Cited by 84Mental Health Research TopicsGenetic Associations and EpidemiologyChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development

The boundaries of the internalizing and externalizing genetic spectra in men and women

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Kendler, K. S., Myers, J.·2014·Psychological Medicine

Abstract

Background: The distribution and co-morbidity of common psychiatric disorders can be largely explained as manifestations of two broad psychopathological spectra of internalizing and externalizing disorders. Twin studies suggest that these spectra arise from genetic factors. Method: Structural equation twin modeling was applied to interview and questionnaire data on personality traits and lifetime psychiatric disorders on more than 5300 members of male–male (MM) and female–female (FF) twin pairs. Results: The best-fitting models for both the externalizing and internalizing spectra differed significantly in males and females. In males, the externalizing genetic common factor was best indexed by four disorders in the following order: antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), drug abuse/dependence (DAD), alcohol abuse dependence (AAD) and conduct disorder (CD). In females, the four disorders most closely related to the externalizing common factor were, in order: DAD, AAD, nicotine dependence (ND) and ASPD. Personality traits of novelty seeking (NS) and extraversion (E) better indexed the genetic externalizing spectrum in females than in males. In both males and females, major depression (MD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) best indexed the genetic internalizing common factor. Panic disorder (PD) and agoraphobia (AgP) better reflected the internalizing genetic common factor in women, and neuroticism (N) in men. Genetic correlations between the two spectra were estimated at + 0.53 in males and + 0.52 in females. Conclusions: The disorders that optimally index the genetic liability to externalizing and internalizing disorders in the general population differ meaningfully in men and women. In both sexes, these genetic spectra are better assessed by psychiatric disorders than by personality traits.

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  1. APA Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition 1980 Washington, DC American Psychiatric Association
  2. APA Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition 1994 Washington, DC American Psychiatric Association

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Authors
Kendler, K. S., & Myers, J.
Affiliations
Virginia Commonwealth University (US)
Corresponding author
Kendler, K. S.
Venue
Psychological Medicine
Published
2013-04-11
Volume
44
Issue
3
Pages
647-655
ISSN
  • 0033-2917 (ISSN-L)
  • 1469-8978
OpenAlex
W2165834902
Cited by
84
References
36
Citations by year
2026: 11 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 1
FWCI
9.01
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Psychological Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (P20 AA107828, R37AA011408, P20AA017828)
  • National Center for Research Resources (UL1RR031990)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Mental Health Research Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
Keywords
internalizing disorders, externalizing disorders, genetic susceptibility, sex differences, personality traits, novelty seeking, extraversion, neuroticism, antisocial personality disorder, substance abuse, conduct disorder, nicotine dependence, major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia, genetic correlation, psychiatric comorbidity
MeSH terms
Adult, Mental Disorders, Diseases in Twins, Exploratory Behavior, Female, Humans, Male, Personality, Personality Assessment, Registries, Sex Factors, Virginia, Models, Statistical, Prevalence, Sex Distribution, Genetic Predisposition to Disease

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