Etiology of obsessions and compulsions: A meta-analysis and narrative review of twin studies
Abstract
The relative importance of genetic and environmental factors in the etiology of obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms is unclear. Cognitive-behavioral models propose that shared environment (e.g., parenting style) is important. Family segregation studies suggest that nonadditive genetic factors may be involved. To investigate the etiology of OC symptoms, a meta-analysis was conducted of 37 twin samples from 14 studies, supplemented by a narrative review. Results indicated that in terms of mean effect sizes, (a) additive genetic effects and nonshared environment accounted for most of the variance in OC symptoms, (b) shared environment and nonadditive genetic effects made little or no contribution; (c) these findings did not vary with sex or symptom severity; (d) variance due to nonshared environment increased with age; (e) gene-environment interactions play an etiologic role; (f) OC symptoms are shaped by etiologic factors common to all types of OC symptoms but also have symptom-specific etiologies; and (g) OC symptoms are also shaped by very general etiologic factors (e.g., those influencing negative emotionality). Overall, the findings indicate that OC symptoms have a complex etiologic architecture that is not adequately explained by contemporary etiological models.
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The common single nucleotide polymorphism heritability of OCD is estimated at 28% in meta-analyses, while overall heritability is reported at 40% to 50%.
“The common single nucleotide polymorphism heritability of OCD has been estimated to be 28% in meta-analyses (18), whereas the overall heritability is reported to be 40% to 50% (19–24).”
From Maternal Effects as Causes of Risk for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (2020) · cites this paper as [23]
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- Authors
- Taylor, S.
- Affiliations
- University of British Columbia (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Taylor, Steven
- ORCID
- Taylor, Steven
- Venue
- Clinical Psychology Review
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2011-12
- Volume
- 31
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 1361-1372
- ISSN
- 0272-7358 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2061562570
- Cited by
- 156
- References
- 63
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 26 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 1.17
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Clinical Psychology Review (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Health Canada
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
- Keywords
- obsessive-compulsive symptoms, etiology, twin studies, heritability, additive genetic effects, nonshared environment, shared environment, gene-environment interaction, family segregation, cognitive-behavioral model, negative affectivity
- MeSH terms
- Compulsive Behavior, Humans, Obsessive Behavior, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
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