Gene x environment interaction and the moderating effect of adoption agency disclosure on estimating genetic effects

The present study utilized gene-environment (G x E) interaction to test for the potential biasing effects of adoptive parent recall of information dis closed to them about the biological parent on genetic estimates, Two indepe ndent adoption samples were combined for all analyses (n = 496). Adoptive p arent knowledge was the specific environmental effect and was comprised of three categories: none, physical and psychiatric/medical. Biological parent alcoholism and antisocial personality were the specific genetic effects. S ymptom counts of childhood and adult problem behaviors served as dependent variables. Eighteen 2 (adoptee sex)x 2 (biological parent alcoholism Or ant isocial personality)x 3 (adoptive parent knowledge) analyses of co-variance (ANCOVA) were conducted with separate analyses for biological alcoholism a nd antisocial personality as the genetic effect. Significant G x E interact ions were found for models including either biological alcoholism or antiso cial personality. The nature of the interactions were complex but generally supported the presence of a genetic effect only in the presence of either physical or psychiatric knowledge, The findings from the study indicate tha t behavioral geneticists who use the adoption paradigm to examine genetic a nd environmental predictors of behavior must recognize the potential bias p roduced by openness in adoptions, (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.