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Cited by 420Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentNeural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesAttention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Behavioral disinhibition: Liability for externalizing spectrum disorders and its genetic and environmental relation to response inhibition across adolescence.

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Young, Susan E., Friedman, Naomi P., Miyake, Akira, Willcutt, Erik G., Corley, Robin P., Haberstick, Brett C., Hewitt, John K.·2009·Journal of Abnormal Psychology
DOI 10.1037/a0014657PMC PMC2775710
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Abstract

Behavioral disinhibition has been characterized as a generalized vulnerability to externalizing disorders. Despite increasing evidence for its validity and heritability, the structural stability of behavioral disinhibition across adolescence and the strength and etiology of its relation to executive functions have not been studied. In this multivariate twin study, the authors assessed behavioral disinhibition using measures tapping substance use, conduct disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and novelty seeking at ages 12 and 17. Executive functions were assessed with laboratory-based cognitive tasks at age 17. Results indicated that, at age 12, behavioral disinhibition was dominated by ADHD and conduct problems and was highly heritable. At age 17, the contributions of the 4 components were more balanced, and the proportion of variance attributable to genetic factors was somewhat smaller, with additional variance due to shared environmental influences. At both ages, behavioral disinhibition was more closely related to response inhibition than other executive functions (working memory updating and task-set shifting), and this relationship was primarily genetic in origin. These results highlight the dynamic nature of behavioral disinhibition across adolescence and suggest that response inhibition may be an important mechanism underlying vulnerability to disinhibitory psychopathology.

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  • Temperamental traits such as disinhibition, negative affectivity, and heightened reward sensitivity are key predispositions for both externalizing behaviors and alcohol misuse.

    “Temperamental traits such as disinhibition, negative affectivity, and heightened reward sensitivity are key predispositions for both externalizing behaviors and alcohol misuse.”

    From Decoding the bidirectional links between alcohol misuse and aggression: toward a unified translational framework (2026) · cites this paper as Young et al. 2009

    The Nature and Etiology of Behavioral Disinhibition section links disinhibition-related traits, including impulsivity and novelty seeking, with substance use disorders and antisocial behavior. The paper also describes behavioral disinhibition as a vulnerability to externalizing disorders. It does not establish negative affectivity or heightened reward sensitivity as predispositions for both externalizing behavior and alcohol misuse; its reference to impulses attractive because of possible reward is narrower. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Poor common EF is associated with behavioral disinhibition, a general vulnerability factor hypothesized to underlie externalizing behavior problems, such as ADHD, conduct disorder, substance use, and novelty seeking/risk taking.

    “For example, poor common EF is associated with behavioral disinhibition, a general vulnerability factor hypothesized to underlie externalizing behavior problems, such as ADHD, conduct disorder, substance use, and novelty seeking/risk taking (Young et al., 2009).”

    From Advancing understanding of executive function impairments and psychopathology: bridging the gap between clinical and cognitive approaches (2015) · cites this paper as Young et al., 2009

    The Abstract identifies behavioral disinhibition as a generalized vulnerability to externalizing disorders and lists ADHD, conduct disorder, substance use, and novelty seeking among its measures. The Results section on response inhibition reports significant associations with three executive functions, strongest for response inhibition. It does not report an association with a distinct ‘common EF’ factor, so that specific attribution is not established. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • These traits show moderate heritability and contribute to a broader 'behavioral disinhibition' liability spanning both domains.

    “These traits show moderate heritability and contribute to a broader “behavioral disinhibition” liability spanning both domains (Krueger et al. 2002; Iacono et al. 2008; Young et al. 2009).”

    From Decoding the bidirectional links between alcohol misuse and aggression: toward a unified translational framework (2026) · cites this paper as Young et al. 2009

  • The different components of EF identified by the unity/diversity model differentially predict individual differences in clinically important behaviors.

    “Most importantly for clinical research, the different components of EF identified by the unity/diversity model differentially predict individual differences in clinically important behaviors (Friedman et al., 2007, 2011; Young et al., 2009).”

    From Advancing understanding of executive function impairments and psychopathology: bridging the gap between clinical and cognitive approaches (2015) · cites this paper as Young et al., 2009

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Young, S. E., Friedman, N. P., Miyake, A., Willcutt, E. G., Corley, R. P., Haberstick, B. C., & Hewitt, J. K.
Affiliations
University of Colorado Boulder (US)
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Abnormal Psychology
Publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
Published
2009-02
Volume
118
Issue
1
Pages
117-130
ISSN
  • 0021-843X (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-1846
DOI
10.1037/a0014657
PMC
PMC2775710
OpenAlex
W2109926259
Cited by
420
References
14
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 31 · 2021: 33 · 2020: 29 · 2019: 33 · 2018: 49 · 2017: 35 · 2016: 27 · 2015: 29 · 2014: 25 · 2013: 20 · 2012: 22
FWCI
21.27
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Abnormal Psychology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (MH63207; HD010333; DA011015, MH01865, MH075814)
  • National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (AA07464)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Keywords
behavioral disinhibition, externalizing disorders, response inhibition, executive function, heritability, genetic and environmental factors, adolescence, conduct disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, novelty seeking, substance use, working memory updating, shared environment
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Cognition Disorders, Female, Humans, Inhibition, Psychological, Male, Neuropsychological Tests, Phenotype, Severity of Illness Index, Social Behavior, Social Environment, Twins, Comorbidity, Conduct Disorder, Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders, Substance-Related Disorders

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