Article1994

A Twin Study of Depressive Symptoms in Childhood

203 citations0/0 files storedThe British Journal of Psychiatry

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Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development Genetic Associations and Epidemiology Mental Health Research Topics

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Although depression in childhood appears to be familial, transmission of symptoms could be genetic or environmental. Twin studies enable us to separate these effects. Our aim was to assess the importance of genetic and environmental factors on depressive symptoms during childhood and adolescence in an epidemiological sample of twins. METHOD: Questionnaires (including the Mood and Feelings questionnaire) were mailed to a systematically ascertained sample (411 twin pairs) aged between 8 and 16 years. The overall response rate was 77%. RESULTS: Data for the whole sample were best explained by an additive genetic model, with heritability of depressive symptom scores estimated at 79%. However, on splitting the sample, symptoms in children (aged 8 to 11) could be explained by shared environmental factors only, while symptoms in adolescents (aged 11 to 16) remained highly heritable. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that although depressive symptoms appear to be largely heritable, the influence of genetic and environmental factors may vary with age.

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References

1990Adult Outcomes of Childhood and Adolescent Depression 1988Scales to Assess Child and Adolescent Depression: Checklists, Screens, and Nets 1984Depressive Disorders in Childhood 1990Epidemiology of Childhood Depressive Disorders: A Critical Review 1976Heredity, Environment, and Personality 1987Children of Depressed Parents 1984Depressive Disorders in Childhood 1984Depression and Anxiety Disorders in Parents and Children

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1999Genetic and environmental influences on the relationships between family connectedness, school connectedness, and adolescent depressed mood: Sex differences.2004Major depression and conduct disorder in youth: associations with parental psychopathology and parent–child conflict 2002Assessing the effects of age, sex and shared environment on the genetic aetiology of depression in childhood and adolescence 2018Characterizing Developmental Trajectories and the Role of Neuropsychiatric Genetic Risk Variants in Early-Onset Depression 2004Psychiatric Disorders Among Offspring of Depressed Mothers: Associations With Paternal Psychopathology

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