Poster #16 - Genetic and environmental influences on child maltreatment – from a child and parent perspective

• In Event: 3-003 - Poster Session 09
  In Poster Session: PS 09 Section - Biological Processes: Neuroscience and Genetics

Integrative Statement

Background: Current interventions are not successful in preventing child maltreatment and may benefit from a better understanding of the etiology of child maltreatment. Various cumulative risk factors have been associated with child maltreatment but most research has not distinguished whether these factors are genetic or environmental. Therefore, little is known about the extent to which genetic and environmental factors contribute to individual differences in child maltreatment. Genetic and environmental factors may play a role at the child level – by affecting the risk of experiencing maltreatment (Figure 1A) – and also at the parent level – by affecting the risk of perpetrating maltreatment (Figure 1B). Genetic and environmental influences would be in line with the intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment. Some evidence from twin studies suggests that both genetic and environmental factors may affect the risk of experiencing maltreatment (i.e. child level) but results are mixed (Fisher et al., 2015; Jaffee et al., 2004; Schulz-Heik et al., 2009). Furthermore, evidence from a parent-based twin study suggests that perpetrating physical discipline may in part be heritable (Wade & Kendler, 2000), but to date no study has examined the effects of parent-driven genetic and environmental factors on perpetrating maltreatment. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to estimate the relative contributions of heritability and environment on both experienced and perpetrated maltreatment.
Method: The present study used a cross-sectional extended family design. The sample consisted of 395 individuals (225 women; Mage = 38.85 years, rangeage = 7 to 88 years) from 63 extended families (including for instance grandparents, cousins, nephews, and nieces) participating in a three-generation study. Experienced and perpetrated child maltreatment (emotional and physical abuse and neglect) were assessed using self-report questionnaires (Conflict Tactics Scales and Child Trauma Questionnaire). All heritability analyses were performed with SOLAR (Almasy & Blangero, 1998).
Results: For experienced maltreatment (child level), all maltreatment phenotypes were partly heritable with estimates ranging from 0.25 (SE = 0.14) for physical abuse to 0.47 (SE = 0.12) for emotional abuse. For perpetrated maltreatment (parent level), only emotional abuse seemed heritable with an estimate of .33 (SE = .08). Common environmental effects (c2) explained a significant proportion of variance for all phenotypes except for perpetrated emotional abuse (Table 1). For experienced maltreatment, additional analyses were conducted to explore the co-occurrence of experienced abuse and neglect and the effects of SES on genetic and environmental effects. These analyses showed that the co-occurrence of abuse and neglect can in part be attributed to genetic factors demonstrated by a genetic correlation between abuse and neglect (ρg=.73 (p=.02)). Lastly, genetic effects did not vary across different levels of SES, but common environmental effects on experienced child maltreatment were greater at lower SES levels.
Conclusion: The present study shows that both genetic and environmental factors are involved in experiencing maltreatment. For perpetrating maltreatment, individual differences in emotional abuse were explained by heritability and unique environment whereas differences in physical abuse and emotional neglect were explained by common and unique environment.

Authors

• Katharina Pittner, Forensic Family and Youth Care Studies, Leiden University
  Presenting Author

• Marian J Bakermans-Kranenburg, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
  Non-Presenting Author

• Lenneke Alink, Leiden University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Renate Buisman, Forensic Family and Youth Care Studies, Leiden University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Lisa van den Berg, Clinical Psychology, Leiden University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Laura Compier-de Block, Forensic Family and Youth Care Studies, Leiden University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Bernet Elzinga, Clinical Psychology, Leiden University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Jolanda Lindenberg, Leyden Academy on Vitality and Ageing
  Non-Presenting Author

• Marieke Tollenaar, Clinical Psychology, Leiden University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Vincent P Diego, South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville
  Non-Presenting Author

• Marinus H van IJzendoorn, Erasmus University Rotterdam
  Non-Presenting Author