Mates and Marriage Matter: Genetic and Environmental Influences on Subjective Wellbeing Across Marital Status

2010 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 312-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ragnhild B. Nes ◽  
Espen Røysamb ◽  
Jennifer R. Harris ◽  
Nikolai Czajkowski ◽  
Kristian Tambs

AbstractSpecific environments and social relationships may alter the impact of genes. Previous studies have shown marriage to moderate heritability for depressive symptoms in females, suggesting that marriage provides protection or compensation against genetic risks. Similar mechanisms may be relevant for subjective wellbeing (SWB), which is considerably influenced by genes and almost universally associated with marital status. Questionnaire data on SWB from a population-based sample of 1250 monozygotic (MZ) and 981 dizygotic (DZ) male and female twin pairs (n= 4462) were analyzed using structural equation modeling by means of Mx to investigate genetic and environmental influences on SWB across marital status. Resemblance for SWB in MZ twins exceeded that of DZ twins, but the magnitude of this difference varied across marital status. Genetic factors explained 51% and 54% of the variance in SWB among unmarried males and females, and 41% and 39% in married or cohabitating respondents. Remaining variance was attributable to the nonshared environment. The genetic influences were partly different (rg= 0.64) across marital status in females, but overlapping in married and single males. Our findings show that marriage moderates the magnitude of genetic influences on SWB in both males and females, with a smaller estimate of genetic influences for those with a marital or equivalent partner. The genetic influences on SWB are thus clearly contingent on the environmental context.

2013 ◽  
Vol 43 (9) ◽  
pp. 1973-1984 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Merwood ◽  
C. U. Greven ◽  
T. S. Price ◽  
F. Rijsdijk ◽  
J. Kuntsi ◽  
...  

BackgroundParent and teacher ratings of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms yield high estimates of heritability whereas self-ratings typically yield lower estimates. To understand why, the present study examined the etiological overlap between parent, teacher and self-ratings of ADHD symptoms in a population-based sample of 11–12-year-old twins.MethodParticipants were from the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS). ADHD symptoms were assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) hyperactivity scale completed by parents, teachers and children. Structural equation modeling was used to examine genetic and environmental contributions to phenotypic variance/covariance.ResultsThe broad-sense heritability of ADHD symptoms was 82% for parent ratings, 60% for teacher ratings and 48% for self-ratings. Post-hoc analyses revealed significantly higher heritability for same-teacher than different-teacher ratings of ADHD (76% v. 49%). A common pathway model best explained the relationship between different informant ratings, with common genetic influences accounting for 84% of the covariance between parent, teacher and self-rated ADHD symptoms. The remaining variance was explained by rater-specific genetic and non-shared environmental influences.ConclusionsDespite different heritabilities, there were shared genetic influences for parent, teacher and self-ratings of ADHD symptoms, indicating that different informants rated some of the same aspects of behavior. The low heritability estimated for self-ratings and different-teacher ratings may reflect increased measurement error when different informants rate each twin from a pair, and/or greater non-shared environmental influences. Future studies into the genetic influences on ADHD should incorporate informant data in addition to self-ratings to capture a pervasive, heritable component of ADHD symptomatology.


2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-22
Author(s):  
Karoline B. Seglem ◽  
Fartein A. Torvik ◽  
Espen Røysamb ◽  
Line C. Gjerde ◽  
Per Magnus ◽  
...  

AbstractWork incapacity is a major public health challenge and an economic burden to both society and individuals. Understanding the underlying causes is becoming ever more relevant as many countries face an aging workforce. We examined stability and change in genetic and environmental factors influencing work incapacity from age 18 until retirement, and sex differences in these effects. The large population-based sample comprised information from 28,759 twins followed for up to 23 years combined with high-quality national registry data. We measured work incapacity as the total proportion of potential workdays lost due to sickness absence, rehabilitation and disability benefits. Structural equation modeling with twin data indicated moderate genetic influences on work incapacity throughout life in both men and women, with a high degree of genetic stability from young to old adulthood. Environmental influences were mainly age-specific. Our results indicate that largely the same genetic factors influence individual differences in work incapacity throughout young, middle and older adulthood, despite major differences in degree of work incapacity and probable underlying medical causes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 453-465 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandeep Kumar Dey ◽  
Khurram Ajaz Khan ◽  
Zuzana Tučkova ◽  
Abdul Bashiru Jibril

