Genetic influence on family socioeconomic status and children's intelligence

TY - JOUR

T1 - Genetic influence on family socioeconomic status and children's intelligence

AU - Trzaskowski, Maciej

AU - Harlaar, Nicole

AU - Arden, Rosalind

AU - Krapohl, Eva

AU - Rimfeld, Kaili

AU - Mcmillan, Andrew

AU - Dale, Philip S.

AU - Plomin, Robert

PY - 2014/1/1

Y1 - 2014/1/1

N2 - Environmental measures used widely in the behavioral sciences show nearly as much genetic influence as behavioral measures, a critical finding for interpreting associations between environmental factors and children's development. This research depends on the twin method that compares monozygotic and dizygotic twins, but key aspects of children's environment such as socioeconomic status (SES) cannot be investigated in twin studies because they are the same for children growing up together in a family. Here, using a new technique applied to DNA from 3000 unrelated children, we show significant genetic influence on family SES, and on its association with children's IQ at ages 7 and 12. In addition to demonstrating the ability to investigate genetic influence on between-family environmental measures, our results emphasize the need to consider genetics in research and policy on family SES and its association with children's IQ.

AB - Environmental measures used widely in the behavioral sciences show nearly as much genetic influence as behavioral measures, a critical finding for interpreting associations between environmental factors and children's development. This research depends on the twin method that compares monozygotic and dizygotic twins, but key aspects of children's environment such as socioeconomic status (SES) cannot be investigated in twin studies because they are the same for children growing up together in a family. Here, using a new technique applied to DNA from 3000 unrelated children, we show significant genetic influence on family SES, and on its association with children's IQ at ages 7 and 12. In addition to demonstrating the ability to investigate genetic influence on between-family environmental measures, our results emphasize the need to consider genetics in research and policy on family SES and its association with children's IQ.

KW - SES

KW - Socioeconomic status

KW - Intelligence

KW - Cognitive abilities

KW - GCTA

U2 - 10.1016/j.intell.2013.11.002

DO - 10.1016/j.intell.2013.11.002

M3 - Article

SN - 0160-2896

VL - 42

SP - 83

EP - 88

JO - Intelligence

JF - Intelligence

ER -