Pooled Estimates of Parent-Child Correlations in Stature from Birth to Maturity

Abstract

Correlations between the heights of children throughout their development and their parents's mature heights differ widely in different growth studies. The range of values, however, is shown to be within the limits of sampling error, making it possible to estimate correlations for each age from birth to maturity. Mother-child correlations are generally higher than father-child correlations, and for both comparisons the correlation increases when the child reaches early adolescence. There is no relation between the heights of the parents and the timing of the child's growth spurt, but there probably is a relation between the heights of the parents and the amount the child grows during early adolescence.