Stability of Genetic and Environmental In‘uences on Reading Performance at 7 and 12 Years of Age in the Colorado Adoption Project

1999 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 319-332 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. J. Wadsworth ◽  
D. W. Fulker ◽  
J. C. DeFries
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Middle Childhood ◽  
Environmental Influences ◽  
Reading Performance ◽  
Genetic Influences ◽  
Childhood And Adolescence ◽  
Sibling Pairs ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Over Time ◽  
Colorado Adoption Project

Results obtained from longitudinal studies suggest that individual differences in reading performance are relatively stable over time. However, the aetiology of this stability has not been previously explored. In the current study, the aetiology of longitudinal stability of reading performance between 7 and 12 years of age was assessed using data from adoptive (97 unrelated sibling pairs at age 7 and 73 pairs at age 12) and nonadoptive (106 related pairs at age 7 and 75 pairs at age 12) children tested in the Colorado Adoption Project. Results of a bivariate behavioural genetic analysis confirmed earlier findings of moderate genetic influence on individual differences in reading performance at both 7 and 12 years of age ( h2 = .49 and .37, respectively). Moreover, about 70% of the observed stability ( r = .61) between the two ages was due to common genetic influences. Of special interest, no new heritable or shared environmental variation was manifested at age 12, suggesting that the same genetic and shared environmental influences were operating at both ages. In contrast, nonshared environmental influences (e.g. instructional methods, teachers, peers, etc.) were responsible for change between 7 and 12 years of age, indicating the salience of such factors for the development of reading performance between middle childhood and adolescence.

scholarly journals Multiple Regression Analysis of Reading Performance Data from Twin Pairs with Reading Difficulties and Nontwin Siblings: The Augmented Model

2012 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 116-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sally J. Wadsworth ◽  
Richard K. Olson ◽  
Erik G. Willcutt ◽  
John C. DeFries
Keyword(s):  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Multiple Regression ◽  
Environmental Influences ◽  
Reading Difficulties ◽  
Reading Performance ◽  
Multiple Regression Model ◽  
Performance Data ◽  
Extended Model ◽  
Sibling Pairs ◽  
The Difference

The augmented multiple regression model for the analysis of data from selected twin pairs was extended to facilitate analyses of data from twin pairs and nontwin siblings. Fitting this extended model to data from both selected twin pairs and siblings yields direct estimates of heritability (h2) and the difference between environmental influences shared by members of twin pairs and those of sib or twin–sib pairs (i.e., c2(t) – c2 (s)). When this model was fitted to reading performance data from 293 monozygotic and 436 dizygotic pairs selected for reading difficulties, and 291 of their nontwin siblings, h2 = .48 ± .22, p = .03, and c2 (t) – c2 (s) = .22 ± .12, p = .06. Although the test for differential shared environmental influences is only marginally significant, the results of this analysis suggest that environmental influences on reading performance that are shared by members of twin pairs (.36) may be substantially greater than those for less contemporaneous twin–sibling pairs (.14).

scholarly journals A Longitudinal Comparison of Parent and Child Influence on Sports Participation

2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 68-82
Author(s):  
Arena Chang ◽  
Joseph L. Mahoney
Keyword(s):  
Middle Childhood ◽  
Sports Participation ◽  
Value Theory ◽  
Parental Influences ◽  
Childhood And Adolescence ◽  
Parent Beliefs ◽  
Expectancy Value ◽  
Child Reports ◽  
Longitudinal Comparison ◽  
Using Data

Drawing on expectancy-value theory, this study examines children’s motivational attributes and parental influences on how children spend their leisure time in middle childhood and adolescence. Specifically, the study examined if parent encouragement and beliefs (i.e., perceived importance of sports and perceived child ability) and child motivation (expectancy and value for sports) are predictive of sports participation over the course of middle childhood and adolescence. Parent and child reports are compared using data from the Childhood and Beyond (CAB) longitudinal study. Findings reveal that parent beliefs and encouragement and child motivation were positively associated with sports participation in middle childhood. Both parental influences and children’s motivation measured in middle childhood were predictive of time spent participating in adolescence. However, only parent influences were predictive of whether the child continued to participate in sports in adolescence.

Longitudinal Genetic Analysis of Internalizing and Externalizing Problem Behavior in Adopted Biologically Related and Unrelated Sibling Pairs

2007 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anja C. Huizink ◽  
Mijke P. van den Berg ◽  
Jan van der Ende ◽  
Frank C. Verhulst
Keyword(s):  
Problem Behavior ◽  
Early Adolescence ◽  
Family Environment ◽  
Externalizing Behavior ◽  
Environmental Influences ◽  
Sibling Pairs ◽  
Externalizing Problem Behavior ◽  
Externalizing Problem ◽  
Internalizing And Externalizing ◽  
Over Time

