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Regulative, but not reactive, temperament traits and problem behavior are explained by the same genetic factors in Russian adolescents
Temperament traits influence how an individual reacts to everyday situations which over time forms their unique personality. The regulation of one’s behavior is required to fit into societal norms and adapt to peers, which is especially important in adolescence. Contemporary research shows that environmental factors, such as harsh discipline and marital discord, can moderate the relationships between temperament traits and emotional and behavioral problems in children and adolescents (Richters, 2010, Sulik, 2013). It has also been shown that genetic factors have a moderate influence on both temperament (Malykh et al., 2005) and problem behavior (Klein R. & Pine D., 2002).
In our study we set out to disentangle the genetic and environmental factors that influence the relationships between temperament traits and emotional and behavioral problems.
We based our study on the psychobiological approach to temperament developed by M. Rothbart is concerned with individual differences in both reactivity and self-regulation. Regulative processes are described through effortful control and its components: activation and inhibitory control. Reactive processes are broadly encompassed by negative emotionality and surgency.
We used T. Achenbach’s Youth Self Report (YSR) to assess emotional and behavioral problems and Rothbart’s Adult Temperament Questionnaire (ATQ) to measure temperament traits. Our sample consisted of 372 twin pairs (164 MZ, 134 DZ, 74 opposite sex DZ). Participants were 14 to 19 years old, 54% were female.
Building on our previous study, we analyzed the relationships between all available ATQ and YSR scales in a standard bivariate twin study design.
We found that the common variance between the effortful control scales and related problems (most notably delinquent and aggressive behavior as well as attention problems) was explained mostly by genetic factors. In contrast, the relationship between many reactive temperament traits and emotional and behavioral problems (for example, internalizing problems with shyness and fear) were explained mostly by shared environmental factors.
These results indicate that even though both temperament traits and problem behavior can individually be explained by genetic factors, clearly those factors are only similar in a few cases.