University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Department of Epidemiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2022 Oct;63(10):1206-1213. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.13652. Epub 2022 Jun 29.
Genetic and environmental influences on externalizing problems are often studied separately. Here, we extended prior work by investigating the implications of gene-environment interplay in childhood for early adult externalizing behavior. Genetic nurture would be indicated if parents' genetic predisposition for externalizing behavior operates through the family environment in predicting offspring early adult externalizing behavior. Evocative gene-environment correlation would be indicated if offspring genetic predisposition for externalizing behavior operates through child externalizing behavior in affecting the family environment and later early adult externalizing behavior.
Longitudinal data from seven waves of the TRacking Adolescents' Individual Lives Survey, a prospective cohort study of Dutch adolescents followed from age 11 to age 29 (n at baseline = 2,734) were used. Child externalizing behavior was assessed using self and parent reports. Family dysfunction was assessed by parents. Early adult externalizing behavior was assessed using self-reports. Genome-wide polygenic scores for externalizing problems were constructed for mothers, fathers, and offspring.
Offspring polygenic score and child behavior each predicted early adult externalizing problems, as did family dysfunction to a small extent. Parents' polygenic scores were not associated with offspring's early adult externalizing behavior. Indirect effect tests indicated that offspring polygenic score was associated with greater family dysfunction via child externalizing behavior (evocative gene-environment correlation) but the effect was just significant and the effect size was very small. Parents' polygenic scores did not predict family dysfunction, thus the data do not provide support for genetic nurture.
A very small evocative gene-environment correlation was detected but effect sizes were much more pronounced for stability in externalizing behavior from childhood through early adulthood, which highlights the necessity to intervene early to prevent later problems.
遗传和环境因素对外显问题的影响通常是分开研究的。在这里，我们通过研究儿童时期基因-环境相互作用对早期成年外显行为的影响，扩展了之前的工作。如果父母的外显行为遗传倾向通过家庭环境来预测后代的早期成年外显行为，那么遗传教养就会存在。如果后代的外显行为遗传倾向通过儿童的外显行为来影响家庭环境，进而影响后期的早期成年外显行为，那么就会出现唤起的基因-环境相关性。
使用荷兰青少年纵向研究（TRacking Adolescents' Individual Lives Survey）的七轮纵向数据，该研究是对荷兰青少年从 11 岁到 29 岁（基线时 n = 2734）进行的前瞻性队列研究。儿童的外显行为通过自我报告和父母报告进行评估。家庭功能障碍由父母评估。早期成年外显行为通过自我报告进行评估。为母亲、父亲和后代构建了外显问题的全基因组多基因评分。
后代的多基因评分和儿童行为都预测了早期成年的外显问题，家庭功能障碍在一定程度上也预测了早期成年的外显问题。父母的多基因评分与后代的早期成年外显行为无关。间接效应检验表明，后代的多基因评分通过儿童的外显行为与更大的家庭功能障碍相关（唤起的基因-环境相关性），但这种相关性仅显著，且效应大小非常小。父母的多基因评分不能预测家庭功能障碍，因此数据不支持遗传教养。
虽然检测到了一个非常小的唤起的基因-环境相关性，但从儿童期到成年早期外显行为的稳定性的效应大小更为显著，这强调了必须及早干预以预防后期问题。
