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Understanding the relative contributions of direct environmental effects and passive genotype–environment correlations in the association between familial risk factors and child disruptive behavior disorders

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 May 2013

M. A. Bornovalova ,
J. R. Cummings ,
E. Hunt ,
R. Blazei ,
S. Malone  and
W. G. Iacono
M. A. Bornovalova*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
J. R. Cummings
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
E. Hunt
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
R. Blazei
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
S. Malone
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
W. G. Iacono
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
*
* Address for correspondence: Dr M. A. Bornovalova, Department of Psychology and Department of Mental Health Law and Policy, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, PCD4118G, Tampa, FL 33620, USA. (Email: bornovalova@usf.edu)
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Abstract

Background

Previous work reports an association between familial risk factors stemming from parental characteristics and offspring disruptive behavior disorders (DBDs). This association may reflect (a) the direct effects of familial environment and (b) a passive gene–environment correlation (rGE), wherein the parents provide both the genes and the environment. The current study examined the contributions of direct environmental influences and passive rGE by comparing the effects of familial risk factors on child DBDs in genetically related (biological) and non-related (adoptive) families.

Method

Participants were 402 adoptive and 204 biological families. Familial environment was defined as maternal and paternal maladaptive parenting and antisociality, marital conflict and divorce; offspring DBDs included attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), conduct disorder (CD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). Mixed-level regressions estimated the main effects of familial environment, adoption status and the familial environment by adoption status interaction term, which tested for the presence of passive rGE.

Results

There was a main effect of maternal and paternal maladaptive parenting and marital discord on child DBDs, indicating a direct environmental effect. There was no direct environmental effect of maternal or paternal antisociality, but maternal and paternal antisociality had stronger associations with child DBDs in biological families than adoptive families, indicating the presence of a passive rGE.

Conclusions

Many familial risk factors affected children equally across genetically related and non-related families, providing evidence for direct environmental effects. The relationship of parental antisociality and offspring DBDs was best explained by a passive rGE, where a general vulnerability toward externalizing psychopathology is passed down by the parents to the children.

Keywords

Child disruptive behavior disordersfamilial environmentgene–environment correlationsparental antisociality

Information

Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 44 , Issue 4 , March 2014 , pp. 831 - 844
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

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