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Genetic and Environmental Effects on Parent-Rated Adaptive Behaviour in Infancy
Hanna Halkola1, Charlotte Viktorsson2, Emily J H Jones3
1Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
Developmental Science
|June 20, 2025
Summary
Shared environmental factors significantly influence early adaptive behaviors in infants, impacting both motor skills and social-communication. Genetic influences are low and domain-specific, with no links to common neurodevelopmental disorders.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Behavioral Genetics
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Adaptive behaviors are crucial for independent functioning, yet etiological factors in early infancy remain underexplored.
- Understanding genetic and environmental influences on infant adaptive behaviors is vital for early intervention and developmental support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate etiological factors influencing adaptive behavior domains at 5 months.
- To quantify genetic and environmental influences unique and shared across motor and social-communication domains.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale (VABS-II) motor and social-communication domains.
- Applied a multivariate twin modeling approach to a community sample of 594 monozygotic and dizygotic twins at 5 months.
Main Results:
- High shared environmental influences were observed for motor (0.67) and social-communication (0.78) domains.
- Low but significant heritability estimates were found for both domains (0.21 and 0.12, respectively), with no shared genetic variance.
- No significant associations were detected between polygenic scores for autism, ADHD, schizophrenia, depression, or bipolar disorder and the measured adaptive behaviors.
Conclusions:
- Shared environmental factors play a predominant role in the development of infant motor and social-communication skills.
- Results underscore the importance of caregiver interaction, home environment, and stimuli in shaping early adaptive behaviors.
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