title: Genetic and Environmental Influences on Adult Mental Health: Evidence for Gene-Environment Interplay as a Function of Maternal and Paternal Discipline and Affection.
abstract: Researchers have long theorized that genetic influence on mental health may differ as a function of environmental risk factors. One likely moderator of genetic and environmental influences on psychopathological symptoms is parenting behavior, as phenotypic research shows that negative aspects of parent-child relationships are associated with greater likelihood of mental illness in adulthood. The current study examined whether levels of reported parental discipline and affection experienced in childhood act as a trigger, or buffer, for adult mental health problems. Results from a nationwide twin sample suggest level of father's discipline and affection, as reported by now-adult twins, moderated genetic and environmental influences on internalizing symptoms in adulthood, such that heritability was greatest at the highest levels of discipline and affection. Father's affection also moderated the etiological influences on alcohol use problems, with greater heritability at the lowest levels of affection. No moderating effect was found for mothers. Findings suggest relationships with fathers in childhood can have long-lasting effects on the etiological influences on adult mental health outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, 703 Third Street, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA, ssouth@purdue.edu.
authors.forename: Susan C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: South
authors.forename: Amber M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Jarnecke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D005220:Fathers; D005260:Female; D059647:Gene-Environment Interaction; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting; D010290:Parents; D010641:Phenotype; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014429:Twins, Dizygotic; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic
references.citation: Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2014 Feb;38(2):367-75
references.pmid: 24164253
references.citation: Behav Genet. 2004 Nov;34(6):593-610
references.pmid: 15520516
references.citation: J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2006 Jul;47(7):734-43
references.pmid: 16790008
references.citation: Psychol Med. 2008 Jan;38(1):29-39
references.pmid: 17803832
references.citation: Behav Genet. 1984 Jul;14(4):325-43
references.pmid: 6542356
references.citation: J Behav Med. 1997 Feb;20(1):1-13
references.pmid: 9058175
references.citation: Psychol Med. 2005 Mar;35(3):387-93
references.pmid: 15841874
references.citation: J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2009 Oct;50(10):1309-17
references.pmid: 19594836
references.citation: Am J Psychiatry. 2000 Nov;157(11):1843-6
references.pmid: 11058483
references.citation: Twin Res. 2002 Dec;5(6):554-71
references.pmid: 12573187
references.citation: Behav Genet. 2012 Jan;42(1):170-86
references.pmid: 21748401
references.citation: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2008 Apr;47(4):406-415
references.pmid: 18388763
references.citation: Psychol Bull. 2009 Nov;135(6):885-908
references.pmid: 19883141
references.citation: Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1995 Nov;52(11):916-24
references.pmid: 7487340
references.citation: Psychol Med. 2011 Jan;41(1):107-17
references.pmid: 20236567
references.citation: Psychol Sci. 2013 Mar 1;24(3):373-8
references.pmid: 23359109
references.citation: J Psychiatr Res. 1994 Jan-Feb;28(1):57-84
references.pmid: 8064641
references.citation: Behav Genet. 2013 Jan;43(1):71-84
references.pmid: 23090766
references.citation: J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2008 Feb;49(2):142-50
references.pmid: 18211276
references.citation: Acta Genet Med Gemellol (Roma). 1990;39(1):35-70
references.pmid: 2392892
references.citation: Clin Psychol Rev. 2011 Jul;31(5):800-16
references.pmid: 21530476
references.citation: Psychol Bull. 1993 Jan;113(1):82-98
references.pmid: 8426875
references.citation: Am J Psychiatry. 1971 Jun;127(12):1653-8
references.pmid: 5565851
references.citation: J Affect Disord. 1995 Mar 14;33(3):173-80
references.pmid: 7790669
references.citation: Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2009 Jun;66(6):640-8
references.pmid: 19487629
references.citation: Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2007 Apr;64(4):457-65
references.pmid: 17404122
references.citation: J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2002 Aug;30(4):311-26
references.pmid: 12108763
references.citation: Dev Psychopathol. 2012 Nov;24(4):1283-95
references.pmid: 23062297
references.citation: J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2009 Jan;64(1):137-46
references.pmid: 19176484
references.citation: Psychol Rev. 1994 Oct;101(4):568-86
references.pmid: 7984707
references.citation: Psychol Bull. 1991 Nov;110(3):406-25
references.pmid: 1758917
references.citation: J Abnorm Psychol. 2008 Nov;117(4):826-37
references.pmid: 19025229