Different heritabilities but shared etiological influences for parent, teacher and self-ratings of ADHD symptoms: an adolescent twin study

A. Merwood; C. U. Greven; T. S. Price; F. Rijsdijk; J. Kuntsi; G. McLoughlin; H. Larsson; P. J. Asherson

doi:10.1017/S0033291712002978

Different heritabilities but shared etiological influences for parent, teacher and self-ratings of ADHD symptoms: an adolescent twin study

A. Merwood^*, C. U. Greven, T. S. Price, F. Rijsdijk, J. Kuntsi, G. McLoughlin, H. Larsson, P. J. Asherson

^*Corresponding author for this work

Karolinska Institute

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

43 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background. Parent and teacher ratings of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms yield high estimates of heritability whereas self-ratings typically yield lower estimates. To understand why, the present study examined the etiological overlap between parent, teacher and self-ratings of ADHD symptoms in a population-based sample of 11-12-year-old twins.

Method. Participants were from the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS). ADHD symptoms were assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) hyperactivity scale completed by parents, teachers and children. Structural equation modeling was used to examine genetic and environmental contributions to phenotypic variance/covariance.

Results. The broad-sense heritability of ADHD symptoms was 82% for parent ratings, 60% for teacher ratings and 48% for self-ratings. Post-hoc analyses revealed significantly higher heritability for same-teacher than different-teacher ratings of ADHD (76% v. 49%). A common pathway model best explained the relationship between different informant ratings, with common genetic influences accounting for 84% of the covariance between parent, teacher and self-rated ADHD symptoms. The remaining variance was explained by rater-specific genetic and non-shared environmental influences.

Conclusions. Despite different heritabilities, there were shared genetic influences for parent, teacher and self-ratings of ADHD symptoms, indicating that different informants rated some of the same aspects of behavior. The low heritability estimated for self-ratings and different-teacher ratings may reflect increased measurement error when different informants rate each twin from a pair, and/or greater non-shared environmental influences. Future studies into the genetic influences on ADHD should incorporate informant data in addition to self-ratings to capture a pervasive, heritable component of ADHD symptomatology.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1973-1984
Number of pages	12
Journal	Psychological Medicine
Volume	43
Issue number	9
Early online date	9 Jan 2013
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291712002978
Publication status	Published - Sept 2013

Keywords

ADHD
etiology
genetics
rater effects
twin study
DEFICIT-HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTRIBUTIONS
DIFFICULTIES QUESTIONNAIRE
SIBLING INTERACTION
ATTENTION PROBLEMS
BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS
CHILDHOOD
METAANALYSIS
ASSOCIATION
STRENGTHS

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10.1017/S0033291712002978

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@article{669aca7619774d3dbd9452aff796bb3d,

title = "Different heritabilities but shared etiological influences for parent, teacher and self-ratings of ADHD symptoms: an adolescent twin study",

abstract = "Background. Parent and teacher ratings of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms yield high estimates of heritability whereas self-ratings typically yield lower estimates. To understand why, the present study examined the etiological overlap between parent, teacher and self-ratings of ADHD symptoms in a population-based sample of 11-12-year-old twins.Method. Participants were from the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS). ADHD symptoms were assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) hyperactivity scale completed by parents, teachers and children. Structural equation modeling was used to examine genetic and environmental contributions to phenotypic variance/covariance.Results. The broad-sense heritability of ADHD symptoms was 82% for parent ratings, 60% for teacher ratings and 48% for self-ratings. Post-hoc analyses revealed significantly higher heritability for same-teacher than different-teacher ratings of ADHD (76% v. 49%). A common pathway model best explained the relationship between different informant ratings, with common genetic influences accounting for 84% of the covariance between parent, teacher and self-rated ADHD symptoms. The remaining variance was explained by rater-specific genetic and non-shared environmental influences.Conclusions. Despite different heritabilities, there were shared genetic influences for parent, teacher and self-ratings of ADHD symptoms, indicating that different informants rated some of the same aspects of behavior. The low heritability estimated for self-ratings and different-teacher ratings may reflect increased measurement error when different informants rate each twin from a pair, and/or greater non-shared environmental influences. Future studies into the genetic influences on ADHD should incorporate informant data in addition to self-ratings to capture a pervasive, heritable component of ADHD symptomatology.",

keywords = "ADHD, etiology, genetics, rater effects, twin study, DEFICIT-HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER, ENVIRONMENTAL CONTRIBUTIONS, DIFFICULTIES QUESTIONNAIRE, SIBLING INTERACTION, ATTENTION PROBLEMS, BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS, CHILDHOOD, METAANALYSIS, ASSOCIATION, STRENGTHS",

author = "A. Merwood and Greven, {C. U.} and Price, {T. S.} and F. Rijsdijk and J. Kuntsi and G. McLoughlin and H. Larsson and Asherson, {P. J.}",

year = "2013",

month = sep,

doi = "10.1017/S0033291712002978",

language = "English",

volume = "43",

pages = "1973--1984",

journal = "Psychological Medicine",

issn = "0033-2917",

publisher = "Cambridge University Press",

number = "9",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Different heritabilities but shared etiological influences for parent, teacher and self-ratings of ADHD symptoms: an adolescent twin study

AU - Merwood, A.

