Genetic and environmental influences on the stability of withdrawn behavior in children: A longitudinal, multi-informant twin study.

We examined the contribution of genetic and environmental influences on the stability of withdrawn behavior (WB) in childhood using a longitudinal multiple rater twin design. Maternal and paternal ratings on the withdrawn subscale of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) were obtained from 14,889 families when the twins were 3, 7, 10 and 12 years old. A longitudinal psychometric model was fitted to the data and the fit of transmission and common factor models were evaluated for each variance component. WB showed considerable stability throughout childhood, with correlation coefficients ranging from about .30 for the 9-year time interval to .65 for shorter time intervals. Individual differences in WB as observed by the mother and the father were found to be largely influenced by genetic effects at all four time points, in both boys (50–66%) and girls (38–64%). Shared environmental influences explained a small to modest proportion (0–24%) of the variance at all ages and were slightly more pronounced in girls. Non-shared environmental influences were of moderate importance to the variance and slightly increased with age, from 22–28% at age 3 to 35–41% at age 12 years. The stability of WB was largely explained by genetic effects, accounting for 74% of stability in boys and 65% in girls. Shared environmental effects explained 7% (boys) and 17% (girls) of the behavioral stability. Most shared environmental effects were common to both raters, suggesting little influence of rater bias in the assessment of WB. The shared environmental effects common to both raters were best described by a common factor model, indicating that these effects are stable and persistent throughout childhood. Non-shared environmental effects accounted for the remaining covariance over time

Pre-divorce problems in 3-year-olds: a prospective study in boys and girls

Objective: We examined to what extent internalizing and externalizing problems at age 3 preceded and predicted parental divorce, and if divorce and the time lapse since divorce were related to internalizing and externalizing problems at age 12. Methods: Parental ratings of internalizing and externalizing problems were collected with the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) in a large sample (N = 6,426) of 3-yearold children. All these children were followed through the age of 12 years, at which parents completed the CBCL again, while teachers completed the Teacher's Report Form. Children whose parents divorced between age 3 and age 12 were compared with children whose families remained intact. Results: Girls whose parents divorced between ages 3 and 12 already showed more externalizing problems at age 3 than girls whose parents stayed married. Higher levels of externalizing problems in girls at age 3 predicted later parental divorce. Parental reports indicated that 12-year-olds with divorced parents showed more internalizing and externalizing problems than children with married parents. Levels of teacher-reported problems were not different between children with married versus divorced parents. However, children whose parents divorced between ages 3 and 12 showed more teacher-rated internalizing problems at age 12 when the divorce was more recent than when the divorce was less recent. Parental ratings of both internalizing and externalizing problems at age 12 were not associated with the time lapse since divorce. Conclusion: Externalizing problems in girls precede and predict later parental divorce. Post-divorce problems in children vary by raters, and may depend on the time lapse since divorce

Genetic Epidemiology of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD Index) in Adults

Context: In contrast to the large number of studies in children, there is little information on the contribution of genetic factors to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in adults. Objective: To estimate the heritability of ADHD in adults as assessed by the ADHD index scored from the CAARS (Conners’ Adult ADHD Rating Scales). Design: Phenotype data from over 12,000 adults (twins, siblings and parents) registered with the Netherlands Twin Register were analyzed using genetic structural equation modeling. Main outcome measures: Heritability estimates for ADHD from the twin-family study. Results: Heritability of ADHD in adults is estimated around 30 % in men and women. There is some evidence for assortative mating. All familial transmission is explained by genetic inheritance, there is no support for the hypothesis that cultural transmission from parents to offspring is important. Conclusion: Heritability for ADHD features in adults is present, but is substantially lower than it is in children

Ways to Cancer Counseling Centers: How do People Become Aware of these Centers?

Schranz M, Bayer O, Xyländer M, et al. Ways to Cancer Counseling Centers: How do People Become Aware of these Centers? In: ONCOLOGY RESEARCH AND TREATMENT. Vol 43. Basel: Karger; 2020: 180

A study of parent ratings of internalizing and externalizing problem behavior in 12-year-old twins

Objective: Studies on 3-, 7-, and 10-year-old twins' internalizing and externalizing problems have emphasized the importance of understanding sources of agreement and disagreement between maternal and paternal ratings. A psychometric model that assumes that each parent assesses rater-specific aspects of the child's behavior provided the best explanation for parental disagreement. This study investigates two models that have been used to explain the agreement and disagreement between mothers and fathers in the ratings of their children. Method: Child Behavior Checklists filled in by mothers and fathers were collected for a sample of 1,481 twelve-year-old twin pairs. Genetic and environmental influences on internalizing and externalizing problems were estimated using models that corrected for rater bias, rater-specific effects, and unreliability. Results: The psychometric model fitted the data significantly better than a rater bias model. Significant influences of genetic, shared, and nonshared environmental factors were found for internalizing and externalizing behavior. Parent-specific views, rater bias, and unreliability were significant. Conclusions: The best-fitting model implies that disagreement between parents is due to the fact that mothers and fathers provide information from their own perspective. This information should be seen as important and adding to the diagnostic formulation rather than as a point of disagreement. The finding that internalizing and externalizing problems are influenced by genetic and environmental factors fosters the understanding that it is the interaction of nature and nurture that puts children at risk for common behavioral disorders

Functional impairments at school age of preterm born children with late-onset sepsis

AbstractBackgroundLate-onset sepsis is a relatively common complication particularly of preterm birth that affects approximately a quarter of very low birth weight infants.AimWe aimed to determine the motor, cognitive, and behavioural outcome at school age of preterm children with late-onset sepsis compared to matched controls.Study design and subjectsA prospective case–control study that included preterm infants (gestational age<32weeks and/or birth weight<1500g) admitted to our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in 2000–2001 with a culture-proven late-onset sepsis, and controls matched for gestational age.Outcome measuresAt school age we assessed motor skills, intelligence, visual perception, visuomotor integration, verbal memory, attention, executive functioning, and behaviour.ResultsAt 6–9years, 21 of 32 children with late-onset sepsis (68%) had borderline or abnormal motor outcome with most problems in fine motor skills. Their total IQ was 89 compared to 98 in controls. In addition, verbal memory and attention were affected compared to controls (0.61 standard deviations (SD), 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.04–1.17, p=0.033 and 0.94 SD, 95% CI 0.32–1.62, p=0.011, respectively). Multiple episodes of sepsis and gram-negative sepsis were risk factors for worse cognitive outcome.ConclusionsAt school age, a majority of preterm children with late-onset sepsis had motor problems. Their IQ was considerably lower than matched controls, and memory and attention were specifically impaired. Outcome at school age of preterm children with late-onset sepsis was worse than previously thought