Early Adverse Environments and Genetic Influences on Age at First Sex: Evidence for Gene × Environment Interaction

Autor/inn/en	Carlson, Marie D.; Mendle, Jane; Harden, K. Paige
Titel	Early Adverse Environments and Genetic Influences on Age at First Sex: Evidence for Gene × Environment Interaction
Quelle	In: Developmental Psychology, 50 (2014) 5, S.1532-1542 (11 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0012-1649
DOI	10.1037/a0035479
Schlagwörter	Sexuality; Age Differences; Environmental Influences; Twins; Siblings; Longitudinal Studies; Interaction; Genetics; Low Income Groups; Socioeconomic Influences; Minority Groups; Comparative Analysis; Parent Influence; Fathers; Family Structure; Questionnaires; Racial Differences; Gender Differences; Coding; Structural Equation Models; National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Sexualität; Age; Difference; Age difference; Altersunterschied; Environmental influence; Umwelteinfluss; Twin; Zwilling; Sibling; Geschwister; Longitudinal study; Longitudinal method; Longitudinal methods; Längsschnittuntersuchung; Interaktion; Humangenetik; Sozioökonomischer Faktor; Ethnische Minderheit; Familienkonstellation; Familiensystem; Fragebogen; Rassenunterschied; Geschlechterkonflikt; Codierung; Programmierung
Abstract	Youth who experience adverse environments in early life initiate sexual activity at a younger age, on average, than those from more advantaged circumstances. Evolutionary theorists have posited that ecological stress precipitates earlier reproductive and sexual onset, but it is unclear how stressful environments interact with genetic influences on age at first sex. Using a sample of 1,244 pairs of twins and non-twin full siblings from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, the present study tested for gene-by-environment interactions (G × E) on age at first sex (AFS). Multivariate interaction models indicated that genetic influences on AFS were suppressed among low-socioeconomic-status (SES) and ethnic-minority compared with higher SES and ethnic-majority youth. Father absence did not uniquely moderate genetic influences on AFS. These results are broadly consistent with previous findings that genetic influences are minimized among individuals whose environments are characterized by elevated risk; however, future research would benefit from samples with larger numbers of individuals at the very low end of the SES spectrum. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01