Commentary: Why are children in the same family so different? Non-shared environment three decades later

Plomin, Robert

doi:10.1093/ije/dyq144

Cited by 196 publications

(181 citation statements)

References 94 publications

(103 reference statements)

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“…There is prior evidence that nonshared environmental factors can influence phenotype (Bergvall and Cnattingius 2008;Plomin 2011;Torche and Echevarria 2011). Such factors in twin pregnancies include discordant placental weight, discordant placental umbilical cord insertion (both resulting in differential fetal blood supply), or differential exposure to infection (Stromswold 2006;Antoniou et al 2011).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neonatal DNA methylation profile in human twins is specified by a complex interplay between intrauterine environmental and genetic factors, subject to tissue-specific influence

Gordon¹,

Joo²,

Powell³

et al. 2012

Genome Res.

258

216

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Comparison between groups of monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins enables an estimation of the relative contribution of genetic and shared and nonshared environmental factors to phenotypic variability. Using DNA methylation profiling of~20,000 CpG sites as a phenotype, we have examined discordance levels in three neonatal tissues from 22 MZ and 12 DZ twin pairs. MZ twins exhibit a wide range of within-pair differences at birth, but show discordance levels generally lower than DZ pairs. Within-pair methylation discordance was lowest in CpG islands in all twins and increased as a function of distance from islands. Variance component decomposition analysis of DNA methylation in MZ and DZ pairs revealed a low mean heritability across all tissues, although a wide range of heritabilities was detected for specific genomic CpG sites. The largest component of variation was attributed to the combined effects of nonshared intrauterine environment and stochastic factors. Regression analysis of methylation on birth weight revealed a general association between methylation of genes involved in metabolism and biosynthesis, providing further support for epigenetic change in the previously described link between low birth weight and increasing risk for cardiovascular, metabolic, and other complex diseases. Finally, comparison of our data with that of several older twins revealed little evidence for genome-wide epigenetic drift with increasing age. This is the first study to analyze DNA methylation on a genome scale in twins at birth, further highlighting the importance of the intrauterine environment on shaping the neonatal epigenome.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neonatal DNA methylation profile in human twins is specified by a complex interplay between intrauterine environmental and genetic factors, subject to tissue-specific influence

Gordon¹,

Joo²,

Powell³

et al. 2012

Genome Res.

258

216

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…For many child and adolescent outcomes (e.g., personality, psychopathology, and cognitive ability), growing up within the same family makes siblings no more similar than two children taken at random from the population Plomin, 2011). This research indicates that the key influences 6 Running head: PREDICTORS OF PARENTING for individual differences are child-specific rather than family-wide.…”

Section: Family-wide Vs Child-specific Parentingmentioning

confidence: 97%

Predictors of Parenting: Family-Wide and Child-Specific Factors

2016

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Objective. The goal of the study was to identify determinants of child perceptions of parenting. Design. By using two children per family, the current study predicted siblings' (106 pairs) perceptions of mothering and fathering at ages 9-13 from children's perceptions of parenting and parent ratings of child difficulty, parental emotionality, and household organization, when the children were 4-8 years old.Multilevel modeling was used to differentiate between-and within-family variation.Results. Stability in child perceptions was moderate, and this stability was due to family-wide parenting shared by siblings. Conversely, the majority of variance in the 9-to 13-year-olds' perceptions indicated differential, rather than similar, parental treatment. Maternal anger predicted maternal hostility. In contrast, household chaos predicted paternal hostility. Conclusions. Relationships between individuals in the family are part of a larger system, and children are equally as likely as parents to reap the benefits of services or interventions directed toward enhancing maternal wellbeing.Keywords: parenting, household chaos, multilevel modeling 3 Running head: PREDICTORS OF PARENTING INTRODUCTIONParental responsiveness and warmth have a powerful influence on children's behavior and development (Sroufe, 1997), and harsh parenting can have substantial effects on child maladjustment (Balge & Milner, 2000;Deater-Deckard & Dodge, 1997;Mammen, Kolko, & Pilkonis, 2002;Rodriguez & Green, 1997). As such, understanding the antecedents of parenting quality is an important area of enquiry (Belsky & Jaffee, 2006).The current study extends previous research by including two children per family, thereby addressing both family-wide and child-specific predictors across time for both fathers and mothers. The focus of the current study is children's perceptions of parenting. To place the current study in context, a focused review of determinants of parenting and family-wide versus child-specific parenting follows. Determinants of ParentingAn influential theoretical framework for considering predictors of parenting was formulated by Belsky (1984). Reviewing research from abusive families, Belsky postulated that child characteristics, personal resources of parents, and contextual factors are all important determinants of parenting. A review by Belsky and Jaffee (2006) outlined the factors that have demonstrated the strongest links with parenting quality: child temperament/difficulty, parental mental health, personality and developmental history, the marital relationship, and neighborhood. The current study focuses on two of these factors -child difficulty and parental personality (specifically proneness to anger) -as well as household organization. This selection was guided by theory and research, as outlined below, as well as being empirically based on the strongest correlates of parenting among our families during middle childhood (Pike, Coldwell, & Dunn, 2006). Running head: PREDICTORS OF PARENTINGThe inclusion of child characteristics in th...

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“…There is increasing recognition that siblings raised together develop surprisingly differently to one another, demonstrating that child-specific experiences are worthy of research attention (Plomin, 2011). In their seminal work, Daniels & Plomin (1985) encouraged the examination of child-specific environmental factors for predicting children's adjustment, including measures of parenting that capture parents' differential treatment of children within families.…”

Section: Family-wide and Child-specific Effectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mother-child positivity and negativity: Family-wide and child-specific main effects and interactions predict child adjustment.

Oliver¹,

Pike²

2018

Developmental Psychology

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Links between positive and negative aspects of the parent-child relationship and child adjustment are undisputed. Scholars recognize the importance of parental differential treatment (PDT) of siblings, yet, less is known about PDT in the context of the shared (family-wide) parent-child relationship climate, or about the extent to which positivity may buffer children's adjustment from negativity. Controlling for behavioral stability, we examined the potential for positive and negative parent-child processes to interact across and between child-specific and family-wide levels in the prediction of children's adjustment. Specifically, in a sample of 2,039 United Kingdom families, we used multilevel models to examine child-specific and family-wide mother-child relationships (at 4 years)-including interactive processes-in the prediction of prosocial behavior and conduct problems (at 7 years). The majority of variance in children's adjustment resided within-families: siblings were strikingly different. Accounting for behavioral stability, family-wide negativity and negative PDT associated with both prosociality and conduct problems. More important, we demonstrated interactions between, (a) family-wide negativity and negative PDT for conduct problems, as well as, (b) positive and negative PDT in the prediction of both prosocial behavior and conduct problems. Results suggest negative PDT associates with increased conduct problems over time, even when the overall family climate is low in negativity. They also indicate a buffering role of positive PDT on the deleterious effects of negative PDT for children's adjustment. Implications for both research and practice are discussed, including the importance of information gained by considering more than one child in the family.

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Commentary: Why are children in the same family so different? Non-shared environment three decades later

Cited by 196 publications

References 94 publications

Neonatal DNA methylation profile in human twins is specified by a complex interplay between intrauterine environmental and genetic factors, subject to tissue-specific influence

Neonatal DNA methylation profile in human twins is specified by a complex interplay between intrauterine environmental and genetic factors, subject to tissue-specific influence

Predictors of Parenting: Family-Wide and Child-Specific Factors

Mother-child positivity and negativity: Family-wide and child-specific main effects and interactions predict child adjustment.

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