Observer effects and heritability of childhood attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms. Martin, N., Scourfield, J., & McGuffin, P. The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science, 180:260–5, March, 2002.
Observer effects and heritability of childhood attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms. [link]Paper  abstract   bibtex   
BACKGROUND: Twin studies have found that childhood attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has a strong genetic component. Estimates of heritability, the extent of non-additive genetic effects and of 'sibling contrast' effects vary between different studies. AIMS: To use multiple informants to assess the extent to which observer effects influence such estimates in an epidemiological sample of twins. METHOD: Questionnaire packs were sent to the families and teachers of twins aged 5-16 years in the Bro Taf region of South Wales. The twins were ascertained from community paediatric registers. RESULTS: Both parent- and teacher- rated data showed a high degree of heritability for ADHD measured as a symptom dimension, but the correlation between the two types of rater was modest. Bivariate analyses suggested that parent and teacher ratings reflect the effects of different genes. Self-report data from twins aged 11-16 years showed no evidence of genetic effects. CONCLUSIONS: Although ADHD is shown to be highly heritable by both parent- and teacher-rated data, the underlying genotypes may be substantially different. This has implications for study designs aiming to find genes that contribute to the disorder.
@article{martin_observer_2002,
	title = {Observer effects and heritability of childhood attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms.},
	volume = {180},
	issn = {0007-1250},
	url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11872519},
	abstract = {BACKGROUND: Twin studies have found that childhood attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has a strong genetic component. Estimates of heritability, the extent of non-additive genetic effects and of 'sibling contrast' effects vary between different studies.

AIMS: To use multiple informants to assess the extent to which observer effects influence such estimates in an epidemiological sample of twins.

METHOD: Questionnaire packs were sent to the families and teachers of twins aged 5-16 years in the Bro Taf region of South Wales. The twins were ascertained from community paediatric registers.

RESULTS: Both parent- and teacher- rated data showed a high degree of heritability for ADHD measured as a symptom dimension, but the correlation between the two types of rater was modest. Bivariate analyses suggested that parent and teacher ratings reflect the effects of different genes. Self-report data from twins aged 11-16 years showed no evidence of genetic effects.

CONCLUSIONS: Although ADHD is shown to be highly heritable by both parent- and teacher-rated data, the underlying genotypes may be substantially different. This has implications for study designs aiming to find genes that contribute to the disorder.},
	urldate = {2015-05-12},
	journal = {The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science},
	author = {Martin, Neilson and Scourfield, Jane and McGuffin, Peter},
	month = mar,
	year = {2002},
	pmid = {11872519},
	keywords = {Adolescent, Analysis of Variance, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity: epi, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity: gen, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Humans, Male, Observer Variation, Pedigree, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Questionnaires, Regression Analysis, Statistics, Nonparametric, Twins, Dizygotic, Twins, Monozygotic},
	pages = {260--5},
}

Downloads: 0