Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The Association of Early Adolescent Problem Behavior and Adult Psychopathology: A Multivariate Behavioral Genetic Perspective

  • Published:
Behavior Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Research has documented a strong association between early adolescent problem behavior and adult disinhibitory psychopathology, leading some to suggest that the latter can be reduced by preventing or delaying the former. But the prevention implications of this association necessarily depend upon the causal mechanisms that produce it. The current study was designed to test implications of a model that posits that early problem behavior and disinhibitory psychopathology are associated because they are both manifestations of a common inherited liability. At their age-17 assessment, 1080 twins from the older cohort of the Minnesota Twin Family Study reported whether and the age at which they first: drank alcohol, used tobacco, used illicit drugs, had sexual intercourse, and had police contact. An Early Problem Behavior index was computed by summing the number of these experiences each participant reported having before age 15. Outcome measures of disinhibitory psychopathology were assessed by clinical interview at the age-20 follow-up and included number of symptoms of nicotine dependence, alcohol abuse and dependence, drug abuse and dependence, and adult antisocial behavior. Biometric analysis of the multivariate twin data showed that: (1) early adolescent problem behavior is weakly heritable (approximately 20%), (2) the common factor underlying disinhibitory psychopathology is strongly heritable (approximately 75%), and (3) the phenotypic correlation between early adolescent problem behavior and disinhibitory psychopathology was strong (approximately 0.60) and accounted for primarily by genetic factors common to the two domains. Findings are discussed in the context of research on the prevention and developmental nature of substance use disorders and related psychopathology.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 3.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Akaike H. (1987). Factor analysis and AIC. Psychometrica 52:317–332

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ball D., Collier D. (2002). Substance misuse. In: McGuffin P., Owen M. J., Gottesman I. I. (eds), Psychiatric Genetics and Genomics. Oxford, England, Oxford University Press, pp. 267–302

    Google Scholar 

  • Baumeister S. E., Tossmann P. (2005). Association between early onset of cigarette, alcohol and cannabis use and later drug use patterns: An analysis of a survey in european metropolises. Eur. Addict. Res. 11(2):92–98

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brown S. A., Tapert S. F. (2004). Adolescence and the trajectory of alcohol use: basic to clinical studies. Ann. NY Acad. Sci. 1021:234–244

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • De Bellis, M. D., Clark, D. B., Beers, S. R., Soloff, P. H., Boring, A. M., Hall, J., et al. (2000). Hippocampal volume in adolescent-onset alcohol use disorders. Am. J. Psychiatry, 737–744

  • Dempster A. P., Laird N. M., Rubin D. B. (1977). Maximum likelihood from incomplete data via the EM algorithm. J. Roy. Stat. Soc., Ser. B 39:1–38

    Google Scholar 

  • Dewit D. J., Adlaf E. M., Offord D. R., Ogborne A. C. (2000). Age at first alcohol use: a risk factor for the development of alcohol disorders. Am. J. Psychiatry 157:745–750

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Donovan J. E., Jessor R. (1985). Structure of problem behavior in adolescence and young adulthood. J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 53:890–904

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goldman D., Oroszi G., Ducci F. (2005). The genetics of addictions: uncovering the genes. Nat. Rev. Genet. 6:521–532

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grant B. F., Dawson D. A. (1997). Age at onset of alcohol use and its association with DSM-IV alcohol abuse and dependence: results from the National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiologic Survey. J. Subst. Abuse 9:103–110

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Harford T. C. (2003). Early onset of alcohol use and health problems: spurious associations and prevention. Addiction 98:1483–1484

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Heath A. C. (1995). Genetic influences on drinking behavior in humans. In: Kissin H. B. B. (eds), The Genetics of Alcoholism. New York, Oxford University Press, pp. 82–121

    Google Scholar 

  • Heath A. C., Madden P. A. F. (1995). Genetic influences on smoking behavior. In: Turner J. T., Cardon L. R., Hewitt J. K. (eds), Behavior Genetic Approaches in Behavioral Medicine. New York, Plenum, pp. 45–66

    Google Scholar 

  • Hicks B. M., Krueger R. F., Iacono W. G., McGue M., Patrick C. J. (2004). Externalizing disorders account for the genetic and environmental overlap between nicotine dependence and major depression. Arch. Gener. Psychiatry 61:922–928

