Deconstructing the familiality of variability in momentary negative and positive affect

  1. N. Jacobs1,2,
  2. C. Menne-Lothmann1,
  3. C. Derom3,
  4. E. Thiery4,
  5. J. van Os1,5,
  6. M. Wichers1

Article first published online: 20 AUG 2012

DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2012.01924.x

Issue

Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica

Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica

Volume 127, Issue 4, pages 318–327, April 2013

Additional Information

How to Cite

Jacobs, N., Menne-Lothmann, C., Derom, C., Thiery, E., van Os, J. and Wichers, M. (2013), Deconstructing the familiality of variability in momentary negative and positive affect. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 127: 318–327. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2012.01924.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, European Graduate School for Neuroscience, SEARCH, Maastricht University Medical Centre, MD Maastricht, the Netherlands

  2. 2

    Department of Psychology, Open University of the Netherlands, DL Heerlen, the Netherlands

  3. 3

    Department of Human Genetics, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

  4. 4

    Department of Neurology, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan, Ghent, Belgium

  5. 5

    Division of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK

*Nele Jacobs, Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Postbus 616 (VIJV-SN2), 6200 MD Maastricht, the Netherlands. E-mail: nele.jacobs@maastrichtuniversity.nl

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 10 MAR 2013
  2. Article first published online: 20 AUG 2012
  3. Accepted for publication July 6, 2012

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Keywords:

  • affect variability;
  • affective disorders;
  • momentary assessment;
  • twins;
  • structural equation modelling

Objective:  The daily life, affective phenotypes of momentary negative affect (NA), positive affect (PA) variability and NA variability are associated with future depressive symptomatology. This study investigates the extent to which genetic and environmental factors contribute to the inter-individual differences in these daily life, affective phenotypes.

Method:  Two hundred and seventy-nine female twins from the Flemish (Belgium) general population participated in an experience sampling study measuring affect in daily life. Structural equation modelling was used to fit univariate and bivariate models.

Results:  Genetic factors explained, respectively, 18%, 18% and 35% of the inter-individual differences in momentary NA, PA variability and NA variability. Non-shared environmental factors were found to explain the remaining inter-individual variation. In addition, 41% of the association between positive and NA variability was attributed to shared genetic factors.

Conclusion:  Results of this study show that daily life patterns of affective expression are subject to substantial environmental influence. Prospective assessments of the effect of interventions on these expressions may therefore represent a powerful tool to prevent transition from subclinical depressive symptomatology to a clinical outcome or to reduce symptomatology in those with clinical depression.

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