BACKGROUND: Many twin studies have reported that the genetic aetiology of @entity308 differs according to age, with genetic influences being more important for adolescents than younger @entity1 . We sought to examine whether this age-related increase in the relative importance of genetic factors is due to an increase in gene-environment correlation specifically involving negative life events. METHOD: Questionnaires were sent to the families of a population-based sample of twins aged between 8 and 17 years. Parents of all the twins and adolescents aged 11 and over were asked to complete the Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (Costello _ Angold, 1988) and a modified version of the Life Events Checklist (Johnson _ McCutcheon, 1980). Responses were obtained from 1468 families and data were analysed using genetic model fitting. Bivariate analysis of 1) negative life events and 2) behaviour-dependent life events and @entity308 symptoms was undertaken separately for @entity1 (aged 8 to 10 years) and adolescents (aged 11 to 17 years). Differences in genetic and environmental parameters across age groups were tested. RESULTS: Adolescence was associated with a greater number of behaviour-dependent life events. Genetic covariation of negative life events and @entity308 was greater for adolescents than for @entity1 . CONCLUSIONS: Bivariate model fitting was consistent with the greater heritability of @entity308 seen in adolescence being due to an increase in gene-environment correlation involving negative life events. However, the effects of genes associated specifically with maturation in adolescence, the possibility of ' @entity1 ' effects and the role of other environmental factors also need to be considered.

Negative life events as an account of age-related differences in the genetic aetiology of XXXX in childhood and adolescence.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['children', 'person'] @entity308 :: ('MESH:D003866', 'Disease') :: ['depression']
@entity308 :: (MESH:D003866,Disease) :: ['depression']
