How Heritable are Parental Sensitivity and Limit-Setting? A Longitudinal Child-Based Twin Study on Observed Parenting

Child Development, vol. 91, pp. 2255–2269

Abstract

Abstract We examined the relative contribution of genetic, shared environmental and non-shared environmental factors to the covariance between parental sensitivity and limit-setting observed twice in a longitudinal study using a child-based twin design. Parental sensitivity and parental limit-setting were observed in 236 parents with each of their same-sex toddler twin children (Mage = 3.8 years; 58% monozygotic). Bivariate behavioral genetic models indicated substantial effects of similar shared environmental factors on parental sensitivity and limit-setting and on the overlap within sensitivity and limit-setting across 1 year. Moderate child-driven genetic effects were found for parental limit-setting in year 1 and across 1 year. Genetic child factors contributing to explaining the variance in limit-setting over time were the same, whereas shared environmental factors showed some overlap.

Authors 8

1. Saskia Euser corresponding Aachen

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University , Leiden ,

   Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

2. Jizzo R. Bosdriesz Aachen

   Leiden University · Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University , Leiden ,

   VU University Amsterdam , Amsterdam ,

   Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

   VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

3. Claudia I. Vrijhof Aachen

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University , Leiden ,

   Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

4. Bianca G. van den Bulk Aachen

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University , Leiden ,

   Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

5. Debby van Hees Aachen

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University , Leiden ,

   Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

6. Sanne M. de Vet Aachen

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University , Leiden ,

   Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

7. Marinus H. van IJzendoorn Aachen

   Leiden University · University of Cambridge · Erasmus University Rotterdam

   Affiliation as printed

   Erasmus University Rotterdam , Rotterdam ,

   Leiden University , Leiden ,

   University of Cambridge , Cambridge ,

   Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

   Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

   University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

8. Marian J. Bakermans‐Kranenburg Aachen

   Leiden University · Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University , Leiden ,

   VU University Amsterdam , Amsterdam ,

   Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

   VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands