Personality and coping: A study of twins reared apart and twins reared together

The relative importance of genetic and environmental factors for stress coping styles, age and gender differences, and the relationship between coping styles and personality traits were assessed in middle-aged and older adult twins reared apart and reared together, as part of the ongoing Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of Aging (SATSA). The Billings and Moos Coping Measure was administered to 1339 individual twins (in 446 intact pairs). The mean age was 58.0 +/- 12.8. Moderate genetic influences and significant gender differences in variance estimates were found for the three coping scales (Problem Solving, Turning to Others, and Avoidance). Turning to Others and Avoidance in women also showed shared rearing environmental influences. In contrast, no age differences in variance estimates were found in this sample. Multivariate model fitting indicated that genetic influences on adults' coping differentially reflect genetic factors in common with personality traits. The sources of covariation also showed significant gender differences.