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Adolescents experience profound neuroendocrine changes, including hormone "coupling" between cortisol, testosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone. Emerging research has only begun to elucidate the role of hormone coupling, its genetic and environmental etiology, and the extent to which coupling is impacted by gender, puberty, and family context. We included measures on parent and child mental health, parenting stress, and family conflict of 444 twin pairs and their parents across two timepoints, when youth were on average 8 and 13 years old, respectively. Structural equation models examined the impact of family context effects on coupling during adolescence. Biometric twin models were then used to probe additive genetic, shared, and non‐shared environmental effects on hormone coupling. Hormones were more tightly coupled for females than males, and coupling was sensitive to parental depression and co‐twin psychopathology symptoms and stress exposure in females. The association between family context and coupling varied across specific neuroendocrine measures and was largely distinct from pubertal maturation. Biometric models revealed robust shared and non‐shared environmental influences on coupling. We found that family antecedents modify the strength of coupling. Environmental influences account for much of the variation on coupling during puberty. Gender differences were found in genetic influences on coupling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Profiles of infant temperament were derived from 990 infants at 6 and 12 months of age using observed measures from the Laboratory Temperament Assessment Battery. Mothers and fathers completed questionnaires measuring parent affect and stress. Four profiles emerged at each age (typical, low negative, withdrawn/inhibited, and positive/active or low reactive) using latent profile analysis. Temperament profiles show some evidence of stability and heritability, particularly for the withdrawn/inhibited group. In addition, profiles relate to parent affect and stress in different ways for mothers and fathers. Results highlight the utility of a person-centered approach to temperamental research and are discussed in relation to developmental patterns of infant temperament. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Symptoms of attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and anxiety are common during adolescence and frequently co‐occur. However, the genetic and environmental influences that underlie this co‐occurrence are understudied. Using a large twin sample (N = 1,017), we examined cross‐sectional genetic and environmental influences on ADHD and anxiety symptoms during childhood. We also explored whether these influences were shared with attentional control, a putative mechanism for symptom comorbidity. We found evidence for common genetic and nonshared environmental influences on the covariation among attentional control, ADHD, and anxiety symptoms, supporting the putative role of attentional control as a mechanism by which comorbid problems may develop. Genetic factors also accounted for symptom co‐occurrence after controlling for covariation with attentional control, suggesting the presence of additional unmeasured mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the potential role of temperament dimensions for the development of mother-infant attachment relations as measured by the Strange Situation Assessment. (HOD)

Examined extent to which infant-mother attachment could be predicted by mother interactional variables and infant proneness to distress. Meta-analysis indicated that sensitive, responsive maternal interaction predicted the security of attachment in Ainsworth and Wittig's "strange situation." Proneness to distress, a temperamental variable, predicted resistance, a behavioral pattern in the strange situation indicating insecure attachment. (Author/KS)

Peer victimization impacts 13% of adolescents worldwide (Currie et al. 2012). Despite its prevalence and associated adverse outcomes, global cognitive processes that could be affected by peer victimization have not been thoroughly investigated. Using a monozygotic (MZ) twin difference design that rigorously controls for the influence of genetic and familial level confounders, we examined the relation between peer victimization exposure and selective attention processes during an affective go/no go task. Twins who experienced more severe peer victimization were biased towards detecting goal relevant stimuli during the task. Our findings suggest an environmentally salient relation between peer victimization and goal oriented selective attention. Future work should investigate how this process might serve to enhance or buffer risk of peer victimization exposure for developing later adverse outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]