Sources of individual differences in stressful life event exposure in male and female twins

The roles of genetic and environmental influences on stressful life events were examined in 3938 twin pairs (MZ, same-sex DZ, and opposite-sex DZ) using a sex-limitation model. Life events were assessed by personal interview, and were categorized as being either personal (i.e., events that occur directly to the individual) or network (i.e., events that occur to someone within the individual's social network, thus affecting the individual indirectly). Consistent with previous reports, genetic factors were found to exert more influence on personal events than network events. Genetic correlations between males and females suggest that many of the same genetic factors are acting within both genders.