ORCID Profile
0000-0001-5342-3478
Current Organisation
Norwegian University of Science and Technology
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Publisher: Center for Open Science
Date: 25-01-2023
Abstract: Background: We investigate if covariation between parental and child ADHD behaviors can be explained by environmental and/or genetic transmission. Methods: We employed a large children-of-twins-and-siblings s le (N=22,350 parents & 11,566 8-year-old children) of the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). This enabled us to disentangle intergenerational influences via parental genes and parental behaviors (i.e., genetic and environmental transmission, respectively). Fathers reported on their own symptoms and mothers on their own and their child’s symptoms.Results: Child ADHD behaviors correlated with their mother’s (0.24) and father’s (0.10) ADHD behaviors. These correlations were largely due to additive genetic transmission. Variation in children’s ADHD behaviors was explained by genetic factors active in both generations (11%) and genetic factors specific to the children (46%), giving a total heritability of 57%. There were small effects of parental ADHD behaviors (2% environmental transmission) and gene-environment correlation (3%). The remaining variability in ADHD behaviors was due to in idual-specific environmental factors.Conclusions: The intergenerational resemblance of ADHD behaviors is primarily due to genetic transmission, with little evidence for parental ADHD behaviors causing children’s ADHD behaviors. This contradicts theories proposing environmental explanations of intergenerational transmission of ADHD, such as parenting theories or psychological life history theory.
Publisher: Center for Open Science
Date: 04-08-2023
Abstract: In this chapter we critique evolutionary-developmental explanations of variation and covariation in psychological traits, with special emphasis on psychological ‘life history theory’. We argue that findings from behavioral genetics and developmental biology provides evidence that large proportions of in idual differences in traits are caused by differences in genes, and differences in intrinsic randomness (and environmental damage) during embryo development. Further, behavioral genetic findings suggest that covariation between traits can often be attributed to genetic processes—such as pleiotropy and assortative mating—rather than the output of evolved mechanisms that use environmental cues. Overall, we argue that the relevant evidence leaves little room for evolved mechanisms that shape trait-levels and trait covariations in psychology.
Publisher: Center for Open Science
Date: 13-08-2022
Abstract: Background: Parents and children resemble each other in ADHD behaviors. A key theoretical postulate from the evolutionary life history theory is that children use information from their environment (e.g., predictability and resource availability) and develop traits that are optimized for future success in that environment. Life history theory therefore expects that variation in children’s ADHD behaviors reflects evolved calibration to the developmental context that parents provide. Alternatively, children may resemble their parents not because of the provided environments, but because of their transmitted genes.Methods: We employed a large children-of-twins-and-siblings s le (N=22,350 parents & 11,566 8-year-old children) of the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). This enables disentangling intergenerational influences via parental genes and parental behavior (i.e., genetic and environmental transmission, respectively). Fathers reported on their symptoms (or absence thereof) and mothers on their own and their child’s symptoms.Results: Child ADHD behaviors correlated 0.24 with ADHD behaviors in mothers and .10 with those in fathers. These correlations were largely due to genetic transmission genetic transmission was five times larger than environmental transmission. Variation in children’s ADHD behaviors was largely explained by heritability (57%), with small effects of parental ADHD behaviors (2% environmental transmission), and gene-environment correlation (3%). The remainder was due to unique environmental influences and noise.Conclusion: The intergenerational transmission of ADHD behaviors is primarily due to genetic transmission, with little evidence for parental ADHD behaviors causing children’s ADHD behaviors. This contradicts the life history theory. The child-specific variability in ADHD behaviors is due, in equal amounts, to genetic factors that influence children’s but not parents’ ADHD behaviors, and to environmental influences and noise that make siblings unique from one another. We conclude that ADHD is not the outcome of adaptive behavior to the (family) environment, but rather a neurodevelopmental disorder with a strong genetic basis.
No related grants have been discovered for Thomas Haarklau Kleppestø.