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Cited by 305Crime Patterns and InterventionsChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentPsychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending

Are there meaningful etiological differences within antisocial behavior? Results of a meta-analysis

Burt, S. Alexandra·2009·Clinical Psychology Review
DOI 10.1016/j.cpr.2008.12.004
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Abstract

There is mounting evidence of etiologically driven distinctions between aggressive (AGG) and non-aggressive rule-breaking (RB) forms of antisocial behavior. To date, however, these differences remain somewhat speculative. The current meta-analysis of twin and adoption studies sought to clarify these distinctions by comparing meta-analytic estimates of genetic, shared environmental, and non-shared environmental influences across AGG and RB to more clearly ascertain whether they evidence differential patterns of genetic and environmental influence. A comprehensive literature search resulted in the collection of 103 twin and adoption studies, of which 15 RB samples and 19 AGG samples were ultimately included in the analyses. Results reveal clear evidence of etiological distinctions between AGG and RB. Namely, AGG appears to be a highly heritable condition (genetic factors account for 65% of the variance), with little role for the shared or common environment, particularly after childhood. By contrast, while genetic influences also contribute to RB (48% of the variance), there is an important role for shared environmental effects as well (18% of the variance). Such findings are indicative of meaningful etiologic distinctions between aggressive and rule-breaking forms of antisocial behavior, and underscore the advantage of differentiating between these behavioral subtypes when studying the causal processes that underlie antisocial behavior.

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  • Twin studies show that roughly half of the variation in antisocial behaviour is attributable to genetic factors.

    “Twin studies indicate that half of the variation in this trait is genetic.”

    From Genome-Wide Association Studies of a Broad Spectrum of Antisocial Behavior (2017) · cites this paper as Burt, 2009

  • A more recent review of 19 twin and adoption studies using child and adolescent samples found heritability explained 65%, shared environment 5%, and nonshared environment 30% of variance in aggressive behavior.

    “A more recent review focused on 19 twin and adoption studies using child and adolescent samples; studies including adult subjects were excluded. Heritability was found to explain 65%, shared environment explained 5%, and the nonshared environment explained the remaining 30% of the variance in aggressive behavior (Burt, 2009).”

    From Human Aggression Across the Lifespan (2011) · cites this paper as Burt, 2009

  • A recent meta-analysis of 19 twin and family/adoption studies found genetic influences explained 54% of variance in aggressive behavior in boys and 57% in girls.

    “The lack of quantitative sex differences is also well in line with what was reported in a recent meta-analysis summarizing 19 twin and family/adoption studies, whereby genetic influences were found to explain 54% of the variance in aggressive behavior in boys and 57% of the variance in girls (Burt, 2009).”

    From Human Aggression Across the Lifespan (2011) · cites this paper as Burt, 2009

  • Both Burt (2009) and Rhee and Waldman (2002) examined nonadditive genetic effects, but only Rhee and Waldman (2002) found significant nonadditive genetic effects for antisocial behavior.

    “Both Burt (2009) and Rhee and Waldman (2002) examined nonadditive genetic effects, but only Rhee and Waldman (2002) found significant nonadditive genetic effects for antisocial behavior.”

    From Human Aggression Across the Lifespan (2011) · cites this paper as Burt (2009)

  • There is plenty of evidence, based on a variety of definitions of aggressive behavior from children to adults, for genetic propensity toward aggression.

    “Yet, there is also plenty of evidence, based on a variety of definitions of aggressive behavior from children to adults, for genetic propensity toward aggression (see reviews by Burt, 2009; Miles and Carey, 1997; Rhee and Waldman, 2002).”

    From Human Aggression Across the Lifespan (2011) · cites this paper as Burt, 2009

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Authors
Burt, S. A.
Affiliations
Michigan State University (US)
Corresponding author
Burt, S. Alexandra
ORCID
Burt, S. Alexandra
Venue
Clinical Psychology Review
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2009-03
Volume
29
Issue
2
Pages
163-178
ISSN
0272-7358 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.cpr.2008.12.004
OpenAlex
W2139818575
Semantic Scholar
a77e8ee283562ca4b1b880ab60fb2777038ad052
Cited by
305
References
91
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 33 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 21 · 2017: 17 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 27 · 2014: 19 · 2013: 20 · 2012: 11
FWCI
8.07
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
Locations
  • Clinical Psychology Review (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Crime Patterns and Interventions
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending
Keywords
antisocial behavior, aggression, rule violations, etiology, heritability, genetic factors, shared environment, nonshared environment, twin studies, adoption studies
MeSH terms
Age Factors, Aggression, Antisocial Personality Disorder, Humans

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