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. 2010 Dec;100(12):2379-84.
doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2010.193615. Epub 2010 Oct 21.

The structure of the genetic and environmental influences on mental well-being

Corey L M Keyes  1 , John M Myers, Kenneth S Kendler
Affiliations

The structure of the genetic and environmental influences on mental well-being

Corey L M Keyes et al. Am J Public Health. 2010 Dec.

Abstract

Objectives: We sought to investigate the structure of the genetic and environmental influences on 3 measures of mental well-being.

Methods: Analyses focused on the subsample of 349 monozygotic and 321 dizygotic same-sex twin pairs from a nationally representative sample of twins who completed self-report measures of emotional, psychological, and social well-being.

Results: The best-fit model contained a common pathway to all 3 measures of well-being, no shared environmental effects, and 1 set of parameters for men and women. Heritability for the latent "mental well-being" factor was high (72%) and best indexed by psychological well-being. Moderate trait-specific genetic effects were seen for emotional and social well-being. Nonshared environmental effects for all measures were mostly trait specific.

Conclusions: Genetic influences on the measures of mental well-being reflect a single, highly heritable genetic factor, although some trait-specific genetic influences were seen for emotional and social well-being. Moderate proportions of environmental influences were also shared, but the majority of unique environment was trait-specific.

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Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Parameter estimates of the additive genetic (class A) and unique environmental (class E) influences on the common latent factor of mental well-being and on the 3 specific measures of well-being: MIDUS, 1995. Note. MIDUS = Midlife in the US Survey. 95% confidence intervals in parentheses.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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