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The winding roads to adulthood: A twin study
Kaili Rimfeld1, Margherita Malanchini1,2, Amy E Packer1
1Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience King's College London London UK.
JCPP Advances
|July 11, 2023
Summary
Genetic and environmental factors significantly influence emerging adulthood traits, impacting mental health, wellbeing, and education. Despite environmental influences, genetics play a substantial role in shaping individual differences during this life stage.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Genetics
- Developmental Psychology
- Psychometrics
Background:
- Emerging adulthood is a critical developmental period characterized by significant life choices and transitions.
- Understanding the interplay of genetic and environmental factors is crucial for explaining individual differences in psychological traits during this phase.
- Previous research has explored various aspects of emerging adulthood, but a comprehensive investigation of genetic and environmental influences across a wide range of traits is lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically investigate the genetic and environmental influences on 57 psychological traits relevant to emerging adulthood.
- To examine the associations between these emerging adulthood traits and key outcomes such as mental health, wellbeing, physical health, and educational attainment.
- To determine the extent to which genetic and environmental factors explain the observed correlations between emerging adulthood traits and outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from nearly 5000 pairs of UK twins aged 21-25 from the Twins Early Development Study.
- Assessed 57 measures of psychological traits encompassing aspirations, attitudes, relationships, personality, and behaviors specific to emerging adulthood.
- Included measures of adverse mental health, wellbeing, physical health, and educational attainment as outcome variables.
Main Results:
- All 57 traits exhibited significant genetic influence, with an average heritability of 34% (SNP heritability ~10%).
- Non-shared environmental influences explained the majority of the variance (59% on average).
- Emerging adulthood traits were associated with mental health (r=0.20), wellbeing (r=0.16), physical health (r=0.12), and education (r=0.06), with shared genetics explaining about 50% of these correlations.
Conclusions:
- While non-shared environmental factors are primary drivers of individual differences in emerging adulthood traits, genetic influences remain substantial.
- Genetic predispositions significantly shape the developmental trajectories and outcomes experienced during emerging adulthood.
- The environmental uncertainties of emerging adulthood do not negate the profound and lasting impact of genetic factors on individual development.
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