The genetic epidemiology of self-esteem.
BACKGROUND
Previous studies on self-esteem have focused exclusively on its psychosocial determinants. The goal of the present study is to clarify genetic v. environmental determinants of self-esteem.


METHODS
Participants were Caucasian women sampled from the Virginia Twin Register: 363 pairs of MZ and 238 pairs of DZ twins were available from the first wave of the study, and 430 pairs of MZ and 308 pairs of DZ twins from the second. Self-esteem was assessed with the Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale.


RESULTS
Using univariate twin analyses of self-esteem and a repeated measurement twin model, we found that self-esteem is a moderately heritable trait (heritability = 52% in the repeated measurement model); environmental influences are also very important, and are probably mostly not shared by members of a twin pair.


CONCLUSIONS
Aetiological models of self-esteem which examine only psychosocial factors are incomplete; genetic factors need to be integrated.
Roy
M A
MA
Centre de Recherche Université Laval Robert-Giffard, Beauport, Province de Québec, Canada.
Neale
M C
MC
Kendler
K S
KS
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008957:Models, Genetic; D010551:Personality / Q000235:genetics*; D010553:Personality Development; D010641:Phenotype; D012649:Self Concept; D012931:Social Environment; D014429:Twins, Dizygotic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology