Sources of Individual Differences in Stressful Life Event Exposure in Male and Female Twins
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The roles of genetic and environmental influences on stressful life events were examined in 3938 twin pairs (MZ, same-sex DZ, and opposite-sex DZ) using a sex-limitation model. Life events were assessed by personal interview, and were categorized as being either personal (i.e., events that occur directly to the individual) or network (i.e., events that occur to someone within the individual's social network, thus affecting the individual indirectly). Consistent with previous reports, genetic factors were found to exert more influence on personal events than network events. Genetic correlations between males and females suggest that many of the same genetic factors are acting within both genders.
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One previous study found a substantial genetic correlation between men and women for genetic factors influencing the propensity to experience personal SLEs.
“Similarly, one previous study found a substantial genetic correlation between men and women for genetic factors influencing the propensity to experience personal SLEs (Bolinskey, Neale, Jacobson, Prescott, & Kendler, 2004).”
From Stressful life events increase the risk of major depressive episodes: A population-based twin study (2023) · cites this paper as Bolinskey, Neale, Jacobson, Prescott, & Kendler, 2004
The Results report a genetic correlation of .28 between men and women for personal stressful life events. The discussion (p. 35) calls this correlation moderate and suggests that many of the same genetic factors are involved. The claim captures the shared genetic influence but overstates the correlation as substantial. (LLM, conf=0.84)
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Cites
Causal Relationship Between Stressful Life Events and the Onset of Major Depression
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Self-citationTHE EFFECTS OF STRESSFUL LIFE EVENTS ON DEPRESSION
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“Despite the simple logic of this notion, researchers have struggled to identify specificity between SLEs and the onset of the various psychiatric disorders, as similar SLEs are experienced by a greater number of individuals who do not develop psychiatric disorders than by those who do (Kessler, 1997).”
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Genetic influences on measures of the environment: a systematic review
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Stressful life events increase the risk of major depressive episodes: A population-based twin study
Bjørndal, L. D., Kendler, K. S., Reichborn-Kjennerud, T., & Ystrom, E. (2023) · Psychological Medicine · doi:10.1017/s0033291722002227 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
Self-citationKendler, K. S., Lönn, S. L., Sundquist, J., & Sundquist, K. (2025) · Psychological Medicine · doi:10.1017/s0033291725000583 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
“Sixth, we attempted to address the difficult problem assessing the causal relationship between SLEs and MD. SLEs are modestly heritable (Bolinskey, Neale, Jacobson, Prescott, & Kendler, 2004) and/or run in families (Middeldorp, Cath, Vink, & Boomsma, 2005) and prior evidence has shown that genetic…”
Self-citation
- Authors
- Bolinskey, P. K., Neale, M. C., Jacobson, K. C., Prescott, C. A., & Kendler, K. S.
- Affiliations
- Virginia Commonwealth University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Bolinskey, P. Kevin
- Venue
- Twin Research
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2004-02-01
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 33-38
- ISSN
- 1369-0523 (ISSN-L)
- 0000-0000
- OpenAlex
- W1971860019
- Cited by
- 31
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 2 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 1.42
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Twin Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (MH/AA/DA-49492, MH-20030)
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (R01AA009095, AA-09095)
- National Institute of Mental Health (MH-20030, R01MH040828, MH 40828, R01MH065322, MH 65322, MH/AA/DA-49492)
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (DA11287, R01DA011287)
- 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
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Mental Health Research Topics
- Keywords
- life events, individual differences, sex differences, genetic factors, environmental influences, monozygotic twins, dizygotic twins, personal life events
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Female, Humans, Life Change Events, Male, Surveys and Questionnaires, Sex Factors, Stress, Psychological
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