Genetic and environmental covariation between autistic traits and behavioral problems

Twin Research and Human Genetics : the Official Journal of the International Society for Twin Studies
Rosa A HoekstraDorret I Boomsma

Abstract

Our objective was to examine the overlap between autistic traits and other behavioral problems in a general population sample, and explore the extent to which this overlap is due to genetic or environmental factors. Youth Self Report (YSR) data were collected in a general population sample of 424 twin pairs at 18 years of age, and their nontwin siblings. In 197 of these twin families, self-report ratings on the Autism-spectrum Quotient (AQ) were collected. Stepwise backward regression analyses revealed that of all 8 YSR syndrome scales, the Withdrawn Behavior (WB) and Social Problems (SOC) scale were the most important predictors of AQ scores, and together with sex, explained 23% of the variance in AQ scores. Genetic structural equation modeling showed that the overlap between AQ and WB and SOC was mainly due to genetic effects. About half of the genetic variance in AQ scores was specific to the AQ, with the remaining half shared with genetic variance in WB and SOC. Endorsement of autistic traits in a general population sample is associated with social and withdrawn behavioral problems and these problems partly share a common genetic etiology with autistic traits. However, most of the variance in AQ scores remains unexplained b...Continue Reading

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Citations

Aug 11, 2010·Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders·Rosa A HoekstraSophie van der Sluis
Apr 20, 2011·Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics : JDBP·Katherine M Magnuson, John N Constantino
Mar 31, 2011·Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders·Rebecca M JonesSimon Baron-Cohen
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Dec 14, 2011·Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology·Victoria HallettFrancesca Happé
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Jul 8, 2017·Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders·Yi-Ling ChienSusan Shur-Fen Gau

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