分离遗传与环境对儿童发展的影响:介绍一个新颖的研究方法(英文)

Disentangling Genetic and Environmental Influences on Children’s Development: Introducing A Novel Methodology

本文介绍一个可以用于研究遗传与环境互动的新颖方法。此研究收集了上千个4～10岁儿童的数据。这些儿童的出生都借助于不同的辅助受孕技术（Assisted Reproductive Technologies），包括试管婴儿、精子捐赠、卵子捐赠、胚胎捐赠及代孕技术。本项目通过妇科（助孕）医院收集被试的行为数据，包括家庭互动、养育方式、父母婚姻质量、家庭成员的心理健康及经济状况等。本文选择性地介绍一些分析的结果，以彰显这种设计在分离遗传和产前产后环境对儿童发展的贡献。首先，我们比较了“助孕”儿童与“自然孕”儿童在父母冲突、父母对子女敌意以及儿童抑郁症状之间关系的异同。其次，我们比较了这两组儿童在父母抑郁症状、家庭关系质量以及儿童抑郁症状之间关系的异同。再次，本文介绍了这一可分离遗传与环境因素的研究设计。最后，我们讨论了这一设计对发展心理病干预及预防的意义。

The present study describes a novel methodology to examine the interplay between genetic and environmental influences on children＇s development. Families of children aged 4 - 10 years born by one of five methods of assisted reproductive technologies, specifically homologous in vitro fertilization （IVF）, sperm donation, egg donation, embryo donation, and gestational surrogacy, were contacted through fertility clinics and mailed a set of questionnaires focusing on the quality of family interaction, parenting, marital satisfaction, parent and child psychological health, economic conditions and family demographics. Analyses are described that highlight the novelty of this research design to disentangle genetic, intrauterine and early social environmental influences on children＇s development. First, results are described whereby comparisons were made between children born through assisted reproductive technologies and children conceived naturally in relation to patterns of association between levels of interparental conflict, parent-to-child hostility and children＇s symptoms of depression. Second, results are described where comparisons were made between patterns of association between parent depressive symptoms, family relationship quality （interparental and parent-child relations） and children＇s symptoms of depression. Finally, a strategy that allows examination of relative genetic and intrauterine environmental influences on children＇s health and mental health outcomes is described. Results are discussed in relation to implications for development of future intervention and prevention programmes.