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hingson R., Heeren T., Winter M., Wechsler H. (2005). Magnitude of alcohol-related mortality and morbidity among US college students ages 18–24: changes from 1998 to 2001. Ann. Rev. Public Health 26:259–279

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Iacono W. G., Carlson S. R., Taylor J., Elkins I. J., McGue M. (1999). Behavioral disinhibition and the development of substance use disorders: findings from the Minnesota Twin Family Study. Dev. Psychopathol. 11:869–900

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jessor R., Jessor S. L. (1977). Problem Behavior and Psychosocial Development: A Longitudinal Study of Youth. New York, Academic Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnston, L. D., O’Malley, P. M., Bachman, J. G., and Schulenberg, J. E. (2004). Cigarette smoking among American teens continues to decline, but more slowly than in the past (Vol. Available: http://www.monitoringthefuture.org; accessed 08/19/2005). Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan News and Information Services

  • Kendler K. S., Heath A. C., Neale M. C., Kessler R. C., Eaves L. J. (1992). A population-based twin study of alcoholism in women. JAMA 268(14):1877–1882

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kendler K. S., Neale M. C., Sullivan P., Corey L. A., Gardner C. O., Prescott C. A. (1999). A population-based twin study in women of smoking initiation and nicotine dependence. Psychol. Med. 29(2):299–308

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kendler K. S., Prescott C. A. (1998). Cannabis use, abuse, and dependence in a population-based sample of female twins. Am. J. Psychiatry 155(8):1016–1022

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kendler K. S., Prescott C. A., Myers J., Neale M. C. (2003). The structure of genetic and environmental factors for common psychiatric and substance use disorders in men and women. Arch. Gener. Psychiatry 60:929–937

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kraemer H. C., Noda A., O’Hara R. (2004). Categorical versus dimensionla approaches to diagnosis: methodological challenges. J. Psychiat. Res. 38:17–25

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Krueger R. F., Hicks B. M., Patrick C. J., Carlson S. R., Iacono W. G., McGue M. (2002). Etiologic connections among substance dependence, antisocial behavior, and personality: modeling the externalizing spectrum. J. Abnorm. Psychol. 111(3):411–424

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Krueger R. F., Markon K. E., Patrick C. J., Iacono W. G. (2005). Externalizing psychopathology in adulthood: a dimensional-spectrum conceptualization and its implications for DSM-V. J. Abnorm. Psychol. 114(4):537–550

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lynskey M. T., Heath A. C., Nelson E. C., Bucholz K. K., Madden P. A. F., Slutske W. S. et al. (2002). Genetic and environmental contributions to cannabis dependence in a national young adult twin sample. Psycol. Med. 32:195–207

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • MacCallum R. C., Zhang S., Preacher K. J., Rucker D. D. (2002). On the practice of dichotomization of quantitative variables. Psychol. Methods 7(1):19–40

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McDonald R. P. (1989). An index of goodness-of-fit based on noncentrality. J. Classif. 6:97–103

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McGue M. (1999). Behavioral genetic models of alcoholism and drinking. In: Leonard K. E., Blane H. T. (eds), Psychological Theories of Drinking and Alcoholism. New York, Guilford Publications, pp. 372–421

    Google Scholar 

  • McGue M., Elkins I., Iacono W. G. (2000). Genetic and environmental influences on adolescent substance use and abuse. Am. J. Med. Genet. (Neuropsychiat. Genet.) 96:671–677

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McGue M., Iacono W. G. (2004). The initiation of substance use in adolescence: A behavioral genetic perspective. In: DiLalla L. F. (eds), Development, Personality, and Psychopathology. Washington, DC, American Psychological Association, pp. 41–57

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • McGue M., Iacono W. G. (2005). The association of early adolescent problem behavior with adult psychopathology. Am. J. Psychiatry 162(6):1118–1124

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McGue M., Iacono W. G., Legrand L. N., Elkins I. (2001a). The origins and consequences af age at first drink. I. Associations with substance-use disorders, disinhibitory behavior and psychopathology, and P3 amplitude. Alcoholism: Clin. Exp. Res. 25:1156–1165

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McGue M., Iacono W. G., Legrand L. N., Elkins I. (2001b). Origins and consequences of age at first drink. II. Familial risk and heritability. Alcoholism: Clin. Exp. Res. 25:1166–1173

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Neale M. C., Boker S. M., Xie G., Maes H. H. (1999). Mx: Statistical Modeling (5th ed). Richmond, Virginia, Department of Psychiatry, Medical College of Virginia

