Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 21, 2025

Using Cholesky Decomposition to Explore Individual Differences in Longitudinal Relations between Reading Skills
Published on: September 17, 2019
Do polygenic indices capture "direct" effects on child externalizing behavior problems? Within-family analyses in two
Peter T Tanksley1,2, Sarah J Brislin3, Jasmin Wertz4
1Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, USA.
Abstract:
Failures of self-control can manifest as externalizing behaviors (e.g., aggression, rule-breaking) that have far-reaching negative consequences. Researchers have long been interested in measuring children's genetic risk for externalizing behaviors to inform efforts at early identification and intervention. Drawing on data from the Environmental Risk Longitudinal Twin Study (N = 862 twins) and the Millennium Cohort Study (N = 2,824 parent-child trios), two longitudinal cohorts from the UK, we leveraged molecular genetic data and within-family designs to test for genetic associations with externalizing behavior that are not affected by common sources of environmental influence. We found that a polygenic index (PGI) calculated from genetic variants discovered in previous studies of self-controlled behavior in adults captures direct genetic effects on externalizing problems in children and adolescents when evaluated with rigorous within-family designs (β's = 0.13-0.19 across development). The externalizing behavior PGI can usefully augment psychological studies of the development of self-control.
More Related Videos
05:44Author Spotlight: Collecting the Brain and Serum from the Same Mice Fetus to Study Brain Tumor Development
Published on: May 17, 2024
13:08Measurement of Fronto-limbic Activity Using an Emotional Oddball Task in Children with Familial High Risk for Schizophrenia
Published on: December 2, 2015
Related Concept Videos
Behavioral Genetics and Its Designs
The primary methodologies used in behavior genetics include family studies, twin studies, and adoption studies, each providing unique...
Human Genetics
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...
Biological Influences on Intelligence
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Diagnostic Criteria and Symptoms
To diagnose ADHD, symptoms must manifest before age 12 and be evident across multiple settings....
Pleiotropy
Genomic Imprinting and Inheritance
The expression of some genes depends on which parent passed the gene to the offspring, through a phenomenon known as...