Understanding the genetic and environmental specificity and overlap between well-being and internalizing symptoms in adolescence.

ABSTRACT: Moderate inverse correlations are typically found between well-being and mental illness. We aimed to investigate the role of genes and environments in explaining the relationships between two aspects of well-being and two measures of internalizing symptoms. Altogether, 4700 pairs of 16-year-old twins contributed data on subjective happiness and life satisfaction, as well as symptoms of depression and emotional problems. Well-being was moderately correlated with internalizing symptoms (range = -0.45, -0.58). Multivariate twin model-fitting indicated both genetic and environmental overlap. Life satisfaction and happiness demonstrated different patterns of overlap, with stronger genetic links between life satisfaction and depression. Non-shared environmental influences were largely specific t

SUBMITTER: Haworth CM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5347864 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature