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Cited by 294Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentMental Health Treatment and AccessMental Health Research Topics

The Virginia Twin Study of Adolescent Behavioral Development: Influences of Age, Sex, and Impairment on Rates of Disorder

Simonoff, Emily·1997·Archives of General Psychiatry
DOI 10.1001/archpsyc.1997.01830210039004
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: The Virginia Twin Study of Adolescent Behavioral Development is a cohort-longitudinal epidemiological study that uses the genetic twin design to study the development and maintenance of child psychiatric disorders. We determined the rates of DSM-III-R disorders, disorders with impairment, and age, sex, and comorbidity effects. METHODS: Families of 2762 white twins aged 8 to 16 years participated. Twins and their parents were asked systematically about risk factors and current psychiatric symptoms by means of investigator-based psychiatric interviews and questionnaires. The DSM-III-R diagnoses were made for major depressive disorder, separation anxiety, overanxious disorder, simple phobia, social phobia, agoraphobia, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. RESULTS: The 3-month point prevalence for any DSM-III-R disorders was 413 per 1000, and that for disorders with associated impairment was 142 per 1000. Emotional disorders with impairment occurred in 89 per 1000, with girls being more commonly affected; behavioral disorders had a prevalence of 71 per 1000, with boys being more frequently affected. The proportion with disorder who also had functional impairment varied across disorders; anxiety and phobic disorders were particularly likely not to be accompanied by impairment. Rates of emotional and behavioral disorders increased over the age range. There was extensive comorbidity among disorders. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence rates and patterns of findings from this study of twins are consistent with those of other epidemiological studies, supporting previous findings of few differences in rates of psychiatric disorder between twins and singletons. The importance of including measures of functional impairment is evident by its effect on rates of disorder and patterns of comorbidity.

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  • Twins and singletons have similar rates of psychiatric disorders such as ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder, and conduct disorder, and similar behavioral and emotional problems.

    “Twins and singletons have been found to experience similar rates of psychiatric disorders (e.g., attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder) and behavioral and emotional problems (Gjone and Novik, 1995; Moilanen et al., 1999; Simonoff et al., 1997; van den Oord et al., 1995).”

    From Human Aggression Across the Lifespan (2011) · cites this paper as Simonoff et al., 1997

  • Twins and singletons have generally been found to experience similar rates of psychiatric disorders and behavioral and emotional problems.

    “Further, twins and singletons have generally been found to experience similar rates of psychiatric disorders and behavioral and emotional problems (Gjone & Novik, 1995; Moilanen et al., 1999; Simonoff et al., 1997; van den Oord et al., 1995).”

    From Genetic and environmental influences on impulsivity: A meta-analysis of twin, family and adoption studies (2011) · cites this paper as Simonoff et al., 1997

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Authors
Simonoff, E.
Affiliations
Medical Research Council (GB)
Corresponding author
Simonoff, Emily
ORCID
Simonoff, Emily
Venue
Archives of General Psychiatry
Publisher
American Medical Association (AMA)
Published
1997-09-01
Volume
54
Issue
9
Pages
801
ISSN
0003-990X (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1001/archpsyc.1997.01830210039004
OpenAlex
W2033339814
Cited by
294
References
33
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 14
FWCI
13.68
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Archives of General Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Mental Health (MH45268, R01MH045268)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Mental Health Research Topics
Keywords
adolescent mental disorders, prevalence, functional disability, comorbidities, emotional disorders, behavioral disorders, anxiety disorders, phobia, major depressive disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, separation anxiety, sex differences, age differences
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Age Factors, Anxiety Disorders, Anxiety, Separation, Mental Disorders, Child, Child Behavior Disorders, Depressive Disorder, Diseases in Twins, Female, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Parents, Phobic Disorders, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Sex Factors, Virginia, Cohort Studies, Comorbidity, Prevalence

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