The aim of this longitudinal sibling adoption study was to estimate genetic and
environmental components of variance in parent- and child-reported measures of the family
environment (parental negative affect, negative control, and achievement orientation).
Participants included 85 adoptive and 106 nonadoptive sibling pairs from the Colorado
Adoption Project. Parents and children completed annual assessments of the family
environment when the children were 10, 11, and 12 years old, and genetic and environmental
parameter estimates were derived. Genetic influences were found for parent-reported
negativity and warmth and child-reported achievement orientation, suggesting child genetic
effects on these measures of the family environment. Shared environmental influences were
found for parent-reported negativity, inconsistent discipline, warmth, and child-reported
positivity. Nonshared environmental variance was substantial for children's ratings, but
modest for parents' ratings.