A child’s genetic profile for ADHD can predict their parents’ risk of separation
A child's genetic likelihood for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder is associated with a higher chance of their parents divorcing. The new findings highlight how children might actively shape the life trajectories of their families.
Research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that a child's genetic risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may influence their parents' likelihood of separating or divorcing. Analyzing data from 40,000 Norwegian family trios, the study found that an increased polygenic index for ADHD in a child was linked to a higher probability of parental partnership dissolution.
This effect was particularly pronounced in families with daughters and higher socioeconomic status. Conversely, an increased polygenic index for anxiety in the child was associated with a 10 percent rise in the odds of parents marrying after the child's birth in families with older mothers. The findings challenge traditional notions of how parents shape their children's trajectories, proposing instead that children's genetic predispositions can actively impact family dynamics.
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