Environment-genetics combination appears linked to children’s early antisocial behavior

Both nature and nurture appear to be significant factors in early antisocial behaviors of adopted children, a Wayne State University researcher believes.

In “Examining the Interplay of Birth Mothers’ and Adoptive Parents’ Antisocial Behavior in Predicting Growth in Externalizing Problems During Early Childhood,” adoptive parents’ antisocial behavior played an important role in the development of children’s externalizing problems.

That finding may not come as a surprise to researchers who have studied environmental precursors to such behavior. However, Trentacosta said a great deal of other research that examined sets of twins holds that genetic factors play a role as well.

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