Offers a view of the heritability of distinct aspects of
personality pathology from a study of 175 pairs of twins by W. John
Livesley (University of British Columbia). Reported in 'American Journal
of Psychiatry' (Vol. 150, No. 12); List of genetic and environmental
influences on personality disorders.
By
PT Staff, published on May 01, 1994
PERSONALITY DISORDERS
Evidence is accumulating that biological factors influence the
development of the maladaptive behavioral patterns that constitute
personality disorders. From a study of 175 pairs of twins, led by
psychiatrist W. John Livesley, M.D., of the University of British
Columbia, now comes a clear picture of the heritability of distinct
aspects of personality pathology. Several different genetic factors seem
to be at play, Livesley reports in the American Journal of Psychiatry
(Vol. 150,No. 12). Although most personality disorders have a hefty
genetic component, specific environmental factors also have a substantial
effect. Genetic vulnerability, it appears, influences the responses we
make to adverse environmental circumstances.
Genetic and Environmental Influence on Personality Disorder
Personality Dimension Influence, in %
Addictive
Genetic Genetic Common Individual
Factors Dominance Environment Environment
Affective lability 1 48 0 51
Anxiousness 49 0 6 45
Callousness 56 0 0 44
Cognitive distortion 41 0 14 45
Compulsivity 39 0 3 58
Conduct problem 0 0 53 47
Identity problems 40 19 0 41
Insecure attachment 35 0 13 52
Intimacy problems 0 38 0 62
Narcissism 0 64 0 36
Oppositionality 52 3 0 45
Rejection 45 0 0 55
Restricted Expression 47 0 0 53
Self-harm 14 15 0 71
Social avoidance 47 10 0 43
Stimulus seeking 50 0 9 41
Submissiveness 25 0 28 47
Suspiciousness 48 0 0 52
ILLUSTRATION
Tags:
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university of british columbia,
w john livesley
