Abstract
Previous research links risky sexual behavior (RSB) to externalizing problems and to substance use, but little research has been conducted on relationships between internalizing problems (INT) and RSB. The current study addresses that literature gap, using both a twin sample from Colorado (N = 2567) and a second twin sample from Minnesota (N = 1131) in attempt to replicate initial results. We explored the hypothesis that the latent variable INT would be more strongly associated with the latent variable RSB for females than for males, examining relationships between INT and RSB via phenotypic confirmatory factor analysis and multivariate twin analyses. We found a small but significant phenotypic association between the latent variables. However, despite using two large twin samples, limited power restricted our ability to identify the genetic and environmental mechanisms underlying this association. Our sex differences hypothesis was not fully supported in either sample and requires further investigation. Our findings illustrate the complexity of the relationship between internalizing problems and risky sexual behavior.
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Data Availability
The datasets at both sites used and analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due to the fact they are privately managed by the individual sites. However, they may be obtained via authorized access. Please contact the Corresponding Author for details.
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Available upon request to the Corresponding Author.
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KNP: Conceptualization, methodology, statistical programming, formal analysis, writing original draft, visualization of results, validation, project administration, corresponding author. SMF: Statistical programming, statistical consulting, review and editing of draft. DRD: Statistical programming, statistical consulting, review and editing of draft. JDA: Data management, statistical consulting, review and editing of draft. SIV: Data management, validation, review and editing of draft. RPC: Data management, review and editing of draft. MM: Data management, validation, review and editing of draft. JKH: Conceptualization, methodology, statistical consulting, validation, review and editing of draft, supervision. MCS: Conceptualization, methodology, statistical consulting, validation, review and editing of draft, senior supervision.
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Katie N. Paulich,·Samantha M. Freis,·Deepika R. Dokuru,·Jordan D. Alexander, Scott I. Vrieze, Robin P. Corley, Matt McGue, John K. Hewitt, Michael C. Stallings authors declare no competing interests.
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All procedures were approved by institutional review boards at both sites of data collection and comply with the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki. Both sites’ institutional review boards have indicated that analyses using the retrospective, anonymized data are not human subjects research and do not require their own approval.
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Both sites’ institutional review boards have indicated that analyses using the retrospective, anonymized data are not human subjects research and do not require their own approval. At the time of data collection, all procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. This article does not contain any studies with animals performed by any of the authors.
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Paulich, K.N., Freis, S.M., Dokuru, D.R. et al. Exploring Relationships Between Internalizing Problems and Risky Sexual Behavior: A Twin Study. Behav Genet 53, 331–347 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10519-023-10146-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10519-023-10146-x