This study contributes to the literature by offering insights over the relationship between job satisfaction and work stress with employees’ motivation among travel agencies in India. The paper aims to determine the impact of job satisfaction and work stress on employees’ motivation level with a specific focus on the moderating impact of employees’ expertise and marital status in the context of travel agencies in Southern India. A survey was conducted over employees of travel agencies in Southern India by adopting scales from the extant studies, and data were analyzed using structural equation modeling through Smart PLS. The outcome of the study reveals that job satisfaction has a strong significant effect on employees’ motivation, unlike work stress and employees’ expertise has a partial significant moderating effect on the relationship between work stress and motivation. The study stressed much about the combined effects of the mediators. The present study has tested the new composite scale to measure the overall motivational level, unlike the previous studies. The survey was conducted between November 2019 and December 2019 and entails 164 respondents, the majority of the subjects are millennials between 18 and 35 years, with 43.3% having master’s degree, all were found to be pre-qualified for the investigation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (9) ◽  
pp. 1530-1538 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel E. Gustavson ◽  
Carol E. Franz ◽  
Matthew S. Panizzon ◽  
Michael J. Lyons ◽  
William S. Kremen

AbstractBackgroundInternalizing and externalizing psychopathology factors explain much of the covariance among psychiatric conditions, especially at the level of genetic risk. However, few studies have examined internalizing and externalizing factors in middle-aged samples, especially their ability to predict later symptoms across midlife. The goals of the current study were (i) to quantify the genetic and environmental influences on internalizing and externalizing psychopathology in individuals in their early 40s, and (ii) examine the extent to which these genetic and environmental influences predict self-reported measures of internalizing and externalizing symptoms 15–20 years later.Method1484 male twins completed diagnostic interviews of psychopathology at mean age 41 and self-reported measures of anxiety, depression, substance use, and related variables at up to two time-points in late middle age (mean ages 56 and 62).ResultsStructural equation modeling of the diagnostic interviews confirmed that internalizing and externalizing factors accounted for most of the genetic variance in individual disorders, with substantial genetic (ra = 0.70) and environmental (re = 0.77) correlations between the factors. Internalizing psychopathology at age 41 was correlated with latent factors capturing anxiety, depression, and/or post-traumatic stress symptoms at ages 56 (r = 0.51) and 62 (r = 0.43). Externalizing psychopathology at age 41 was correlated r = 0.67 with a latent factor capturing aggression, tobacco use, and alcohol use at age 56. Stability of both factors was driven by genetic influences.ConclusionsThese findings demonstrate the considerable stability of internalizing and externalizing psychopathology symptoms across middle age, especially their genetic influences. Diagnostic interviews effectively predict self-reported symptoms and behaviors 15–20 years later.


2002 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 395-416 ◽  
Author(s):  
KRISTEN C. JACOBSON ◽  
CAROL A. PRESCOTT ◽  
KENNETH S. KENDLER

The present study uses a population-based sample of 6,806 adult twins from same-sex and opposite-sex twin pairs to examine sex differences in the underlying genetic and environmental architecture of the development of antisocial behavior (AB). Retrospective reports of AB during three different developmental periods were obtained: prior to age 15 years (childhood), age 15–17 years (adolescent), and age 18 years and older (adult). Structural equation modeling analyses revealed that there was no evidence for sex-specific genetic or sex-specific shared family environmental influences on the development of AB; that is, the types of genetic and environmental influence were similar for males and females. For both sexes, a model that allowed for genetic influences on adolescent and adult AB that were not shared with childhood AB fit better than a model with a single genetic factor. In contrast, shared environmental influences on adolescent and adult AB overlapped entirely with shared environmental influences on childhood AB. Genetic factors played a larger role in variation in childhood AB among females, whereas shared environmental factors played a larger role among males. However, heritability of AB increased from childhood to adolescence and adulthood for both sexes, and the magnitude of genetic and environmental influences on adolescent and adult AB was approximately equal across sex. We speculate that sex differences in timing of puberty may account for the earlier presence of genetic effects among females.


2000 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 1315-1325 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. C. JACOBSON ◽  
C. A. PRESCOTT ◽  
K. S. KENDLER

Background. There is conflicting evidence concerning the magnitude of genetic and shared environmental influences on juvenile antisocial behaviour (AB). The use of more than one assessment of AB may yield more accurate estimates of these influences.Methods. Retrospective reports of antisocial behaviour prior to age 18 were obtained on two occasions from a population-based sample of 3522 adult males from male–male twin pairs: phone interviews (wave 1) and self-report questionnaires obtained 19 months later (wave 2). Structural equation modelling estimated the genetic and environmental influences on reliably-measured AB. Factors related to participation of co-twin at wave 1, attrition between waves 1 and 2, and reliability of wave 1 and wave 2 assessments were also investigated.Results. Twin analyses revealed that genetic, shared environmental, and non-shared environmental influences accounted for approximately 33% (95% CI = 9–57%), 31% (95% CI = 10–51%) and 36% (95% CI = 29–44%) of the variance of reliably measured AB, respectively. We also found significant occasion-specific genetic influences on wave 1 AB. Wave 1 AB did not predict wave 1 participation of co-twin or attrition, but was related to reliability. Co-twins of MZ twins and younger twins were more likely to participate at wave 1; attrition was predicted by being a DZ twin, lack of initial participation of co-twin, fewer years of education, and fewer children. Being older, being unmarried, and having less psychopathology were associated with greater reliability.Conclusions. When measurement error is taken into account, both genetic and shared environmental factors are significant influences on juvenile AB, accounting for approximately one- third of variation. The origin of the specific genetic influences on wave 1 AB is unclear, but may be due to factors related to measurement.