    Google Scholar 

  • Neale M. C., Cardon L. R. (1992). Methodology for Genetic Studies of Twins and Families. Dordrecht, The Netherlands, Kluwer

    Google Scholar 

  • Pitkänen T., Lyyra A. L., Pulkkinen L. (2005). Age of onset of drinking and the use of alcohol in adulthood: a follow-up study from age 8–42 for females and males. Addiction 100(5):652–661

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Prescott C. A., Kendler K. S. (1999). Age at first drink and risk for alcoholism: A noncausal association. Alcoholism: Clin. Exp. Res. 23:101–107

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Prescott C. A., Kendler K. S. (1999). Genetic and environmental contributions to alcohol abuse and dependence in a population-based sample of male twins. Am. J. Psychiatry 156(1):34–40

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Raghavan R., Bogart L. M., Elliott M. N., Vestal K. D., Schuster M. A. (2004). Sexual victimization among a national probability sample of adolescent women. Perspectives Sexual Reproductive Health 36(6):225–232

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rhee S. H., Waldman I. D. (2002). Genetic and environmental influences on antisocial behavior: a meta-analysis of twin and adoption studies. Psychol. Bull. 128:490–529

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Robins, L. M., Baber, T., and Cottler, L. B. (1987). Composite International Diagnostic Interview: Expanded Substance Abuse Module. St. Louis: Authors

  • Robins L. N., Wing J., Wittchen H. U., Helzer J. E., Babor T. F., Burke J. et al. (1988). The composite international diagnostic interview. Arch. Gener. Psychiatry 45:1069–1077

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rose R. J., Dick D. M., Viken R. J., Pulkkinen L., Kaprio J. (2001). Drinking or abstaining at age 14? A genetic epidemiological study. Alcoholism: Clin. Exp. Res. 25(11):1594–1604

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rutter M., Pickles A., Murray R., Eaves L. J. (2001). Testing hypotheses on specific causal effects on behavior. Psychol. Bull. 127:291–324

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Scarr S., McCartney K. (1983). How people make their own environments: a theory of genotype ⇒ environment effects. Child Dev. 54:424–435

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schafer J. L. (1997). Analysis of Incomplete Multivariate Data. London, Chapman and Hall

    Google Scholar 

  • Spear L. P. (2002). The adolescent brain and the college drinker: biological basis of propensity to use and misuse alcohol. J. Stud. Alcohol Suppl. 14:71–81

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Spitzer R. L., Williams J. B. W., Gibbon M. (1987). Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R. New York, Biometrics Research Department, New York State Psychiatric Institute

    Google Scholar 

  • Stewart S. H., Conrod P. J., Marlatt G. A., Comeau M. N., Thush C., Krank M. (2005). New developments in prevention and early intervention for alcohol abuse in youths. Alcoholism: Clin. Exp. Res. 29(2):278–286

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tsuang M. T., Lyons M. J., Eisen S. A., Goldberg J., True W., Lin N. et al. (1996). Genetic influences on DSM-III-R drug abuse and dependence: a study of 3,372 twin pairs. Am. J. Med. Genet. (Neuropsychiat. Genet.) 67(5):473–477

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • White A. M., Swartzwelder H. S. (2004). Hippocampal function during adolescence—A unique target of ethanol effects. Ann. NY Acad. Sci. 1021:206–220

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Young S. E., Stallings M. C., Corley R. P., Krauter K. S., Hewitt J. K. (2000). Genetic and environmental influences on behavioral disinhibition. Am. J. Med. Genet. (Neuropsychiat. Genet.) 96(5):684–695

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge the helpful comments by Richard Rose and an anonymous reviewer on an earlier version of this paper. Any errors that remain are of course our own. Supported in part by USPHS grants # AA09367, MH65137,and DA05147.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA

    Matt McGue, William G. Iacono & Robert Krueger

  2. Department of Epidemiology, Southern Denmark University, Odense, Denmark

    Matt McGue

  3. Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, 75 East River Rd., Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA

    Matt McGue

Authors
  1. Matt McGue
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. William G. Iacono
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Robert Krueger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Matt McGue.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

McGue, M., Iacono, W. & Krueger, R. The Association of Early Adolescent Problem Behavior and Adult Psychopathology: A Multivariate Behavioral Genetic Perspective. Behav Genet 36, 591–602 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10519-006-9061-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10519-006-9061-z

KEY WORDS:

Search

Navigation