Exploring the Genetic Origins of Adolescent Victimization in a Longitudinal Sample of Adoptees

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.