Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Assortative Mating for Cigarette Smoking and for Alcohol Consumption in Female Australian Twins and their Spouses

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Behavior Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

An Erratum to this article was published on 23 September 2006

Abstract

Background

Non-random mating affects population variation for substance use and dependence. Developmentally, mate selection leading to positive spousal correlations for genetic similarity may result in increased risk for substance use and misuse in offspring. Mate selection varies by cohort and thus, assortative mating in one generation may produce marked changes in rates of substance use in the next. We aim to clarify the mechanisms contributing to spousal similarity for cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption.

Methods

Using data from female twins and their male spouses, we fit univariate and bivariate twin models to examine the contribution of primary assortative mating and reciprocal marital interaction to spousal resemblance for regular cigarette smoking and nicotine dependence, and for regular alcohol use and alcohol dependence.

Results

We found that assortative mating significantly influenced regular smoking, regular alcohol use, nicotine dependence and alcohol dependence. The bivariate models for cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption also highlighted the importance of primary assortative mating on all stages of cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption, with additional evidence for assortative mating across the two stages of alcohol consumption.

Conclusions

Women who regularly used, and subsequently were dependent on cigarettes or alcohol were more likely to marry men with similar behaviors. After mate selection had occurred, one partner’s cigarette or alcohol involvement did not significantly modify the other partner’s involvement with these psychoactive substances.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bierut LJ, Dinwiddie SH, Begleiter H, Crowe RR, Hesselbrock V, Nurnberger JI Jr, Porjesz B, Schuckit MA, Reich T (1998) Familial transmission of substance dependence: alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, and habitual smoking: a report from the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism. Arch Gen Psychiatr 55:982–988

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Boomsma DI, Koopmans JR, van Doornen LJ, Orlebeke JF, (1994) Genetic and social influences on starting to smoke: a study of Dutch adolescent twins and their parents. Addiction 89:219–226

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cardenas VM, Thun MJ, Austin H, Lally CA, Clark WS, Greenberg RS, Heath CW Jr (1997) Environmental tobacco smoke and lung cancer mortality in the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Prevention Study. II. Cancer Causes Control 8:57–64

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carmelli D, Heath AC, Robinette D (1993) Genetic analysis of drinking behavior in World War II veteran twins. Genet Epidemiol 10:201–213

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cattell RB (1963) Theory of fluid and crystallized intelligence: A critical experiment. J Educat Psychol 54:1–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Compton WM, Grant BF, Colliver JD, Glantz MD, Stinson FS (2004) Prevalence of marijuana use disorders in the United States: 1991–1992 and 2001–2002. J Am Med Assoc 291:2114–2121

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crow JF, Felsenstein J (1982). The effect of assortative mating on the genetic composition of a population. Social Biol 15:85–97

    Google Scholar 

  • Eaves L (1977) Inferring the causes of human variation. J Roy Stat Soc Ser A 140:324–355

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eaves LJ, Fulker DW, Heath AC (1989) The effects of social homogamy and cultural inheritance on the covariances of twins and their parents: a LISREL model. Behav Genet 19:113–122

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eaves LJ, Heath AC, Martin NG (1984) A note on the generalized effects of assortative mating. Behav Genet 14:371–376

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eaves LJ, Last K, Martin NG, Jinks J (1977) A progressive approach tp the non-additivity and genotype-environmental covariance in the analysis of human differences. Br J Math Stat Psychol 30:1–42

    Google Scholar 

  • Evans DM, Gillespie NA, Martin NG (2002) Biometrical genetics. Biol Psychol 61:33–51

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fagerstrom KO (1978) Measuring degree of physical dependence to tobacco smoking with reference to individualization of treatment. Addict Behav 3:235–246

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fisher RA (1918) The correlation between relatives on the supposition of Mendelian inheritance. Trans Roy Soc Edinburgh 52:399–433

    Google Scholar 

  • Grant BF, Hasin DS, Chou SP, Stinson FS, Dawson DA, (2004) Nicotine dependence and psychiatric disorders in the United States: results from the national epidemiologic survey on alcohol and related conditions. Arch Gen Psychiatr 61:1107–1115

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grant JD, Heath AC, Bucholz K, Madden PA, Martin NG, (2003) Assortative Mating or Spousal Influences on Alcoholism. Behav Genet 6:704

    Google Scholar 

  • Hall RL, Hesselbrock VM, Stabenau JR (1983a) Familial distribution of alcohol use: I. Assortative mating in the parents of alcoholics. Behav Genet 13:361–372

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hall RL, Hesselbrock VM, Stabenau JR (1983b) Familial distribution of alcohol use: II. Assortative mating of alcoholic probands. Behav Genet 13:373–382

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hall RL, Hesselbrock VM, Stabenau JR (1983c) Familial distribution of alcohol use: II. Assortative mating of alcoholic probands. Behav Genet 13:373–382

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Heath AC, Bucholz KK, Madden PA, Dinwiddie SH, Slutske WS, Bierut LJ, Statham DJ, Dunne MP, Whitfield JB, Martin NG (1997) Genetic and environmental contributions to alcohol dependence risk in a national twin sample: consistency of findings in women and men. Psychol Med 27:1381–1396

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Heath AC, Eaves L (1985) Resolving the effects of phenotype and social background on mate selection. Behav Genet 15:15–29

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Heath AC, Howells W, Kirk KM, Madden PA, Bucholz KK, Nelson EC, Slutske WS, Statham DJ, Martin NG (2001) Predictors of non-response to a questionnaire survey of a volunteer twin panel: findings from the Australian 1989 twin cohort. Twin Res 4:73–80

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Heath AC, Madden PA, Slutske WS, Martin NG (1995) Personality and the inheritance of smoking behavior: a genetic perspective. Behav Genet 25:103–117

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Heath AC, Martin NG, Eaves LJ (1984) Sense and nonsense in genetic epidemiology: a critique of the statistical model of Williams and Lyer. Acta Genet Med Gemellol (Roma) 33:557–563

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Heath AC, Martin NG, Lynskey MT, Todorov AA, Madden PA (2002) Estimating two-stage models for genetic influences on alcohol, tobacco or drug use initiation and dependence vulnerability in twin and family data. Twin Res 5:113–124

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Heath AC, Meyer J, Jardine R, Martin NG (1991) The inheritance of alcohol consumption patterns in a general population twin sample: II. Determinants of consumption frequency and quantity consumed. J Stud Alcohol 52:425–433

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ho HZ (1986) Assortative mating in unwed birth parents, adoptive, and nonadoptive parents. Social Biol 33:77–86

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hopfer CJ, Stallings MC, Hewitt JK, Crowley TJ (2003) Family transmission of marijuana use, abuse, and dependence. J Am Acad Child Adoles Psychiatr 42:834–841

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jardine R, Martin NG, Henderson AS (1984b) Genetic covariation between neuroticism and the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Genet Epidemiol 1:89–107

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jardine R, Martin NG, Henderson AS (1984a) Genetic covariation between neuroticism and the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Genet Epidemiol 1:89–107

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jencks C (1972) Inequality: a reassessment of the effect of family and schooling in America. Basic Books, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Kendler KS, Karkowski LM, Neale MC, Prescott CA (2000) Illicit psychoactive substance use, heavy use, abuse, and dependence in a US population-based sample of male twins. Arch Gen Psychiatr 57:261–269

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kendler KS, Neale MC, Heath AC, Kessler RC, Eaves LJ (1994) A twin-family study of alcoholism in women. Am J Psychiatr 151:707–715

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kendler KS, Neale MC, Sullivan P, Corey LA, Gardner CO, Prescott CA (1999) A population-based twin study in women of smoking initiation and nicotine dependence. Psychol Med 29:299–308

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Koopmans JR, Slutske WS, Heath AC, Neale MC, Boomsma DI (1999) The genetics of smoking initiation and quantity smoked in Dutch adolescent and young adult twins. Behav Genet 29:383–393