AU - Greven, C. U.

AU - Price, T. S.

AU - Rijsdijk, F.

AU - Kuntsi, J.

AU - McLoughlin, G.

AU - Larsson, H.

AU - Asherson, P. J.

PY - 2013/9

Y1 - 2013/9

N2 - Background. Parent and teacher ratings of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms yield high estimates of heritability whereas self-ratings typically yield lower estimates. To understand why, the present study examined the etiological overlap between parent, teacher and self-ratings of ADHD symptoms in a population-based sample of 11-12-year-old twins.Method. Participants were from the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS). ADHD symptoms were assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) hyperactivity scale completed by parents, teachers and children. Structural equation modeling was used to examine genetic and environmental contributions to phenotypic variance/covariance.Results. The broad-sense heritability of ADHD symptoms was 82% for parent ratings, 60% for teacher ratings and 48% for self-ratings. Post-hoc analyses revealed significantly higher heritability for same-teacher than different-teacher ratings of ADHD (76% v. 49%). A common pathway model best explained the relationship between different informant ratings, with common genetic influences accounting for 84% of the covariance between parent, teacher and self-rated ADHD symptoms. The remaining variance was explained by rater-specific genetic and non-shared environmental influences.Conclusions. Despite different heritabilities, there were shared genetic influences for parent, teacher and self-ratings of ADHD symptoms, indicating that different informants rated some of the same aspects of behavior. The low heritability estimated for self-ratings and different-teacher ratings may reflect increased measurement error when different informants rate each twin from a pair, and/or greater non-shared environmental influences. Future studies into the genetic influences on ADHD should incorporate informant data in addition to self-ratings to capture a pervasive, heritable component of ADHD symptomatology.

AB - Background. Parent and teacher ratings of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms yield high estimates of heritability whereas self-ratings typically yield lower estimates. To understand why, the present study examined the etiological overlap between parent, teacher and self-ratings of ADHD symptoms in a population-based sample of 11-12-year-old twins.Method. Participants were from the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS). ADHD symptoms were assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) hyperactivity scale completed by parents, teachers and children. Structural equation modeling was used to examine genetic and environmental contributions to phenotypic variance/covariance.Results. The broad-sense heritability of ADHD symptoms was 82% for parent ratings, 60% for teacher ratings and 48% for self-ratings. Post-hoc analyses revealed significantly higher heritability for same-teacher than different-teacher ratings of ADHD (76% v. 49%). A common pathway model best explained the relationship between different informant ratings, with common genetic influences accounting for 84% of the covariance between parent, teacher and self-rated ADHD symptoms. The remaining variance was explained by rater-specific genetic and non-shared environmental influences.Conclusions. Despite different heritabilities, there were shared genetic influences for parent, teacher and self-ratings of ADHD symptoms, indicating that different informants rated some of the same aspects of behavior. The low heritability estimated for self-ratings and different-teacher ratings may reflect increased measurement error when different informants rate each twin from a pair, and/or greater non-shared environmental influences. Future studies into the genetic influences on ADHD should incorporate informant data in addition to self-ratings to capture a pervasive, heritable component of ADHD symptomatology.

KW - ADHD

KW - etiology

KW - genetics

KW - rater effects

KW - twin study

KW - DEFICIT-HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER

KW - ENVIRONMENTAL CONTRIBUTIONS

KW - DIFFICULTIES QUESTIONNAIRE

KW - SIBLING INTERACTION

KW - ATTENTION PROBLEMS

KW - BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS

KW - CHILDHOOD

KW - METAANALYSIS

KW - ASSOCIATION

KW - STRENGTHS

U2 - 10.1017/S0033291712002978

DO - 10.1017/S0033291712002978

M3 - Article

C2 - 23298428

SN - 0033-2917

VL - 43

SP - 1973

EP - 1984

JO - Psychological Medicine

JF - Psychological Medicine

IS - 9

ER -

Different heritabilities but shared etiological influences for parent, teacher and self-ratings of ADHD symptoms: an adolescent twin study

Abstract

Keywords

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