Interestingly (particularly in a discussion of alcoholism), Boredom Susceptibility is the subscale least associated with genetic heritability in twin studies. Koopmans et al (1995), in a twin sample of 1700 adolescent pairs, found that the least heritable subscale in females was Boredom Susceptibility, while an even larger extended twin study by Stoel et al (2006) found that the least heritable subscale was Boredom Susceptibility, regardless of gender. Hur et al (1997) studied 57 pairs of identical and 49 pairs of fraternal twins, all of whom were reared apart, and also found the least heritability for Boredom Susceptibility. All individuals in this last study also completed the Control scale of the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire. The Control scale was negatively correlated with sensation seeking (consistent with the strong association of impulsivity and sensation seeking in previous studies [reviewed by Zuckerman (1993)], and our current findings vis-à-vis social deviance and sensation seeking in the alcoholic groups). The proportion of the genetic variance of the Control scale in common with the SSS was estimated as 55%, pointing to common biological mechanisms for associations between impulsivity and sensation seeking traits (Hur and Bouchard 1997).
