Nurture might be nature: cautionary tales and proposed solutions

Abstract Across a wide range of studies, researchers often conclude that the home environment and children’s outcomes are causally linked. In contrast, behavioral genetic studies show that parents influence their children by providing them with both environment and genes, meaning the environment tha...

Descripción completa

Guardado en:
Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Sara A. Hart, Callie Little, Elsje van Bergen
Formato: article
Lenguaje:EN
Publicado: Nature Portfolio 2021
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://doaj.org/article/d0b294b70c3d413096891cc26f09b49f
Etiquetas: Agregar Etiqueta
Sin Etiquetas, Sea el primero en etiquetar este registro!
id oai:doaj.org-article:d0b294b70c3d413096891cc26f09b49f
record_format dspace
spelling oai:doaj.org-article:d0b294b70c3d413096891cc26f09b49f2021-12-02T15:13:09ZNurture might be nature: cautionary tales and proposed solutions10.1038/s41539-020-00079-z2056-7936https://doaj.org/article/d0b294b70c3d413096891cc26f09b49f2021-01-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-020-00079-zhttps://doaj.org/toc/2056-7936Abstract Across a wide range of studies, researchers often conclude that the home environment and children’s outcomes are causally linked. In contrast, behavioral genetic studies show that parents influence their children by providing them with both environment and genes, meaning the environment that parents provide should not be considered in the absence of genetic influences, because that can lead to erroneous conclusions on causation. This article seeks to provide behavioral scientists with a synopsis of numerous methods to estimate the direct effect of the environment, controlling for the potential of genetic confounding. Ideally, using genetically sensitive designs can fully disentangle this genetic confound, but these require specialized samples. In the near future, researchers will likely have access to measured DNA variants (summarized in a polygenic scores), which could serve as a partial genetic control, but that is currently not an option that is ideal or widely available. We also propose a work around for when genetically sensitive data are not readily available: the Familial Control Method. In this method, one measures the same trait in the parents as the child, and the parents’ trait is then used as a covariate (e.g., a genetic proxy). When these options are all not possible, we plead with our colleagues to clearly mention genetic confound as a limitation, and to be cautious with any environmental causal statements which could lead to unnecessary parent blaming.Sara A. HartCallie LittleElsje van BergenNature PortfolioarticleSpecial aspects of educationLC8-6691Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. NeuropsychiatryRC321-571ENnpj Science of Learning, Vol 6, Iss 1, Pp 1-12 (2021)
institution DOAJ
collection DOAJ
language EN
topic Special aspects of education
LC8-6691
Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
RC321-571
spellingShingle Special aspects of education
LC8-6691
Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
RC321-571
Sara A. Hart
Callie Little
Elsje van Bergen
Nurture might be nature: cautionary tales and proposed solutions
description Abstract Across a wide range of studies, researchers often conclude that the home environment and children’s outcomes are causally linked. In contrast, behavioral genetic studies show that parents influence their children by providing them with both environment and genes, meaning the environment that parents provide should not be considered in the absence of genetic influences, because that can lead to erroneous conclusions on causation. This article seeks to provide behavioral scientists with a synopsis of numerous methods to estimate the direct effect of the environment, controlling for the potential of genetic confounding. Ideally, using genetically sensitive designs can fully disentangle this genetic confound, but these require specialized samples. In the near future, researchers will likely have access to measured DNA variants (summarized in a polygenic scores), which could serve as a partial genetic control, but that is currently not an option that is ideal or widely available. We also propose a work around for when genetically sensitive data are not readily available: the Familial Control Method. In this method, one measures the same trait in the parents as the child, and the parents’ trait is then used as a covariate (e.g., a genetic proxy). When these options are all not possible, we plead with our colleagues to clearly mention genetic confound as a limitation, and to be cautious with any environmental causal statements which could lead to unnecessary parent blaming.
format article
author Sara A. Hart
Callie Little
Elsje van Bergen
author_facet Sara A. Hart
Callie Little
Elsje van Bergen
author_sort Sara A. Hart
title Nurture might be nature: cautionary tales and proposed solutions
title_short Nurture might be nature: cautionary tales and proposed solutions
title_full Nurture might be nature: cautionary tales and proposed solutions
title_fullStr Nurture might be nature: cautionary tales and proposed solutions
title_full_unstemmed Nurture might be nature: cautionary tales and proposed solutions
title_sort nurture might be nature: cautionary tales and proposed solutions
publisher Nature Portfolio
publishDate 2021
url https://doaj.org/article/d0b294b70c3d413096891cc26f09b49f
work_keys_str_mv AT saraahart nurturemightbenaturecautionarytalesandproposedsolutions
AT callielittle nurturemightbenaturecautionarytalesandproposedsolutions
AT elsjevanbergen nurturemightbenaturecautionarytalesandproposedsolutions
_version_ 1718387600020996096