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European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Published in: European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 11/2015

Open Access 01-11-2015 | Original Contribution

Causes of individual differences in adolescent optimism: a study in Dutch twins and their siblings

Authors: Rezan Nehir Mavioğlu, Dorret I. Boomsma, Meike Bartels

Published in: European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry | Issue 11/2015

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the degree to which genetic and environmental influences affect variation in adolescent optimism. Optimism (3 items and 6 items approach) and pessimism were assessed by the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R) in 5,187 adolescent twins and 999 of their non-twin siblings from the Netherlands Twin Register (NTR). Males reported significantly higher optimism scores than females, while females score higher on pessimism. Genetic structural equation modeling revealed that about one-third of the variance in optimism and pessimism was due to additive genetic effects, with the remaining variance being explained by non-shared environmental effects. A bivariate correlated factor model revealed two dimensions with a genetic correlation of −.57 (CI −.67, −.47), while the non-shared environmental correlation was estimated to be −.21 (CI −.25, −.16). Neither an effect of shared environment, non-additive genetic influences, nor quantitative sex differences was found for both dimensions. This result indicates that individual differences in adolescent optimism are mainly accounted for by non-shared environmental factors. These environmental factors do not contribute to the similarity of family members, but to differences between them. Familial resemblance in optimism and pessimism assessed in adolescents is fully accounted for by genetic overlap between family members.
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Metadata
Title
Causes of individual differences in adolescent optimism: a study in Dutch twins and their siblings
Authors
Rezan Nehir Mavioğlu
Dorret I. Boomsma
Meike Bartels
Publication date
01-11-2015
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry / Issue 11/2015
Print ISSN: 1018-8827
Electronic ISSN: 1435-165X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-015-0680-x

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