Individual Differences in the Relationship between Temperament and Planning Ability in Adolescents

Abstract

Abstract Identification of genetic and environmental factors of the relationship between temperament and the planning ability is essential for future interventions aimed at self-regulation in adolescents. Participants included 612 twin pairs aged 10 to 14 years. All participants filled out Rothbart's Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire and were tested with the “Stocking of Cambridge” test. A univariate model showed that the scales of Rothbart's questionnaire are largely affected by genetic factors (А=10-51%). The planning ability is affected by both genetic (А=17%) and shared environmental factors (С=21%). A multivariate model was used to estimate the impact of genes and environment in the phenotypic correlation between the measure of planning ability and temperamental characteristics. The results suggest that individual differences in relationship between temperament and planning ability mostly explained by environment factors.