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Publications

2025

Marek Muszyński, Natalia Banasik-Jemielniak, Tomasz Żółtak, Kaili Rimfeld, Nicholas G Shakeshaft, Kerry L Schofield, Margherita Malanchini, Artur Pokropek (2025). Moving intelligence measurement online: adaptation and validation of the Polish version of the Pathfinder general cognitive ability test. Springer Nature, 1-26. Link

Yujing Lin, Francesca Procopio, Engin Keser, Kaito Kawakami, Kaili Rimfeld, Margherita Malanchini, Robert Plomin (2025). Polygenic score prediction within and between sibling pairs for intelligence, cognitive abilities, and educational traits from childhood to early adulthood. Intelligence & Cognitive Abilities. Link

Zhou, Q., Liao, W., Alegrini, A., Rimfeld, K., Wertz, J., Morris, T., Raffington, L., Plomin, R., & Malanchini, M. (2025). From genetic disposition to academic achievement: The mediating role of non-cognitive skills across development. BiorXiv. Link to preprint.

Zhou, Q., Gidziela, A., Allegrini, A., Cheesman, R., Wertz, J., Maxwell, J., Plomin, R., Rimfeld, K., & Malanchini, M. (2025). Gene-environment correlation: the role of family environment in academic development. Mol Psychiatry, 30, 999–1008. Link

Procopio F., Keser, E., Knyspel, J., Malanchini, M., Rimfeld K., and Plomin R. (2025). The Genetic Specificity of Cognitive Tests After Controlling for General Cognitive Ability. Behaviour Genetics, 1-10. Link

Procopio F., Liao W., Rimfeld K., Malanchini M., von Stumm S., Allegrini A.G. and Plomin R. (2025). Multi-polygenic score prediction of mathematics, reading, and language abilities independent of general cognitive ability. Molecular Psychiatry, Springer Nature, 30 (2), 414-422 Link

2024

Zhou, Q., Wang, Z., Rimfeld, K., Allegrini, A., Plomin, R., & Malanchini, M. (2024).Exploring the specific predictive ability of multiple domains of spatial ability on STEM educational outcomes. BiorXiv. Link to Preprint

Malanchini, M., Allegrini, A., Nivard, M.G., Biroli, P., Rimfeld, K., Cheesman, R., von Stumm, S., Demange, P.A., van Bergen, E., Grotzinger, A.D., Raffington, L., De la Fuente, J., Pingault, J.B., Tucker-Drob, E.M., Harden, K.P., Plomin, R. (2024). Genetic associations between non-cognitive skills and academic achievement over development. Nat Hum Behav 8, 2034–2046. Link

Pezzoli, P., Pingault, J.B., Malanchini, M., Voronin, I., McCrory, E., Fearon, P., & Viding, E. (2024). Reciprocal effects between negative parenting and children’s callous-unemotional traits from mid to late childhood. American Journal of Psychiatry. Link

Raffington, L., Tanksley, P. T., Vinnik, L., Sabhlok, A., Patterson, M. W., Mallard, T., Malanchini, M., Ayorech, Z., Tucker-Drob, E. M., & Paige Harden, K. (2024). Associations of DNA-Methylation Measures of Biological Aging With Social Disparities in Child and Adolescent Mental Health. Clinical Psychological Science, 12(4), 551-562. Link

von Stumm, S., Malanchini, M., Fisher, H. (2024). The developmental interplay between the p-factor of psychopathology and the g-factor of intelligence from age 7 through 16 years. Development and Psychopathology. 36 (3), 1479-1488. Link

Kawakami, K., Procopio, F., Rimfeld, K. et al. Exploring the genetic prediction of academic underachievement and overachievement. npj Sci. Learn. 9, 39 (2024). Link

2023

Gidziela, A., Ahmadzadeh, Y., Michelini, G., Allegrini, A.G., Agnew-Blais, J., Lau, L.Y., Duret, M., Procopio., F., Daly, E., Ronald, A., Rimfeld, K., & Malanchini., M. (2023). meta-analysis of genetic effects associated with neurodevelopmental disorders and co-occurring conditions. Nat Hum Behav 7, 642–656. Link

