Document Detail


The heritability of common phobic fear: a twin study of a clinical sample.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  11918091     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic and environmental contribution to common phobic fears, and to relate the findings to contemporary theories about the etiology of common phobic fears. Self-reported common phobic fear was studied in a treatment sample of 23 monozygotic and 38 same-sex dizygotic twin pairs. Heritability of .47 was observed for common phobic fear of small animals and social fear, and a heritability of .30 in common agoraphobic fear. For common fear of nature phenomena and situational fear, the heritability was 0. The finding that common nature and situational fears were solely caused by environmental factors is in support of learning theory, whereas results for animal, social, and other common phobic fear are in support of an integrative theory of biological preparedness, learning history, and a cognitive style of fearful expectation.
Authors:
I Skre; S Onstad; S Torgersen; D R Philos; S Lygren; E Kringlen
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Twin Study    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of anxiety disorders     Volume:  14     ISSN:  0887-6185     ISO Abbreviation:  J Anxiety Disord     Publication Date:    2000 Nov-Dec
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2002-03-28     Completed Date:  2002-04-09     Revised Date:  2009-08-12    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8710131     Medline TA:  J Anxiety Disord     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  549-62     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Tromsø, Norway. ingunns@psyk.uit.no
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adult
Analysis of Variance
Comorbidity
Diseases in Twins / epidemiology,  genetics*
Environment
Female
Humans
Male
Mental Disorders / epidemiology
Norway / epidemiology
Phobic Disorders / epidemiology,  genetics*
Twins, Dizygotic
Twins, Monozygotic

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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