AbstractTo obtain a better understanding of how genetic and environmental processes are involved in the stability and change in problem behavior from early adolescence into adulthood, studies with genetically informative samples are important. The present study used parent-reported data on internalizing and externalizing problem behavior of adoptees at mean ages 12.4, 15.5 and 26.3. In this adoption study adopted biologically related sibling pairs shared on average 50% of their genes and were brought up in the same family environment, whereas adopted biologically unrelated sibling pairs only shared their family environment. The resemblance between these adopted biologically related (N = 106) and unrelated sibling pairs (N = 230) was compared and examined over time. We aimed to investigate (1) to what extent are internalizing and externalizing problem behavior stable from early adolescence into adulthood, and (2) whether the same or different genetic and environmental factors affect these problem behaviors at the 3 assessments. Our results show that both internalizing (rs ranging from .34 to .58) and externalizing behavior (rs ranging from .47 to .69) were rather stable over time. For internalizing and externalizing problem behavior it was found that both genetic and shared environmental influences could be modeled by an underlying common factor, which explained variance in problem behavior from early adolescence into adulthood and accounted for stability over time. The nonshared environmental influences were best modeled by a Cholesky decomposition for internalizing behavior, whereas a time-specific influence of the nonshared environment was included in the final model of externalizing behavior.

Developmental and Individual Differences in Girls' Sex-Typed Activities in Middle Childhood and Adolescence

2004 ◽  
Vol 75 (5) ◽  
pp. 1575-1593 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan M. McHale ◽  
Lilly Shanahan ◽  
Kimberly A. Updegraff ◽  
Ann C. Crouter ◽  
Alan Booth
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Middle Childhood ◽  
Childhood And Adolescence

scholarly journals Young Netherlands Twin Register (Y-NTR): A Longitudinal Multiple Informant Study of Problem Behavior

2007 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meike Bartels ◽  
C. E. M. (Toos) van Beijsterveldt ◽  
Eske M. Derks ◽  
Therese M. Stroet ◽  
Tinca J. C. Polderman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Genetic Factors ◽  
Environmental Influences ◽  
Attention Problems ◽  
Internalizing Behavior ◽  
Emotional And Behavioral Problems ◽  
Genetic Influences ◽  
Shared Environment ◽  
Rater Bias

AbstractThe Netherlands Twin Register (NTR) was established around 1987 at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The current article summarizes the longitudinal genetic analyses of maternal and paternal ratings of twins' behavior as a function of the sex of the children for the traits of aggression (AGG), attention problems (AP), anxious/depression (ANX), internalizing behavior (INT) and externalizing behavior (EXT). We found that genetic influences are the most important factor in explaining individual differences in these traits. For most phenotypes, influences of genetic factors fluctuate throughout development, with the exception of AP, for which genetic influences remain of similar magnitude. Changes in genetic influences parallel those in shared environmental influences, while nonshared environmental influences remain relatively constant. Around 10% to 20% of the variance is accounted for by parent-specific shared environment, which includes rater bias. For all phenotypes, stability throughout childhood is accounted for by genetic and shared environmental factors, while nonshared environmental influences are mainly age/measurement specific. About 15% of the phenotypic stability is accounted for by rater-specific shared environmental influences, which include rater bias. In conclusion, between ages 3 and 12 genetic factors are the most important cause of individual differences in emotional and behavioral problems.

scholarly journals Measurement and associations of pregnancy risk factors with genetic influences, postnatal environmental influences, and toddler behavior

2013 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 366-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristine Marceau ◽  
Nastassia Hajal ◽  
Leslie D. Leve ◽  
David Reiss ◽  
Daniel S. Shaw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Behavior Problems ◽  
Internalizing Symptoms ◽  
Environmental Influences ◽  
Adoptive Parents ◽  
Genetic Influences ◽  
Adoptive Parent ◽  
Pregnancy Risk ◽  
Birth Mothers ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Main Effects

This study demonstrates the unique contributions of perinatal risk and genetic and environmental influences on child behavior using data from 561 domestic US adoption triads (birth mothers, adopted child, and adoptive parents). Findings show distinct patterns of associations among genetic (birth mother psychopathology), prenatal (six maternal reported aggregate scores characterizing total obstetric complications, perinatal internalizing symptoms, pregnancy complications, exposure to toxins, substance use, and neonatal complications), and postnatal influences (adoptive parent 18-month internalizing symptoms and over-reactive parenting) and toddler behavior problems (CBCL subscales at 27 months). Findings highlight multiple pathways for toddler’s behavioral development, including genetic, pregnancy, and postnatal main effects. Findings suggest distinct types of pregnancy risk may transmit genetic influences for specific behavior problems rather than broadband problems.

scholarly journals Estimating the stability of heartbeat counting in middle childhood: a twin study

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Murphy ◽  
Rosa Cheesman ◽  
Alice M Gregory ◽  
Jennifer Lau ◽  
Anke Ehlers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Middle Childhood ◽  
Internal State ◽  
Environmental Influences ◽  
Temporal Stability ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Genetic Influences ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Counting Task ◽  
The Stability