Keser, E., Liao, W., Allegrini, A., Rimfeld, K., Eley, T.C., Plomin R., & Malanchini, M. (2023). Isolating transdiagnostic effects reveals specific genetic profiles in psychiatric disorders. MedrXiv. Link to preprint

Lockhart, C., Ahmadzadeh, Y., Breen, G., Bright, J., Bristow, S., Boyd, A., Downs, J., Hotopf, M., Palaiologou, E., Rimfeld, K., Maxwell, J., Malanchini, M., McAdams, T. A., Plomin, R., and Eley, T. C. (in press). Twins Early Development Study (TEDS): A genetically sensitive investigation of mental health outcomes in the mid-twenties. JCPP Advances. Link

Gidziela, A., Malanchini, M., Rimfeld, K., McMillan, A., Ronald, A., Viding, E., Pike, A., Asbury, K., Eley, T.C., von Stumm, S., & Plomin, R. (2022). Explaining the influence of nonshared environment (NSE) on symptoms of behaviour problems from preschool to adulthood: Mind the missing NSE gap. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. Link

Bellato, A., Admani, M. A., Deak, C., Farhat, L. C., Fontana Antunes de Oliveira, M. C., Vasconcelos, R., Malanchini, M., Shephard, E., & Michelini, G. (2023). Autonomic dysregulation and self-injurious thoughts and behaviours in children and young people: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JCPP Advances, e12148. Link

Packer, A., Corbett, A., Arathimos, R., Ballard, C., Aarsland, D., Hampshire, A., Dima, D., Creese, B., Malanchini, M., & Powell, T. R. (2023). Limited evidence of a shared genetic relationship between C-reactive protein levels and cognitive function in older UK adults of European ancestry. Frontiers in Dementia 2. Link

2022

Plomin, R., Gidziela, A., Malanchini, M., & von Stumm, S. (2022). Gene-environment interaction using polygenic scores: Do polygenic scores for psychopathology moderate predictions from environmental risk to behavior problems? Development and Psychopathology. Link

Gidziela, A., Rimfeld, K., Malanchini, M., Allegrini, A.G., McMillan, A., Selzam, S., Ronald, A., Viding, E., von Stumm, S., Eley, T.C. and Plomin, R. (2022), Using DNA to predict behaviour problems from preschool to adulthood. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 63, 7, 781-792. Link

Demange, P.A.D., Hottenga, J.J., Abdellaoui, A., Eilertsen, E., Malanchini, M., Domingue, B.W., Armstrong-Carter, E., de Zeeuw, E.L., Rimfeld, K., Eley, T.C., Boomsma, D.I., van Bergen, E., Breen G., Nivard, M.G., & Cheesman, R., (2022). Estimating effects of parents’ cognitive and non-cognitive skills on offspring education using polygenic scores. Nature Communications. Link

Raffington, L.A., Malanchini, M., Grotzinger A.D., Madole J.W., Engelhardt L.E., Sabhlok A., Youn, C., Patterson, M.W., Harden, K.P. & Tucker-Drob E.M. (2022). Changing environments reveal innovative genetic variation in children’s cortisol responses. Developmental Psychology. Link

Rimfeld, K., Malanchini, M., Arathimos, R., Gidziela, A., Pain, O., McMillan, A., Ogden, R., Webster, L., Packer, A. E., Shakeshaft, N., Schofield, K., Pingault, J.B., Allegrini, A., Stringaris, A., von Stumm, S., Lewis, C.M., & Plomin, R. (in press). The consequences of a year of the COVID-19 pandemic for the mental health of young adult twins in England and Wales. BJPsych Open. Link to preprint

Procopio, F.*, Zhou, Q.*, Wang, Z., Gidziela, A., Rimfeld, K., Malanchini, M., & Plomin, R., (2022). The genetics of specific cognitive abilities. BioRxiv Link to preprint

Sheardown, M. Mech, A.M., Miletto Petrazzini, M.E., Leggieri, A., Gidziela, A., Hosseinian, S., Sealy, I.M., Torres-Perez, J.V., Busch-Nentwich, E.M., Malanchini, M., & Brennan, C.H. (2022). Translational relevance of forward genetic screens in animal models for the study of psychiatric disease. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 135,104559 Link

