TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2009//
TI  - Environmental adversity and increasing genetic risk for externalizing disorders
JO  - Archives of general psychiatry
A1  - McGue, Matthew K.
A1  - Iacono, William G.
A1  - Dirago, Ana C.
A1  - South, Susan C.
A1  - Hicks, Brian M.
SP  - 640
EP  - 648
VL  - 66
IS  - 6
N2  - 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.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0003-990X
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2008.554
ID  - ref1
ER  -