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Madden PA, Bucholz KK, Dinwiddie SH, Slutske WS, Bierut LJ, Statham DJ, Dunne MP, Martin NG, Heath AC (1997) Nicotine withdrawal in women. Addiction 92:889–902

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Madden PA, Heath AC, Pedersen NL, Kaprio J, Koskenvuo MJ, Martin NG (1999) The genetics of smoking persistence in men and women: a multicultural study. Behav Genet 29:423–431

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Madden PA, Pedersen NL, Kaprio J, Koskenvuo MJ, Martin NG (2004).The epidemiology and genetics of smoking initiation and persistence: crosscultural comparisons of twin study results. Twin Res 7:82–97

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Maes HH, Neale MC, Kendler KS, Hewitt JK, Silberg JL, Foley DL, Meyer JM, Rutter M, Simonoff E, Pickles A, Eaves LJ (1998) Assortative mating for major psychiatric diagnoses in two population-based samples. Psychol Med 28:1389–1401

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maes HH, Sullivan PF, Bulik CM, Neale MC, Prescott CA, Eaves LJ, Kendler KS (2004) A twin study of genetic and environmental influences on tobacco initiation, regular tobacco use and nicotine dependence. Psychol Med 34:1251–1261

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Maes HH, Woodard CE, Murrelle L, Meyer JM, Silberg JL, Hewitt JK, Rutter M, Simonoff E, Pickles A, Carbonneau R, Neale MC, Eaves LJ (1999) Tobacco, alcohol and drug use in eight- to sixteen-year-old twins: the Virginia Twin Study of Adolescent Behavioral Development. J Stud Alcohol 60:293–305

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Martin NG, Perl J, Oakeshott JG, Gibson JB, Starmer GA, Wilks AV (1985) A twin study of ethanol metabolism. Behav Genet 15:93–109

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McGue M, Elkins I, Iacono WG (2000) Genetic and environmental influences on adolescent substance use and abuse. Am J Med Genet 96:671–677

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Merikangas KR, Risch N (2003) Genomic priorities and public health. Science 302:599–601

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Merikangas KR, Stolar M, Stevens DE, Goulet J, Preisig MA, Fenton B, Zhang H, O’Malley SS, Rounsaville BJ (1998) Familial transmission of substance use disorders. Arch Gen Psychiatr 55:973–979

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miles DR, van den Bree MB, Gupman AE, Newlin DB, Glantz MD, Pickens RW (2001) A twin study on sensation seeking, risk taking behavior and marijuana use. Drug Alcohol Dependence 62:57–68

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Neale MC (2004). Statistical modeling with Mx. Dept. of Psychiatry, Box # 980710, Richmond VA 23298

  • Neale MC, Cardon LR (1992) Methodology for genetic studies of twins and families. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

  • Ogden MW, Morgan WT, Heavner DL, Davis RA, Steichen TJ (1997) National incidence of smoking and misclassification among the U.S. married female population. J Clin Epidemiol 50:253–263

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Penick EC, Powell BJ, Bingham SF, Liskow BI, Miller NS, Read MR (1987) A comparative study of familial alcoholism. J Stud Alcohol 48:136–146

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Prescott CA, Hewitt JK, Heath AC, Truett KR, Neale MC, Eaves LJ (1994) Environmental and genetic influences on alcohol use in a volunteer sample of older twins. J Stud Alcohol 55:18–33

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Price RA, Chen KH, Cavalli-Sforza LL, Feldman M (1981) Models of spousal influence and their application to smoking behavior. Social Biol 28:29

    Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds CA, Baker LA, Pedersen NL (1996) Models of spouse similarity: applications to fluid ability measured in twins and their spouses. Behav Genet 26:73–88

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds CA, Baker LA, Pedersen NL (2000) Multivariate models of mixed assortment: phenotypic assortment and social homogamy for education and fluid ability. Behav Genet 30:455–476

