Birth Complications and Negative Emotionality Predict Externalizing Behaviors in Young Twins: Moderations with Genetic and Family Risk Factors

The impact of dopamine receptor D4, temperamental negativity, and household chaos on young twins’ externalizing behaviors

“…That is, negative environmental circumstances may pose an additional threat for children who are already at risk temperamentally (although not all studies report results in support of this; for example, see DiLalla et al, 2021).…”

“…One phenotype to assess biological differences includes child temperament, which can be defined as a constellation of biologically based traits that contribute to the way a child experiences and reacts to the world (Shiner et al., 2012). Studies of child temperament indicate that greater temperamental negativity is associated with increased engagement in externalizing behaviors (DiLalla et al., 2021; Figgee, 2018; Volckaert & Noël, 2018), suggesting that child temperament may act as a “risk factor” for later externalizing. Furthermore, in conjunction with adverse environmental experiences (e.g., low family cohesion), this vulnerability due to temperamental negativity may be amplified (Rabinowitz, Drabick et al., 2016; Rabinowitz, Osigwe, et al., 2016).…”

“…Furthermore, in conjunction with adverse environmental experiences (e.g., low family cohesion), this vulnerability due to temperamental negativity may be amplified (Rabinowitz, Drabick et al., 2016; Rabinowitz, Osigwe, et al., 2016). That is, negative environmental circumstances may pose an additional threat for children who are already at risk temperamentally (although not all studies report results in support of this; for example, see DiLalla et al., 2021).…”