title: A twin study investigating the genetic and environmental aetiologies of parent, teacher and child ratings of autistic-like traits and their overlap.
abstract: In the present study we investigated phenotypic agreement between informants (parent, teacher and child self-report) on ratings of autistic-like traits and compared the genetic and environmental aetiologies of the informants' ratings and of their covariance. Parents and teachers of >2,500 pairs from a community twin sample completed an abbreviated Childhood Asperger Syndrome Test (CAST). The twins also completed an adapted self-report version of the CAST. Structural equation model-fitting was carried out. Correlations between raters were significant but moderate (0.16-0.33). The magnitude of heritability estimates of autistic-like traits varied across raters, being highest for parent-rated autistic-like traits (82-87%) and more modest for child self-reported autistic-like traits (36-47%). Genetic overlap was significant but moderate across all raters. These findings are discussed in relation to population screening for autism and future genetic research.
authors.affiliation: Social Genetic and Developmental, Psychiatry (SGDP) Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London, UK. a.ronald@iop.kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Angelica
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ronald
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Happé
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Plomin
mesh_terms: D020817:Asperger Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D002648:Child; D004200:Diseases in Twins / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D010641:Phenotype; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012647:Self-Assessment; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014427:Twins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D006113:United Kingdom