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rhee SH, Hewitt JK, Young SE, Corley RP, Crowley TJ, Stallings MC (2003) Genetic and environmental influences on substance initiation, use, and problem use in adolescents. Archives of General Psychiatry 60:1256–1264

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rimmer J, Winokur G (1972). The spouses of alcoholics: an example of assortative mating. Dis Nervous Syst 33:509–511

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sackett DL, Anderson GD, Milner R, Feinleib M, Kannel WB (1975) Concordance for coronary risk factors among spouses. Circulation 52:589–595

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sakai JT, Stallings MC, Mikulich-Gilbertson SK, Corley RP, Young SE, Hopfer CJ, Crowley TJ (2004) Mate similarity for substance dependence and antisocial personality disorder symptoms among parents of patients and controls. Drug Alcohol Dependence 75:165–175

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • SAS Institute (1999) SAS User Guide, Version 8.2. SAS Institute Inc, Cary, NC

    Google Scholar 

  • Schuckit MA, Tipp JE, Kelner E (1994) Are daughters of alcoholics more likely to marry alcoholics? Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 20:237–245

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stallings MC, Cherny SS, Young SE, Miles DR, Hewitt JK, Fulker DW (1997) The familial aggregation of depressive symptoms, antisocial behavior, and alcohol abuse. Am J Med Genet 74:183–191

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stallings MC, Hewitt JK, Beresford T, Heath AC, Eaves LJ (1999) A twin study of drinking and smoking onset and latencies from first use to regular use. Behav Genet 29:409–421

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stinson FS, Grant BF, Dawson DA, Ruan WJ, Huang B, Saha T (2005) Comorbidity between DSM-IV alcohol and specific drug use disorders in the United States: results from the national epidemiologic survey on alcohol and related conditions. Drug Alcohol Dependence 80:105–116

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) (2005). 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health

  • Sullivan PF, Kendler KS (1999) The genetic epidemiology of smoking. Nicotine Tobacco Res 1(Suppl 2):S51–S57

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sutton GC (1980) Assortative marriage for smoking habits. Ann Hum Biol 7:456

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • True WR, Heath AC, Scherrer JF, Waterman B, Goldberg J, Lin N, Eisen SA, Lyons MJ, Tsuang MT (1997) Genetic and environmental contributions to smoking. Addiction 92:1277–1287

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • van den Bree MB, Johnson EO, Neale MC, Pickens RW (1998) Genetic and environmental influences on drug use and abuse/dependence in male and female twins. Drug Alcohol Dependence 52:231–241

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vanyukov MM, Neale MC, Moss HB, Tarter RE (1996) Mating assortment and the liability to substance abuse. Drug Alcohol Dependence 42:1–10

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vink JM, Willemsen G, Boomsma DI (2003) The association of current smoking behavior with the smoking behavior of parents, siblings, friends and spouses. Addiction 98:923–931

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization (1994). The composite international diagnostic interview, Version 1.1. Researcher’s manual. Geneva

Download references

Acknowledgments

Supported by NIH grants DA12854 (PAFM), AA07535, AA11998, AA13221, AA07728, AA10248 (ACH) and DA019951 (MLP), and by a grant from the Alcoholic Beverages Medical Research Foundation (PAFM).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid, 8134, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA

    Arpana Agrawal, Andrew C. Heath, Julia D. Grant, Michele L. Pergadia, Kathleen K. Bucholz & Pamela A. F. Madden

  2. Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, Australia

    Dixie J. Statham & Nicholas G. Martin

Authors
  1. Arpana Agrawal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Andrew C. Heath
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Julia D. Grant
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Michele L. Pergadia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Dixie J. Statham
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Kathleen K. Bucholz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Nicholas G. Martin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Pamela A. F. Madden
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Arpana Agrawal.

Additional information

An erratum to this article can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10519-006-9112-5

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Agrawal, A., Heath, A.C., Grant, J.D. et al. Assortative Mating for Cigarette Smoking and for Alcohol Consumption in Female Australian Twins and their Spouses. Behav Genet 36, 553–566 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10519-006-9081-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10519-006-9081-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation