A behavior genetic investigation of adolescent motherhood and offspring mental health problems

K P Harden; S K Lynch; E Turkheimer; R E Emery; B M D'Onofrio; W S Slutske; Mary Waldron; A C Heath; Dixie J Statham; N G Martin

doi:10.1037/0021-843X.116.4.667

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A behavior genetic investigation of adolescent motherhood and offspring mental health problems

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

A behavior genetic investigation of adolescent motherhood and offspring mental health problems

K P Harden, S K Lynch, E Turkheimer, R E Emery, B M D'Onofrio, W S Slutske, Mary Waldron, A C Heath, Dixie J Statham and N G Martin

Journal of Abnormal Psychology, Vol.116(4), pp.667-683

2007

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-843X.116.4.667

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Abstract

Psychology

adolescent motherhood

children-of-twins

teenage pregnancy

internalizing

externalizing

The present study examines the relations between adolescent motherhood and children's behavior, substance use, and internalizing problems in a sample of 1,368 children of 712 female twins from Australia. Adolescent motherhood remained significantly associated with all mental health problems, even when using a quasiexperimental design capable of controlling for genetic and environmental confounds. However, the relation between adolescent motherhood and offspring behavior problems and substance use was partially confounded by family background variables that influence both generations. The results are consistent with a causal relation between adolescent motherhood and offspring mental health problems, and they highlight the usefulness of behavior genetic designs when examining putative environmental risks for the development of psychopathology. The generalizability of these results to the United States, which has a higher adolescent birth rate, is discussed.

Details

Title: A behavior genetic investigation of adolescent motherhood and offspring mental health problems
Authors: K P Harden (Author) - University of Virginia, United States
S K Lynch (Author) - University of Virginia, United States
E Turkheimer (Author) - University of Virginia, United States
R E Emery (Author) - University of Virginia, United States
B M D'Onofrio (Author) - University of Virginia, United States
W S Slutske (Author) - University of Missouri, United States
Mary Waldron (Author) - Queensland Institute of Medical Research
A C Heath (Author) - Washington University, United States
Dixie J Statham (Author) - Queensland Institute of Medical Research
N G Martin (Author) - Queensland Institute of Medical Research
Publication details: Journal of Abnormal Psychology, Vol.116(4), pp.667-683
Publisher: American Physiological Association
Date published: 2007
DOI: 10.1037/0021-843X.116.4.667
ISSN: 0021-843X
Copyright note: Copyright © 2007 The Authors. The author's accepted version is reproduced here in accordance with the publisher's copyright policy. The definitive version is available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0021-843X.116.4.667
Organisation Unit: School of Social Sciences - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99450259602621
Output Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Psychiatry; Psychology, Clinical; Psychology, Multidisciplinary

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