A study of genetic and environmental effects on the co-occurrence of problem behaviors in three-year-old twins

J Abnorm Psychol. 2000 Aug;109(3):360-372. doi: 10.1037/0021-843X.109.3.360.

Abstract

The authors examined the genetic and environmental causes of the co-occurrence of problem behaviors in children. The analyses involved mother and father ratings of Oppositional, Withdrawn/Depressed, Aggressive, Anxious, Overactive, and Sleep Problems in 446 monozygotic and 912 dizygotic pairs of 3-year-old twins. Genetic factors contributed on average .150 (37.3%), shared environment .206 (51.2%), and nonshared environment .046 (11.4%) to the phenotypic correlations between the syndromes. Genetic and environmental factors caused different groupings. Internalizing and Externalizing groupings were indicative of nonshared environmental factors; clusters of problem behaviors with either the Aggressive or Anxious symptoms were most suggestive of genetic factors, and high scores on all syndromes indicated shared environmental influences.

Publication types

  • Twin Study

MeSH terms

  • Child Behavior Disorders / genetics*
  • Child Behavior Disorders / psychology
  • Child, Preschool
  • Diseases in Twins / genetics*
  • Female
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease / genetics
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Personality Assessment
  • Risk Factors
  • Social Environment*