Genetic and environmental influences underlying the relationship between low self-control and substance use

•Genetic factors influence low self-control in adolescence and adulthood•Genetic factors influence cigarette smoking in adolescence and adulthood•Genetic factors influence alcohol use in adolescence and adulthood•Genetic factors influence marijuana use in early adolescence and adulthood•Common genetic and environmental factors operate on self-control and substance use

PurposeThe current study seeks to examine the relationship between low self-control and cigarette smoking, alcohol use, and marijuana use in adolescence and adulthood using behavioral genetic methodology.MethodsUsing a subsample of twin pairs from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), the current study estimates the genetic and environmental overlap between low self-control and substance use (or problems associated with substance use) across four waves of data collection.ResultsThe overall pattern of results suggests that genetic factors explain a moderate proportion of the variance in low self-control and substance use in both adolescence and adulthood. Furthermore, bivariate genetic analyses reveal that the correlation between low self-control and substance use is due, for the most part, to common genetic and nonshared environmental factors.ConclusionsThe current study adds to a growing body of biosocial research on self-control and its relationship to criminal and analogous behaviors. The implications of our findings for the general theory of crime are discussed.