Sabhlok, A., Malanchini, M., Engelhardt, L. E., Madole, J., Tucker-Drob, E.M., & Harden, K.P. (2022). Characterizing the relationship between executive function, processing speed, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in middle childhood. Developmental Science, 25(2) e13168. Link

2021

Malanchini, M.*, Rimfeld, K.*, Gidziela, A., Cheesman, R., Allegrini, A.G., Shakeshaft, N., Schofield, K., Packer A., Ogden, R., McMillan, A., Ritchie, S.J., Dale, P.S., Eley, T.C., von Stumm, S., & Plomin, R. (2021). Pathfinder: A gamified measure to integrate general cognitive ability into the biological, medical, and behavioural sciences. Molecular Psychiatry. Link

Demange, P.*, Malanchini, M.* ... Belsky, D.W., Harden, K.P., & Nivard, M. G. (2021). Investigating the Genetic Architecture of Non-Cognitive Skills Using GWAS-by-Subtraction. Nature Genetics, 53, pages35–44 (2021). Link

Rimfeld, K.*, Malanchini, M.*, Packer, A., Gidziela, A., Allegrini, A.G, Ayorech, Z., Smith-Woolley, E., McMillan, A., Ogden, R., Dale, P.S., Eley, T.C., & Plomin, R. (2021). The winding roads to adulthood: A twin study. JCPP Advances. Link

Malanchini, M., Engelhardt, L.E., Raffington, L. A., Sabhlok, A., Grotzinger, A.D., Madole, J.W., Freis, S.M., Harden, K.P. & Tucker-Drob, E.M. (2021). Weak and uneven associations of home, neighborhood and school environments with stress hormone output across multiple time scales. Molecular Psychiatry, 26, 4823–4838. Link

Wang, Z., Lukowski, S., Oh, W., Borriello, G., & Malanchini, M. (2021). Co-development of math anxiety, math self-efficacy, and math value in adolescence: The roles of parents and math teachers. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 67, 102016. Link

Vogt, R.L., Zheng, A., Briley, D.A., Malanchini, M., Harden, K.P., & Tucker-Drob., E.M. (2021). Genetic and Environmental Factors of Non-Ability-Based Confidence. Social and Personality Psychological Science, 13, 3. Link

Rimfeld, K.*, Malanchini, M.*, Allegrini, A.G.A., Packer, A.E., McMillan, A., Ogden, R., Webster, L., Shakeshaft, N.G., Schofield, K.L., Pingault, J.B., Stringaris, A., von Stumm, S., & Plomin, R. (2021). Genetic correlates of psychological responses to the COVID-19 crisis in young adult twins in Great Britain. Behaviour Genetics, 51, pages110–124. Link

Raffington, L.A., Belsky, D.W., Kothari, M., Malanchini, M., Tucker-Drob E.M., & Harden, K.P. (2021). Socioeconomic Disadvantage and the Pace of Biological Aging in Children. Pediatrics, 147 (6) e2020024406. Link

2020

Malanchini, M., Rimfeld, K., Allegrini, A.G., Ritchie, S.J., & Plomin, R. (2020). Cognitive ability and education: how behavioural genetic research has advanced our knowledge and understanding of their association. Neuroscience and Biobehavioural Reviews, 111, 229-245. Link

Demange, P.A.D., Hottenga, J.J., Abdellaoui, A., Malanchini, M., Domingue, B.W., de Zeeuw, E.L., Rimfeld, K., Eley, T.C., Boomsma, D.I., van Bergen, E., Breen G., Nivard, M.G., & Cheesman, R., (2020). Parental influences on offspring education: indirect genetic effects of non-cognitive skills. BioRxiv. Link to preprint

Malanchini, M., Rimfeld, K., Shakeshaft, N. G., McMillan, A., Schofield, K.L., Rodic, M., Rossi, V., Kovas, Y., Dale, P.S., Tucker-Dob, E.M., & Plomin, R. (2020). Evidence for a unitary structure of spatial cognition beyond general intelligence. npj Science of Learning. Published online July 2. Link

