title: Individual resiliency factors from a genetic perspective: results from a twin study.
abstract: This article is part of the Twin Mother's Study, a study that examines influences on maternal adjustment. A number of studies have investigated the importance of genetic factors for mental health, but few of these examine how genes and the environment influence resiliency/salutogenic factors. This article investigates the relative importance of genetic and environmental influences on resiliency/salutogenic factors. This study includes 326 twin pairs (150 monozygotic and 176 dizygotic) who are mothers, who are living with their spouse, and who are part of the Swedish twin register. Using self-report structured questionnaires, we assessed salutogenic factors, depression, and quality of life; however, we analyzed the questionnaires completed by the mothers. Statistical analyses were conducted using structural equation modeling. We conclude that nonshared environmental components were of principal importance in individual resiliency/salutogenic factors in a genetically informative design, but we also noted that genetic influences were important. The shared environment had mainly no effect.
authors.affiliation: School for Social Work, Lund University, Box 23, S-22 100 Lund, Sweden. Kjell.hansson@soch.lu.se
authors.forename: Kjell
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hansson
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cederblad
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lichtenstein
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Reiss
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: Jenae
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Neiderhiser
authors.forename: Jenae
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Belderhiser
authors.forename: Olle
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Elthammar
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D005824:Genetics, Behavioral; D006801:Humans; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden