In the present study we therefore investigate the hypothesis that maternal negativity, paternal negativity and negative life events are heritable at least in part because of their association with several behavioural phenotypes they are often associated with; depression, anxiety, and antisocial behaviour. Because recent research demonstrates that antisocial behaviour is heterogeneous (Burt and Neiderhiser 2009; Rowe et al. 2006, 2008; Tremblay 2010), and subtypes may differ in their heritability (Burt 2009), correlates (Burt and Donnellan 2008) and developmental patterns (Burt and Neiderhiser 2009; Tremblay 2010), we distinguish between three distinct forms of antisocial behaviour—physical aggression, non-violent delinquency, and oppositionality.
