Family Matters: Happiness in Nuclear Families and Twins

Biometric studies have shown that happiness is strongly affected by genes. The findings are mainly based on twin data, however, and the full validity of the results has been debated. To overcome some limitations in classical twin research, we examined aetiological sources of subjective well-being (S...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Behavior genetics 2010-09, Vol.40 (5), p.577-590
Main Authors: Nes, Ragnhild Bang, Czajkowski, N., Tambs, K.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Behavioral Science and Psychology
Biometrics
Biometry
Clinical Psychology
Data Interpretation, Statistical
Environment
Female
Happiness
Health Psychology
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Mental depression
Models, Statistical
Norway
Nuclear family
Nuclear Family - psychology
Original Research
Psychology
Public Health
Quality of life
Quantitative genetics
Sex Factors
Siblings
Surveys and Questionnaires
Twin studies
Twins
Twins, Dizygotic - genetics
Twins, Dizygotic - psychology
Twins, Monozygotic - genetics
Twins, Monozygotic - psychology
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Summary:Biometric studies have shown that happiness is strongly affected by genes. The findings are mainly based on twin data, however, and the full validity of the results has been debated. To overcome some limitations in classical twin research, we examined aetiological sources of subjective well-being (SWB), using two independent population-based samples, one including nuclear families ( N  = 54,540) and one including twins ( N  = 6,620). Biometric modelling using R was conducted to test for a data structure implying either non-additive genetic effects or higher environmental co-twin correlation in MZ than DZ pairs (violation of the EEA). We also estimated non-random mating, cultural transmission and shared environments specific for regular siblings and twins. Two sets of nested models were fitted and compared. The best explanatory model shows that family matters for happiness predominantly due to quantitative sex-specific genetic effects, a moderate spousal correlation and a shared twin environment. Upper limits for broad-sense heritability were estimated to be 0.33 (females) and 0.36 (males). Our study constitutes the most elaborate biometric study of SWB to date and illustrates the utility of including responses from multiple types of relatives in quantitative genetic analyses.
ISSN:0001-8244
1573-3297
DOI:10.1007/s10519-010-9365-x