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Role of Genes in Tobacco Smoking During Adolescence and Young Adulthood: A Multivariate Behaviour Genetic Investigation

NCJ Number
201738
Journal
Addiction Volume: 98 Issue: 8 Dated: August 2003 Pages: 1087-1100
Author(s)
Victoria M White; John L. Hopper; Alexander J. Wearing; David J. Hill
Date Published
August 2003
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This article examines genetic and environmental influences on variation in smoking involvement by incorporating a psychosocial model of tobacco smoking into a behavior genetic design.
Abstract
Twins initially aged between 13 and 18 years and registered with the Australian Twin Registry were surveyed three times between 1988 and 1996 on their smoking status and the use of tobacco by parents and friends, as they perceived it. A total of 414 pairs of identical and same-sex fraternal twin pairs participated in all 3 surveys, aged between 20 and 25 at wave 3. Biometric modeling estimated the influence of genetic and environmental factors in determining variation in smoking at each wave, both before and after adjusting for perceived smoking behaviors of peers and parents. The findings of all three surveys indicated that current smokers were more likely to have parents that smoked and to have smokers among their peers. Genes and environmental factors, both common and unique, contributed to variation in smoking behaviors. After controlling for the smoking behaviors of peers and parents, the role of genes in determining variation in smoking involvement was reduced by 100 percent at wave 1 and by 30 percent at wave 2. Friends’ smoking reduced the magnitude of the common environment variance by 11 percent, 30 percent, and 40 percent at waves 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Biometric modeling of the covariation between smoking involvement and peer smoking suggested that genes might influence smoking involvement at wave 1 by influencing choice of peers. It is concluded that environmental factors play the greatest role in determining variation in tobacco smoking among adolescents and young adults. Genes seem to have a direct influence on variations in the smoking behaviors of young adults. 6 tables, 52 references

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