Hasty, L.M., Malanchini, M., Shakeshaft, N.G., Schofield, K.L., Malanchini, M., & Wang, Z. (2020). When anxiety becomes my propeller: Mental toughness moderates the relation between academic anxiety and academic avoidance. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 91, 368-390 e12366. Link

Wang, Z., Borriello, G., Malanchini, M. & Oh, W. (2020). The developmental trajectories of mathematics anxiety: A growth mixture model approach. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 61, 101876. Link

Wang, Z., Rimfeld, K., Shakeshaft, N.G., Schofield, K.L., & Malanchini, M. (2020). The longitudinal role of domain-specific anxiety in boys and girls academic development. Journal of Adolescence, 80, 220-232. Link

Harden, K.P, Domingue, B.W., Belsky, D.W., Boardman, J.D., Crosnoe, R., Malanchini, M., Nivard, M.G., Tucker-Drob, E.M., Harris, K.M. (2020). Genetic Associations with Mathematics Tracking and Persistence in Secondary School. npj Science of Learning, 5(1), 1-7. Link

Malanchini, M., Rimfeld, K., Wang, Z., Petrill, S.A., Tucker-Drob, E.M., Plomin, R., & Kovas, Y. (2020). Genetic factors underlie the association between anxiety, attitudes and performance in mathematics. Translational Psychiatry. Published online 21st Ja. Link

Raffington, L.A.*, Malanchini, M., Grotzinger A.D., Madole J.W., Engelhardt L.E., Sabhlok A., Youn, C., Patterson, M.W., Harden, K.P. & Tucker-Drob E.M. (2019). Changing environments reveal innovative genetic variation in children’s cortisol responses. BioRxiv. Link to preprint

2019

Malanchini, M., Engelhardt, L.E., Grotzinger, A.D., Harden, K.P., & Tucker-Drob, E.M. (2019). ‘Same but different’: Associations between multiple aspects of self-regulation, cognition and academic abilities. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 117(6):1164-1188. Link

Malanchini, M., Smith-Wooley, E., Ayorech, Z., Rimfeld, K., Krapohl, E., Vuoksimaa E., Korhonen T., Bartels, M. , van Beijsterveldt, T.C.E.M., Rose, R.J., Lundström, S., Anckarsäter, H., Kaprio, J., Lichtenstein, P., Boomsma, D.I. & Plomin, R. (2019). Aggressive behaviour in childhood and adolescence: the role of smoking during pregnancy, evidence from four twin cohorts in the EU-ACTION consortium. Psychological Medicine, 49 (4), 646-654. Link

Madrid-Valero, J.J., Gregory, A.M., Shakeshaft, N.G., Malanchini, M., Schofield, K.L., & Ronald, A., (2019). Symptoms of sleep quality, insomnia and internalising difficulties in adolescents: insights from a twin study. Sleep, 43(2), zsz229. Link

Rimfeld, K., Malanchini, M., Spargo, T., Spickernell, G., Selzam, S.,McMillan, A., Dale. P.S., Eley, T.C., Plomin, R. (2019). Twins Early Development Study: a genetically sensitive investigation into behavioural and cognitive development from infancy to emerging adulthood. Twin Research and Human Genetics, 22(6), 508-513. Link

Rimfeld, K.*, Malanchini, M.*, Hannigan, L.J., Allen, R., Dale, P.S., & Plomin, R. (2019). Teacher assessments during compulsory education are as reliable, stable and heritable as standardized test scores. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 60(12), 1278-1288. Link

Zheng, A., Briley, D.A., Malanchini, M., Tackett, J.L., Harden, K.P., & Tucker-Drob, E.M. (2019). Genetic and Environmental Influences on Achievement Goals Shift with Age. European Journal of Personality, 33(3), 317-336. Link

Malanchini, G., Stefanini, G.G., Malanchini, M., Condorelli, G., Lombardi, F. (2019). Higher mortality during weekend admission for Acute Coronary Syndrome; a large-scale cross-sectional Italian study. Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine. 20(2), 74-80. Link

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