2012 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 197-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Larsson ◽  
P. Asherson ◽  
Z. Chang ◽  
T. Ljung ◽  
B. Friedrichs ◽  
...  

BackgroundAttention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) frequently persists into adulthood. Family and twin studies delineate a disorder with strong genetic influences among children and adolescents based on parent- and teacher-reported data but little is known about the genetic and environmental contribution to DSM-IV ADHD symptoms in adulthood. We therefore aimed to investigate the impact of genetic and environmental influences on the inattentive and hyperactive–impulsive symptoms of ADHD in adults.MethodTwin methods were applied to self-reported assessments of ADHD symptoms from a large population-based Swedish twin study that included data from 15 198 Swedish male and female twins aged 20 to 46 years.ResultsThe broad heritability [i.e. A + D, where A is an additive genetic factor and D (dominance) a non-additive genetic factor] was 37% (A = 11%, D = 26%) for inattention and 38% (A = 18%, D = 20%) for hyperactivity–impulsivity. The results also indicate that 52% of the phenotypic correlation between inattention and hyperactivity–impulsivity (r = 0.43) was explained by genetic influences whereas the remaining part of the covariance was explained by non-shared environmental influences. These results were replicated across age strata.ConclusionsOur findings of moderate broad heritability estimates are consistent with previous literature on self-rated ADHD symptoms in older children, adolescents and adults and retrospective reports of self-rated childhood ADHD by adults but differ from studies of younger children with informant ratings. Future research needs to clarify whether our data indicate a true decrease in the heritability of ADHD in adults compared to children, or whether this relates to the use of self-ratings in contrast to informant data.


2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Selahattin Kanten ◽  
Pelin Kanten ◽  
Murat Yeşiltaş

This study aims to investigate the impact of parental career behaviors on undergraduate student’s career exploration and the mediating role of career self-efficacy. In the literature it is suggested that some social and individual factors facilitate students’ career exploration. Therefore, parental career behaviors and career self-efficacy is considered as predictors of student’s career exploration attitudes within the scope of the study. In this respect, data which are collected from 405 undergraduate students having an education on tourism and hotel management field by the survey method are analyzed by using the structural equation modeling. The results of the study indicate that parental career behaviors which are addressed support; interference and lack of engagement have a significant effect on student’s career exploration behaviors such as intended-systematic exploration, environment exploration and self-exploration. In addition, it has been found that one of the dimensions of parental career behaviors addressed as a lack of engagement has a significant effect on career self-efficacy levels of students. However, research results indicate that student’s career self-efficacy has a significant effect on only the self-exploration dimension. On the other hand, career self-efficacy has a partial mediating role between lack of engagement attitudes of parents and career exploration behaviors of students.


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 37-49
Author(s):  
Wahyu Yulianto

The study purpose is to analyse the impact of training, competence, motivation and leadership towards performance either directly or through job satisfaction as a mediator variable. As many as 55 staff are considered as respondents in this research, and census method is used as the sampling method. Primary data in this study were collected through questionnaires and analyzed using Likert Scale. Secondary data are obtained from the organization structure Sukamandi Apparatus Training Centre (BDA), performance appraisal, staff attendance, information system and personnel management. Structural Equation Modeling Analisis of Moment Structures (SEM-AMOS) is used to process and analyze data. This study shows staff with high education, competence and leadership have a significant effect on performance, While the job satisfaction is significant in mediating the influence of training, competence and leadership on performance. Next on the employee with low education, training, competence, motivation and leadership have a significant influence on performance, while job satisfaction is significant in mediating the effect of competence and leadership on staff performance.   Keywords:  training, competence, motivation, leadership, job satisfaction, performance


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 431-440
Author(s):  
Santi Retno Sari

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships to which leadership style (task and relations oriented leadership) moderate the impact of conflict on employee performance. Data were collected from 92 employees in different job levels. Partial least squares variance-based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the relationship in the models. The results showed that task and relation conflict was associated with employee performance. The research findings also showed that leadership styles moderated the relationship between conflict and employee performance. This study offers implications for managerial practices. Practical implications and suggestions described in the paper Keywords: leadership style, conflict, performance.


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