There is growing interest in interoception, the perception of the body’s internal state, and its relevance for health and higher-order cognition across development. To date, most evidence linking interoception to health and cognition has used the heartbeat counting task. However, the stability of the measure across time, particularly during childhood, and the etiological factors that underlie individual differences in stability remain largely unexamined. Using data from the ECHO twin sample (N=204 twin pairs), we estimated the magnitude of genetic and environmental influences on the stability of heartbeat counting across a two-year period (8-10 years), the longest time-frame examined. We found a relatively modest correlation between heartbeat counting accuracy across time (r=.35), with accuracy on the heartbeat counting task improving with age. In our longitudinal twin analysis, we found that the heritability of heartbeat counting dropped between Time 1 and Time 2 from 30% to 6%. No new genetic influences were observed at Time 2, suggesting that genetic influences across this age-range are entirely stable. In contrast, shared environmental influences increased from 6% to 22%, with most of the influence at Time 2 due to new environmental factors. Of note, nonshared environmental factors accounted for the greatest proportion of variance at both time points, 64% and 73% respectively, and were the main contributors to temporal stability in heartbeat counting accuracy. Future research should seek to identify these non-shared environmental factors and elucidate whether this relatively modest stability reflects variability of interoception across development or unreliability of the heartbeat counting task.

Genetically Informative Designs for the Study of Behavioural Development

1999 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 293-317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn S. Lemery ◽  
H. Hill Goldsmith
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Influences ◽  
Family Resemblance ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Genetic Influences ◽  
Critical Periods ◽  
Behavioural Development ◽  
Genetic Theory ◽  
Traditional Family ◽  
Quantitative Genetic ◽  
Over Time

Genetic and environmental influences on behaviour and development can be examined by studying more than one individual within a family, using quantitative genetic theory and behavioural genetic (BG) methodology. Specific environmental and genetic influences can be measured and effect sizes estimated, and many assumptions of the methodology can be explicitly tested. BG designs can identify specific aspects of the environment that have the greatest influence on behavioural variation, and they can pinpoint critical periods in which environmental influences are most malleable, both of which are useful when designing interventions. Traits that are shown to be the most heritable through traditional family resemblance methods can now be explored further and actual genes may be identified, using new molecular methods. By identifying specific genetic and environmental influences on behaviour, and modelling the structure of these influences over time, we can rapidly advance our understanding of human development.

scholarly journals Callous–unemotional behaviors in early childhood: Genetic and environmental contributions to stability and change

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 1227-1234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan Flom ◽  
Kimberly J. Saudino
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Child Behavior Checklist ◽  
Significant Contribution ◽  
Genetic Factors ◽  
Environmental Influences ◽  
Genetic Influences ◽  
Stability And Change ◽  
Continuity And Change ◽  
Callous Unemotional

AbstractCallous–unemotional (CU) behaviors demonstrate meaningful individual differences in early childhood, even in nonclinical samples with low mean levels of CU, but the factors underlying this variation have not been examined. This study investigated genetic and environmental contributions to individual differences and to sources of continuity and change in CU in toddler twins (145 monozygotic, 169 dizygotic) assessed at ages 2 and 3 years. CU, as assessed by the Child Behavior Checklist 1.5–5 (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2000), was moderately stable across age (r = .45, p < .0001). Longitudinal biometric analyses revealed genetic and nonshared environmental influences on CU at both ages, with no significant contribution from shared environmental factors. Stability from age 2 to 3 was due to genetic factors, whereas change was due to both genetic and nonshared environmental influences. This genetic and nonshared environmental change was substantial, suggesting malleability of CU in early childhood. Over 50% of the genetic influences and 100% of the nonshared environmental influences on CU at age 3 were independent of those that operated at age 2. Implications of novel sources of variance across age are discussed.

scholarly journals Personality and Sexual Development in Adolescence: Selection, Corresponsive Effects, and Genetic and Environmental Influences

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Angus Clark ◽  
C. Emily Durbin ◽  
William G. Iacono ◽  
Matt McGue ◽  
Brian M. Hicks
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Behaviors ◽  
Middle Childhood ◽  
Sexual Development ◽  
Behavioral Control ◽  
Environmental Influences ◽  
The Other ◽  
Levels Of Analysis ◽  
Genetic Influences ◽  
Sexual Experiences ◽  
Related Personality

Though sexuality and personality are related domains of personhood, the dynamics of their co-development remains relatively unexplored, especially during adolescence when partnered sexual behaviors tend to emerge. We examined the co-development between personality and sexuality at phenotypic and genetic levels of analysis from middle childhood to late adolescence (ages 11, 14, and 17) using a longitudinal twin sample (N = 3762). In terms of selecting into sexual experiences, extraversion was associated with more normative sexual behaviors (e.g., dating) while low agreeableness, low conscientiousness, and neuroticism were associated with more non-normative sexual behaviors (e.g., sexual intercourse, pregnancy, earlier age of initiation in general). We also found evidence of corresponsive effects, specifically, sexual experiences were associated with subsequent increases in extraversion and neuroticism and decreases in agreeableness. Genetic influences accounted for associations between normative sexual behaviors and extraversion, and between sexual behaviors and emotion-related personality traits. Shared environmental influences largely accounted for associations between non-normative sexual behaviors and personality, and between sexual behaviors and traits related to behavioral control. These findings identify distinct personality processes—one genetically mediated via emotionality and the other through shared environmental influences on behavioral control processes—that contribute to and are shaped by sexual development in adolescence.

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