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Abstract
There is mounting evidence of etiologically driven distinctions between aggressive
(AGG) and non-aggressive rule-breaking (RB) forms of antisocial behavior. To date,
however, these differences remain somewhat speculative. The current meta-analysis
of twin and adoption studies sought to clarify these distinctions by comparing meta-analytic
estimates of genetic, shared environmental, and non-shared environmental influences
across AGG and RB to more clearly ascertain whether they evidence differential patterns
of genetic and environmental influence. A comprehensive literature search resulted
in the collection of 103 twin and adoption studies, of which 15 RB samples and 19
AGG samples were ultimately included in the analyses. Results reveal clear evidence
of etiological distinctions between AGG and RB. Namely, AGG appears to be a highly
heritable condition (genetic factors account for 65% of the variance), with little
role for the shared or common environment, particularly after childhood. By contrast,
while genetic influences also contribute to RB (48% of the variance), there is an
important role for shared environmental effects as well (18% of the variance). Such
findings are indicative of meaningful etiologic distinctions between aggressive and
rule-breaking forms of antisocial behavior, and underscore the advantage of differentiating
between these behavioral subtypes when studying the causal processes that underlie
antisocial behavior.