Citation

Hicks BM, South SC, Dirago AC, Iacono WG, McGue MK. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry 2009; 66(6): 640-648.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, 75 E River Rd, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. hicks013@umn.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, American Medical Association)

DOI

10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2008.554

PMID

19487629

PMCID

PMC2717707

Abstract

CONTEXT: Studies of gene-environment interplay in the development of psychiatric and substance use disorders are rapidly accumulating. However, few attempts have been made to integrate findings and to articulate general mechanisms of gene-environment influence in the emergence of psychopathology. OBJECTIVE: To identify patterns of gene-environment interplay between externalizing disorders (antisocial behavior and substance use) and several environmental risk factors. DESIGN: We used quantitative genetic models to examine how genetic and environmental risk for externalizing disorders changes as a function of environmental context. SETTING: Participants were recruited from the community and took part in a daylong assessment at a university laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: The sample consisted of 1315 male and female twin pairs participating in the assessment of the Minnesota Twin Family Study at age 17 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Multiple measures and informants were used to construct a composite of externalizing disorders and composite measures of 6 environmental risk factors, including academic achievement and engagement, antisocial and prosocial peer affiliations, mother-child and father-child relationship problems, and stressful life events. RESULTS: A significant gene x environment interaction was detected between each environmental risk factor and externalizing such that greater environmental adversity was associated with increased genetic risk for externalizing. CONCLUSIONS: In the context of environmental adversity, genetic factors become more important in the etiology of externalizing disorders. The consistency of the results further suggests a general mechanism of environmental influence on externalizing disorders regardless of the specific form of the environmental risk.

Language: en