Information for womb twin survivors : a psychological profile

By 2009 I had more than 500 completed questionnaires, ready for analysis by the University of Hertfordshire Statistical department. Once I had collected that all-important list of physical signs and symptoms of a twin pregnancy, I could sort out those people who definitely are womb twin survivors and those who may indeed think they are, but they have no proof.

In the data set used for analysis, only people with some  proof of a twin pregnancy were included, and of this answers made by this group only the questions that received the strongest answers were counted.  This gave us 250 people.

By the end of the analysis, we had reached the point where I could dare to suggest a psychological profile of womb twin survivors.  I had dared to posit such a profile before in 2007 here on this blog, and I published these latest results in 2009 - not much different, and more comprehensive, on the forum and on this blog in November 2009.

The results are available as a free download PDF here

In summary, the seven most common psychological characteristics of womb twin survivors are these:

1. A sense of something missing

The questionnaire statement was: "All my life I have felt as if something is missing"

2. A fear of rejection

The questionnaire statement was: "I fear rejection" 

3.  Awareness of unrealised potential


 The questionnaire statement was: "I know I am not realising my full potential"


4.  Feeling different from others

The questionnaire statement was: "I feel different from other people"

5.  Constantly searching without know what for or why

The questionnaire statement was: "I have been searching for something all my life but I don’t know what it is"

6.   A paradoxical sense of isolation from others

The questionnaire statement was: "Deep down, I feel alone, even when I am among friends."

7.   A fear of abandonment

The questionnaire statement was: "I fear abandonment."

It has been said that this combination of characteristics is commonly seen in therapy rooms, where clients come for help with their vague  and seemingly unresolvable psychological problems. As has also been said by a fellow womb twin survivor who is himself a therapist, if the therapist concerned does not know about womb twin survivors issues, they wont be able to help that much.

I hope that this blog post may help a little in that regard.

There is much, much more about the psychology of womb twin survivors in my new book "Womb twin survivors: the lost twin in the Dream of the Womb." I wish I could give a copy to every practicing therapist!  What a difference that would make!