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Genetic and Environmental Influences on Type A Behavior Pattern: Evidence From Twins and Their Parents in The Netherlands Twin Register

From the Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Irene Rebollo, Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit, Van der Boechorststraat 1, NL-1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands. E-mail: i.rebollo{at}psy.vu.nl

Objective: There is a dose–response positive relationship between type A behavior (TABP) and cardiovascular disease-related symptoms. Estimates of heritability for TABP from previous studies vary; this might be explained by limitations in the sizes and compositions of the samples.

Methods: This study combines a large sample size, twin and parental, data from males and females, two generations of young adults and older adults, and the use of structural equation modeling (SEM) and full information maximum likelihood (FIML) estimation. To assess TABP, the Jenkins Activity Survey (JAS) was collected from MZ and DZ twins and their parents (n = 1670 twin families). Structural equation modeling is used to evaluate and estimate the effects of additive and nonadditive genetic effects, nonshared environmental effects, and competitive sibling interaction.

Results: Forty-five percent of the variance in TABP was the result of genetic factors (28% were additive and 17% were nonadditive). The remaining 55% of the variance was explained by environmental factors not shared by the members of the same family. Competitive sibling interaction effects were not significant. There was no evidence of sex differences either in variances or means.

Conclusion: Understanding the sources of variance on TABP is important for therapy and prevention. According to the present results, the relevant environmental factors for the development of TABP are not shared by the members of the same family. The genetic portion of the variance is also worth considering for therapeutic purposes. Although the genetic code cannot be altered, its effects on behavior may be modifiable through the treatment of the biological mediators.

Key Words: type A behavior pattern • risk of CHD • JAS • sibling interaction • twin studies • parents–offspring

Abbreviations: TABP = type A behavior pattern; JAS = Jenkins Activity Survey; FIML = full information maximum likelihood; CVD and CHD = Cardiovascular and Coronary Heart Disease; MZM = monozygotic males; MZF = monozygotic females; DZM = dizygotic males; DZF = dizygotic females; OSMF = opposite sex male first born and female second born; OSFM = opposite sex female first born and male second born; DF = degrees of freedom; SEM = structural equation modeling; ADEi:A = additive genetic effects; D = dominance genetic effects; E = nonshared environmental effects; i = sibling interaction effects; CI = confidence interval.