Sensitivity to Peer Evaluation and Its Genetic and Environmental Determinants: Findings from a Population-Based Twin Study

• Published in: Child psychiatry and human development 2018-10, Vol.49 (5), p.766-778
• Main Authors: Klippel, Annelie, Reininghaus, Ulrich, Viechtbauer, Wolfgang, Decoster, Jeroen, Delespaul, Philippe, Derom, Cathérine, de Hert, Marc, Jacobs, Nele, Menne-Lothmann, Claudia, Rutten, Bart, Thiery, Evert, van Os, Jim, van Winkel, Ruud, Myin-Germeys, Inez, Wichers, Marieke
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescents; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Bullying; Bullying - prevention & control; Bullying - psychology; Child & adolescent psychiatry; Child and School Psychology; Child development; Environmental aspects; Environmental Exposure; Environmental factors; Environmental Influences; Evaluation; Female; Gene-Environment Interaction; Genes; Genetic factors; Genetics; Humans; Interpersonal Relations; Male; Original; Original Article; Peer Evaluation; Peer Group; Peer review; Population studies; Population-based studies; Psychiatry; Psychology; Risk Factors; Self Concept; Self evaluation; Sensitization; Social Class; Social Environment; Social interaction; Social interactions; Social status; Teenagers; Twin studies; Twins; Twins - genetics; Twins - psychology; Young Adult; Young adults
• ISSN: 0009-398X; 1573-3327
• DOI: 10.1007/s10578-018-0792-x

Adolescents and young adults are highly focused on peer evaluation, but little is known about sources of their differential sensitivity. We examined to what extent sensitivity to peer evaluation is influenced by interacting environmental and genetic factors. A sample of 354 healthy adolescent twin pairs (n = 708) took part in a structured, laboratory task in which they were exposed to peer evaluation. The proportion of the variance in sensitivity to peer evaluation due to genetic and environmental factors was estimated, as was the association with specific a priori environmental risk factors. Differences in sensitivity to peer evaluation between adolescents were explained mainly by non-shared environmental influences. The results on shared environmental influences were not conclusive. No impact of latent genetic factors or gene-environment interactions was found. Adolescents with lower self-rated positions on the social ladder or who reported to have been bullied more severely showed significantly stronger responses to peer evaluation. Not genes, but subjective social status and past experience of being bullied seem to impact sensitivity to peer evaluation. This suggests that altered response to peer evaluation is the outcome of cumulative sensitization to social interactions.