学龄儿童气质遗传的双生子研究

Heredity and temperament:a twin study in school-age children

【目的】利用双生子人群估计学龄儿童气质维度的遗传度,探讨遗传和环境因素对我国学龄儿童气质发展的影响。【方法】采用Carey儿童气质问卷对127对6～12岁双生子气质进行测评。对测评结果进行结构方程模型拟合,估算学龄儿童气质维度的遗传度。【结果】儿童气质类型遗传度为50.57%;各维度遗传度分别为活动水平(男39.30%,女88.39%)、节律性(男46.26%,女60.65%)、趋避性(男82.22%,女82.23%)、适应性(男44.31%,女44.31%)、反应强度(男41.84%,女52.05%)、坚持性(男90.40%,女90.40%)、注意分散度(男72.46%,女72.46%)、反应阈(男30.03%,女44.99%)。活动水平的遗传度存在性别效应,女童的遗传度均明显高于男童。年龄对学龄儿童气质的遗传效应无明显影响。【结论】学龄儿童气质受遗传与环境因素的共同影响,活动水平的遗传效应可能存在性别作用,女童的活动水平可能更多受遗传因素的影响。

[Objective] To estimate the heritability of temperament in Chinese school-age twins. [Method] Childhood temperament was assessed in a total of 127 pairs of 8 to 12 years old twins with the Middle Childhood Temperament Questionnaire （MCTQ） ,and structural equation modeling was performed to evaluate the heritability of the category and nine dimensions of temperament. [Results] The best-fitting model indicated that 30.03% to 90.40% of the variances of the temperament were attributable to genetic factors, with the remaining variances being due to the effects of common family environmental factors,and the environmental experiences unique to each child were negligible in most temperament traits. The genetic factors （heritahility） explained about 50.57% of variance in temperamental category. The heredity of the temperament dimensions in Activity, Rhythm, Withdrawn/approach, Adaptability, Intensity, Emotion, Persistence, Distractibility, and Threshold were 39.30 %, 46.26%,82.22 %, 44.31%,41.84%, 90.40 %, 72.46% and 30.03% in the boys, and 88.39%, 60.65%,82.23% ,44.31%,52.05% ,90.40%,72.46% and 44.99% in the girls respectively. The gender effect was found in the heredity of activity. The effects of genetic and environment on the temperament in school-age children was not influenced by the factor of age. [Conclusions] The temperament of school-age children is influenced by both the genetic and environmental factors. There are gender effects on the heredity of activity, with more genetic effect on girl＇s ＂Activity＂.