Twin and Genetic Effects on Life Events
Open accessAbstract
Twin studies that examine the effect of specific environmental risk factors on psychiatric disorders assume that there are no differences in prevalences of these risk factors between twins and singletons. Violation of this assumption signifies that the results from twin studies might not generalize to singletons. Another assumption, not only underlying twin studies but also epidemiological research, is that life-events are not influenced by familial factors. We tested differences in prevalences of experienced life events in a Dutch sample of 1086 monozygotic (MZ) twins, 2090 dizygotic (DZ) twins and 1307 of their siblings. Self reported data on life events (illness of self, illness of a significant other, spouse/romantic relationship, divorce/break-up of a relationship, death of a significant other, traffic accident, robbery, violent assault, sexual assault) were available from a survey-study. We further investigated whether familial resemblance was present for the exposure to these life events and, if so, whether this resemblance was due to genetic or common environmental factors. No differences were found in the prevalences of life events between MZ twins, DZ twins and their siblings. There was evidence for familial aggregation of all life events, except for traffic accidents in women. Results indicated genetic control on the presence of a spouse or involvement in a relationship. Familial resemblance of illness and death of a significant other was mainly due to common environment. For the other life events, it was not possible to distinguish between genetic and common environmental effects.
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SLEs are modestly heritable and/or run in families.
“SLEs are modestly heritable (Bolinskey, Neale, Jacobson, Prescott, & Kendler, 2004) and/or run in families (Middeldorp, Cath, Vink, & Boomsma, 2005)”
From The development of an environmental risk score using Swedish National Registers and its impact on subsequent episodes of major depression (2025) · cites this paper as Middeldorp, Cath, Vink, & Boomsma, 2005
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Genetic influences on measures of the environment: a systematic review
KENDLER, K. S., & BAKER, J. H. (2007) · Psychological Medicine · doi:10.1017/s0033291706009524 · Cited by 725 · see citing works
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Longitudinal Genetic Analysis for Loneliness in Dutch Twins
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Self-citationKendler, K. S., Lönn, S. L., Sundquist, J., & Sundquist, K. (2025) · Psychological Medicine · doi:10.1017/s0033291725000583 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
- Authors
- Middeldorp, C. M., Cath, D. C., Vink, J. M., & Boomsma, D. I.
- Affiliations
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (NL)
- Corresponding author
- Middeldorp, Christel M.
- Venue
- Twin Research and Human Genetics
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2005-06-01
- Volume
- 8
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 224-231
- ISSN
- 1832-4274 (ISSN-L)
- 0000-0000
- OpenAlex
- W4235181097
- Cited by
- 35
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 2 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 1.26
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Twin Research and Human Genetics (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- VU Research Portal (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- Digital Academic REpository of VU University Amsterdam (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) (submittedVersion)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Funders
- ZonMw (985-10-002)
- Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (NWO 985-10-002, 985-10002, 575-25-006)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Assisted Reproductive Technology and Twin Pregnancy
- Social Sciences › Demography › Family Dynamics and Relationships
- Keywords
- life events, monozygotic twins, dizygotic twins, familial resemblance, genetic factors, shared environment, psychiatric risk factors, divorce, traffic accidents, sexual assault, violent assault, romantic relationships
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Family, Female, Humans, Life Change Events, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Models, Genetic, Models, Psychological, Netherlands, Registries, Risk Factors, Social Environment, Twins, Twins, Dizygotic, Twins, Monozygotic, Chi-Square Distribution
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