwegian MoBa study.
osf.io/preprints/ps...
Quick thread 👇
We find no evidence that parental mental health influences children's academic achievement when comparing families in the Norwegian MoBa study.
osf.io/preprints/ps...
Quick thread 👇
April 16, 2025 at 10:35 AM
New preprint!
We find no evidence that parental mental health influences children's academic achievement when comparing families in the Norwegian MoBa study.
osf.io/preprints/ps...
Quick thread 👇
We find no evidence that parental mental health influences children's academic achievement when comparing families in the Norwegian MoBa study.
osf.io/preprints/ps...
Quick thread 👇
Reposted by Fartein Ask Torvik
🚨 Big question, big paper! Why does educational inequality run in families?
The parent-child education link (r = .31) is often seen as purely environmental.
From 569k kids, we decomposed it:
🧬 68% genetic
🏡 12% parental environment
👴 20% extended-family environment
👉 doi.org/10.31234/osf...
🧵
The parent-child education link (r = .31) is often seen as purely environmental.
From 569k kids, we decomposed it:
🧬 68% genetic
🏡 12% parental environment
👴 20% extended-family environment
👉 doi.org/10.31234/osf...
🧵
April 13, 2025 at 8:23 AM
🚨 Big question, big paper! Why does educational inequality run in families?
The parent-child education link (r = .31) is often seen as purely environmental.
From 569k kids, we decomposed it:
🧬 68% genetic
🏡 12% parental environment
👴 20% extended-family environment
👉 doi.org/10.31234/osf...
🧵
The parent-child education link (r = .31) is often seen as purely environmental.
From 569k kids, we decomposed it:
🧬 68% genetic
🏡 12% parental environment
👴 20% extended-family environment
👉 doi.org/10.31234/osf...
🧵
Reposted by Fartein Ask Torvik
Vi har et skrikende behov for kunnskap for å møte vår tids utfordringer, med fallende skoleprestasjoner og økt fravær.
Derfor er det avgjørende med et nasjonalt individdataregister fra skoler og barnehager, mener Camilla Stoltenberg, @martinflato.bsky.social, @torvik.bsky.social og Karin Monstad.
Derfor er det avgjørende med et nasjonalt individdataregister fra skoler og barnehager, mener Camilla Stoltenberg, @martinflato.bsky.social, @torvik.bsky.social og Karin Monstad.
April 1, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Vi har et skrikende behov for kunnskap for å møte vår tids utfordringer, med fallende skoleprestasjoner og økt fravær.
Derfor er det avgjørende med et nasjonalt individdataregister fra skoler og barnehager, mener Camilla Stoltenberg, @martinflato.bsky.social, @torvik.bsky.social og Karin Monstad.
Derfor er det avgjørende med et nasjonalt individdataregister fra skoler og barnehager, mener Camilla Stoltenberg, @martinflato.bsky.social, @torvik.bsky.social og Karin Monstad.
Fallende skoleprestasjoner og økt fravær avdekker et skrikende behov for kunnskap for å møte vår tids utfordringer. Til det trenger vi registre fra skoler og barnehager.
www.altinget.no/lovebakken/a...
www.altinget.no/lovebakken/a...
Vi har et skrikende behov for kunnskap om barn - Altinget
Fallende skoleprestasjoner og økt fravær avdekker et skrikende behov for kunnskap for å møte vår tids utfordringer. Til det trenger vi registre fra skoler og barnehager, skriver Martin Flatø, Fartein ...
www.altinget.no
April 1, 2025 at 7:56 AM
Fallende skoleprestasjoner og økt fravær avdekker et skrikende behov for kunnskap for å møte vår tids utfordringer. Til det trenger vi registre fra skoler og barnehager.
www.altinget.no/lovebakken/a...
www.altinget.no/lovebakken/a...
I dag får bare 0,6 % av barn utsatt skolestart i Norge. Det er alt for få, og det kan ha alvorlige konsekvenser for umodne barn
www.nrk.no/ytring/fleks...
www.nrk.no/ytring/fleks...
Fleksibel skolestart
Det er på høy tid at barnas behov settes foran systemets krav.
www.nrk.no
February 10, 2025 at 11:53 AM
I dag får bare 0,6 % av barn utsatt skolestart i Norge. Det er alt for få, og det kan ha alvorlige konsekvenser for umodne barn
www.nrk.no/ytring/fleks...
www.nrk.no/ytring/fleks...