Premium
The genetic etiology of inhibitory control and behavior problems at 24 months of age
Author(s) -
Gagne Jeffrey R.,
Saudino Kimberly J.,
Asherson Philip
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of child psychology and psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.652
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1469-7610
pISSN - 0021-9630
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2011.02420.x
Subject(s) - etiology , psychology , inhibitory control , developmental psychology , phenotype , twin study , clinical psychology , multivariate analysis , behavioural genetics , multivariate statistics , heritability , psychiatry , genetics , cognition , medicine , biology , gene , statistics , mathematics
Background: To investigate links between inhibitory control (IC) and behavior problems in early childhood, as well as genetic and environmental covariances between these two constructs. Methods: Parent and laboratory ratings of IC and parent ratings of externalizing and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder behaviors were administered at 24 months of age on a sample of 291 same‐sex twin pairs (131 monozygotic, 160 dizygotic). Results: There were significant phenotypic associations between both IC assessments and the two areas of behavioral maladjustment (correlations ranged from −.13 to −.57). Multivariate analyses revealed that phenotypic covariance between IC and behavior problems could be substantially explained by common genetic influences (genetic correlations ranged from −.30 to −.74). Parent ratings of IC showed higher phenotypic and genetic correlations with behavior problems than lab ratings of IC. Conclusions: This study is the first to examine the etiology of the covariance between IC and related behavioral difficulties in toddlerhood. Findings suggest that low levels of IC can be considered a genetic risk factor for the development of early emerging behavior problems.