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Longitudinal study of interpersonal dependency in female twins

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

F. Anthony O'Neill  and
Kenneth S. Kendler
F. Anthony O'Neill*
Affiliation:
Mater Hospital Trust, Alexandra Gardens Day Hospital, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Kenneth S. Kendler
Affiliation:
Psychiatric Genetics Research Program, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, VA
*
Dr F. A. O'Neill. MD, Mater Hospital Trust. Alexandra Gardens Day Hospital. 21–23 Alexandra Gardens. Belfast, Northern Ireland
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Abstract

Background

Interpersonal dependence is thought to be important in a number of physical and psychological disorders. There are several developmental theories that suggest environmental influences in childhood are important.

Method

A twin study methodology was used to look at the genetic and environmental influences on interpersonal dependence as measured by a sub-scale of the Interpersonal Dependency Inventory with a population-based sample of 2230 twins.

Results

Psychometric analysis revealed that this was a stable measure and that there was a substantial degree of construct validity Both univariate and longitudinal twin analysis suggested that there was a modest genetic influence and a large, specific environment influence on interpersonal dependency as measured by this scale. The longitudinal analysis revealed that the genetic influence was stable over the time-scale sampled and the environmental influence was moderately stable.

Conclusions

This finding is at odds with theories that suggest shared environment is important in the aetiology of interpersonal dependency.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 172 , Issue 2 , February 1998 , pp. 154 - 158
Copyright
Copyright © 1998 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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Footnotes

1.

The question ‘I feel that I never really get what I need from people’ was not included in the initial IDI but was used in later versions.

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