title: Behind the wheel and on the map: Genetic and environmental associations between drunk driving and other externalizing behaviors.
abstract: Drunk driving, a major contributor to alcohol-related mortality, has been linked to a variety of other alcohol-related (e.g., Alcohol Dependence, early age at first drink) and non-alcohol-related externalizing behaviors. In a sample of 517 same-sex twin pairs from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, we examined 3 conceptualizations of the etiology of drunk driving in relation to other externalizing behaviors. A series of behavioral-genetic models found consistent evidence for drunk driving as a manifestation of genetic vulnerabilities toward a spectrum of alcohol-related and non-alcohol-related externalizing behaviors. Most notably, multidimensional scaling analyses produced a genetic "map" with drunk driving located near its center, supporting the strength of drunk driving's genetic relations with a broad range of externalizing behaviors. In contrast, nonshared environmental associations with drunk driving were weaker and more diffuse. Drunk driving may be a manifestation of genetic vulnerabilities toward a broad externalizing spectrum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin.
authors.forename: Patrick D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Quinn
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin.
authors.forename: K Paige
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Harden
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology*; D004200:Diseases in Twins / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D059647:Gene-Environment Interaction; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000523:psychology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D055815:Young Adult