TY - JOUR
T1 - Out of Control
T2 - Examining the Association Between Family Conflict and Self-Control in Adolescence in a Genetically Sensitive Design
AU - Willems, Yayouk E.
AU - de Zeeuw, Eveline L.
AU - van Beijsterveldt, Catharina E.M.
AU - Boomsma, Dorret I.
AU - Bartels, Meike
AU - Finkenauer, Catrin
PY - 2020/2
Y1 - 2020/2
N2 - OBJECTIVE: Family conflict is associated with low self-control in adolescence. Thus far research about the direction of this association is inconclusive. In this study, we sort out whether this association reflects a causal effect or whether it is explained by a common underlying cause, including genetic factors.METHOD: In twin data, we fitted a series of causal models, and compared models for the association of family conflict and self-control including reciprocal causation, unidirectional causation from family conflict to low self-control, unidirectional causation from low self-control to family conflict, and common genetic susceptibility. We included data of a large sample of twins aged 14 (N=9,173), all enrolled in the Netherlands Twin Register.RESULTS: The results suggested a unidirectional pathway model where family conflict leads to low self-control in adolescence, with genetic factors also playing a role in explaining the association.CONCLUSION: Adolescents experiencing family conflict are at risk to show hampered self-control capacities, with family conflict being a robust predictor of low self-control through common genetic factors but also through direct causal influences.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Family conflict is associated with low self-control in adolescence. Thus far research about the direction of this association is inconclusive. In this study, we sort out whether this association reflects a causal effect or whether it is explained by a common underlying cause, including genetic factors.METHOD: In twin data, we fitted a series of causal models, and compared models for the association of family conflict and self-control including reciprocal causation, unidirectional causation from family conflict to low self-control, unidirectional causation from low self-control to family conflict, and common genetic susceptibility. We included data of a large sample of twins aged 14 (N=9,173), all enrolled in the Netherlands Twin Register.RESULTS: The results suggested a unidirectional pathway model where family conflict leads to low self-control in adolescence, with genetic factors also playing a role in explaining the association.CONCLUSION: Adolescents experiencing family conflict are at risk to show hampered self-control capacities, with family conflict being a robust predictor of low self-control through common genetic factors but also through direct causal influences.
KW - environment
KW - family conflict
KW - genetics
KW - self-control
KW - twins
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jaac.2019.02.017
DO - 10.1016/j.jaac.2019.02.017
M3 - Article
C2 - 30877048
VL - 59
SP - 254
EP - 262
JO - Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
JF - Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
SN - 0890-8567
IS - 2
ER -