Evaluation of Alternative Models Explaining Parent–Child Similarity in Negative Emotionality: A Longitudinal Adoption Study

ABSTRACT The present study examined the role of gene–environment correlations in the association between parent–child similarity in negative emotionality and addressed whether it is mediated by negative or warm parenting, assessed when children were between 7 and 15 years old. Participants included 843 children from 493 families in the Colorado Adoption Project (48% female, 95% White, 5% Hispanic). Results indicated that passive r GE may contribute to associations between parents' and children's negative emotionality assessed at age 16 years. Additionally, negative parenting partially mediated the association between biological mothers' negative emotionality and children's negative emotionality. Results were not consistent with evocative r GE. Studies of parent–child similarity should consider plausible alternative hypotheses, such as gene–environment correlation, rather than assuming environmental mediation.