Abstract
Behavioral genetic research has consistently revealed that genetic factors explain a significant proportion of variance in antisocial phenotypes. Despite some initial evidence, the extent to which genetic factors influence adolescent victimization remains largely undetermined. The current study partially addresses this gap in the literature by employing an adoption-based research design to estimate genetic influences on victimization. Participants consisted of adoptees drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Multivariate analyses revealed that adoptees who had a biological criminal father or a biological criminal mother were at increased risk for being victimized in adolescence and also to be victimized repeatedly. This is the first study to use an adoption-based research design to show an association between genetic factors and the risk for adolescent victimization.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 148-163 |
Number of pages | 16 |
Journal | Victims and Offenders |
Volume | 8 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2013 Apr |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:Abstract: Behavioral genetic research has consistently revealed that genetic factors explain a significant proportion of variance in antisocial phenotypes. Despite some initial evidence, the extent to which genetic factors influence adolescent victimization remains largely undetermined. The current study partially addresses this gap in the This research uses data from Add Health, a program project designed by J. Richard Udry, Peter S. Bearman, and Kathleen Mullan Harris, and funded by a grant P01-HD31921 from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, with cooperative funding from 17 other agencies. Special acknowledgment is due to Ronald R. Rindfuss and Barbara Entwisle for assistance in the original design. Persons interested in obtaining data files from Add Health should contact Add Health, Carolina Population Center, 123 West Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27516 (addhealth@unc.edu). No direct support was received from grant P01–HD31921 for this analysis.
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Pathology and Forensic Medicine
- Health(social science)
- Applied Psychology
- Law