The Genetic and Environmental Etiology of Antisocial Behavior from Childhood to Emerging Adulthood

Abstract

Previous research suggests that both genetic and environmental influences are important for antisocial behavior across the life span, even though the prevalence and incidence of antisocial behavior varies considerably across ages. However, little is known of how genetic and environmental effects influence the development of antisocial behavior. A total of 2,600 male and female twins from the population-based Swedish Twin Registry were included in the present study. Antisocial behavior was measured on four occasions, when twins were 8-9, 13-14, 16-17, and 19-20 years old. Longitudinal analyses of the data were conducted using structural equation modeling. The stability of antisocial behavior over time was explained by a common latent persistent antisocial behavior factor. A common genetic influence accounted for 67% of the total variance in this latent factor, the shared environment explained 26%, and the remaining 7% was due to the non-shared environment. Significant age-specific shared environmental factors were found at ages 13-14 years, suggesting that common experiences (e.g., peers) are important for antisocial behavior at this age. Results from this study show that genetic as well as shared environmental influences are important in antisocial behavior that persists from childhood to emerging adulthood.

Psychotic Experiences as a Predictor of the Natural Course Of, Suicidal Ideation: A Swedish Cohort Study

“…The study was based on data from the Swedish Twin Study of Child and Adolescent Development (TCHAD) (21) Suicidal ideation was assessed at each time point based on the endorsement of the following item from the Youth Self-Report (YSR, 22) when the participants were aged 13 to 14 and 16 to 17 years, and from the Adult Self-Report (ASR, 23) when the participants were aged 19 to 20 years: "I think about killing myself". There was no information on suicide attempts.…”

Differential genetic and environmental influences on developmental trajectories of antisocial behavior from adolescence to young adulthood

“…For example, Tuvbald and colleagues (2011) found that a common genetic factor explained 67% of the variance of a latent persistent antisocial behavior factor, and 26% by a common shared environmental factor from childhood to young adulthood. Bartels et al (2004) reported 60% genetic and 34% shared environmental influences on the stability of externalizing behavior from age 3 to 12 years.…”

“…Second, many studies (e.g., Bartels et al, 2004; Tuvblad et al, 2011) did not consider different subtypes of antisocial behavior (e.g., violent vs. nonviolent delinquency), which have been found to influence trajectory identification (Fontaine et al, 2009; Jennings & Reingle, 2012; Zheng & Cleveland, 2013). Twin studies have also found violent/aggressive delinquency to be more heritable than nonviolent/nonaggressive delinquency (Burt, 2009; Burt & Neiderhiser, 2009), as well as different genetic and environmental influences in the development of aggressive and nonaggressive delinquency (Eley, Lichtenstein, & Moffitt, 2003).…”

Effects of behavioral genetic evidence on perceptions of criminal responsibility and appropriate punishment.

“…Sibling and twin studies have provided evidence of familial aggregation of criminal activity, with Rhee and Waldman's (2002) much-cited meta-analysis of 51 studies showing that additive genetic influences account for 32% of the variance, and interactions among genes for another 9%. Two large twin studies estimated heritabilities of 37-57% for 5 kinds of aggressive behaviors (Yeh, Coccaro, & Jacobson, 2010), and 67% for antisocial behavior (Tuvblad, Narusyte, Grann, Sarnecki, & Lichtenstein, 2011). Work is ongoing to identify genes that may be linked to anti-social behavior, including monoamine oxidase A (MAOA), catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), dopamine transporter (DAT1), dopamine receptor (DRD2 and DRD 4), and serotonin transporter (5-HTTLPR) (Ferguson & Beaver, 2009; Iofrida, Plaumbo, & Pellegrini, 2014), although many of the findings remain a subject of contention (Vassos, Collier, & Fazel, 2014).…”