The research focus is temperament and the role of temperament in developmental risk and resilience. We consider broad themes of affective development, psychological adjustment, biological vulnerabilities, and peer/family context.
Our studies measure observed behavior, self-ratings, parents’ perspectives, school and home experiences, and cortisol. We utilize quantitative and molecular approaches to study developmental genetics. We incorporate multimodal neuroimaging with adolescents and young adults. We have employed over 200 instruments, many with multiple raters and repeated across time. Father report is included at every testing occasion. Our community-based study population inform several clinically relevant topics including sensory challenges, anxiety, autism, and disinhibition. We can also address unique urban rural differences in development. Approximately 40% of twin family participants resided in rural communities.
We participate in the National Data Archive, de-identified human data to promote collaborative science and discovery. Learn more about our collection.
| Project | Research Modality | ||||
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| Interview | Survey | Behavior Assessment | Cortisol | Brain Scan | |
| Birth – 3yr |  |
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| Toddler screen | |
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| Age 7-15 behavior challenges | |
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| Adolescent brain and behavior | |
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| Autism | |
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| Sensory over-responsivity | |
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| MZ difference study | |
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Current Studies
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Adolescent Brain and Behavior
We are interested in the relationship between early behavior and later brain measures. How do genetically identical and fraternal twin pairs differ in brain circuitry implicated in emotion-related behavior? Twins participate in multimodal neuroimaging, computer-based behavior assessment, and surveys about emotion, cognition, and experience. Some studies examine the unique similarities and differences in genetically identical twins.
Sample papers:
Adluru, N., Luo, Z., Van Hulle. C, Schoen, A. J., Davidson, R. J., Alexander, A. L., & Goldsmith, H. H. (2017). Anxiety-related experience-dependent white matter structural differences in adolescence: A monozygotic twin difference approach. Scientific Reports, 7 (1), 8749. December, 2017. PMID: 28821748. PMCID: PMC5562810.
Burghy, C. A., Fox, M. E., Cornejo, M. D., Stodola, D. E., Van Hulle, C., Ojiaku, P., Schmidt, N. L., Davidson, R. J., Goldsmith, H. H., & Birn, R. M. (2016). Experience driven differences in childhood cortisol predict affect-relevant brain function and coping in adolescent monozygotic twins. Scientific Reports. Published online, Nov. 22. PMID: 27872489. PMCID: PMC5181835. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep37081 www.nature.com/articles/srep37081
Twin Similarities and Differences in Sensory Over-responsivity from Infancy through Adulthood
We study sensory over-responsivity, often described as unusually intense, even painful, responses to everyday sensory stimuli that most individuals experience as innocuous. We study tactile experiences (e.g., textures such as walking barefoot) and auditory experiences (e.g., gymnasium settings or fluorescent lights). General sensory reactivity can vary widely. Clinicians observe sensory over-responsivity, sometimes called sensory defensiveness, in children with a range of diagnoses, including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, and Fragile X Syndrome, but sensory over-responsivity, importantly, also occurs in children without any apparent medical condition. We study twin similarities and differences in the full range of sensory experiences and how those experiences relate to other aspects of emotion and behavior.
Sample papers:
Van Hulle, C. A., Lemery-Chalfant, K., & Goldsmith, H. H. (2017). Parent-offspring transmission of internalizing and sensory over-responsivity symptoms in adolescence. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology. Published online, 10 April. PMID: 28393325. PMCID: PMC5634909.
Van Hulle, C., Lemery-Chalfant, K., & Goldsmith, H. H. (2015). Trajectories of sensory over-responsivity from early to middle childhood: Birth and temperament risk factors. PLoS ONE 10(6): e0129968. PMID: 26107259. PMCID: PMC4481270.
Van Hulle, C. A., Schmidt, N. L., & Goldsmith, H. H. (2012). Is sensory over-responsivity distinguishable from childhood behavior problems? A phenotypic and genetic analysis. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 53, 64-72. PMID: 21797864. PMCID: PMC3208137.
Keuler, M. M., Schmidt, N. L., Van Hulle, C. A., Lemery-Chalfant, K., & Goldsmith, H. H. (2011). Sensory over-responsivity: Prenatal risk factors and temperamental contributions. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 32, 533-541. PMID: 21743351. PMCID: PMC3163729.
Goldsmith, H. H., Van Hulle, C. A., Arneson, C. L., Schreiber, J. E., & Gernsbacher, M. A. (2006). A population-based twin study of parentally reported tactile and auditory defensiveness in young children. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 34, 378-392. PMID: 16649001.
Previous Studies
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Birth – 3yr
The birth to 3 year project investigated the genetics of emotional ontogeny and functional consequences of emotional individuality across six testing occasions. Assessments included extensive behavioral phenotyping with the Laboratory Temperament and Assessment Battery, motor development, cortisol, psychophysiology (EEG, RSA), and extensive surveys about behavior and experience. Additional key instruments included the visual expectation paradigm, communicative development, self-awareness (e.g., pride, shame), and the NCAST. Primary research questions investigated onset and individual differences in emotional development. Does emotional development depend upon cognitive transitions? Does emotional development depend on motoric transitions? What is the functional significance of temperament?
Many of these twins were followed up in a study of 7-9 year olds and again during adolescence.
Sample papers:
Planalp, E. M., Van Hulle, C., Lemery-Chalfant, K., & Goldsmith, H. H. (2016). Genetic and environmental contributions to the development of positive affect in infancy. Emotion. Published online, Oct. 31. PMID: 27797564. PMCID: PMC5367954
Eggum-Wilkens, N. D., Lemery-Chalfant, K., Aksan, N., & Goldsmith, H. H. (2015). Self-conscious shyness: Growth during toddlerhood, strong role of genetics, and no prediction from fearful shyness. Infancy, 20, 160-188. PMID: 25685095. PMC4322942.
Brooker, R. J., Buss, K. A., Lemery-Chalfant, K., Aksan, N., Davidson, R. J., & Goldsmith, H. H. (2013). The development of stranger fear in infancy and toddlerhood: Normative development, individual differences, antecedents, and outcomes. Developmental Science. 16, 864-878. PMID: 24118713. PMCID: PMC4129944.
Gagne, J. R., and Goldsmith, H. H. (2011). A longitudinal analysis of anger and inhibitory control in twins from 12-36 months of age. Developmental Science, 14, 112-124. PMID: 21159093. PMCID: PMC3049157.
Volbrecht, M., & Goldsmith, H. H. (2010). Early temperamental and family predictors of shyness and anxiety. Developmental Psychology, 46, 1192-1205. PMID: 20822232. PMCID: PMC3197271.
Pfeifer, M., Goldsmith, H. H., Davidson, R. J., & Rickman, M. (2002). Continuity and change in inhibited and uninhibited children. Child Development, 73, 1474-1485. PMID: 12361313.
Buss, K. A., & Goldsmith, H. H. (1998). Fear and anger regulation in infancy: Effects on the temporal dynamics of affective expression. Child Development, 69, 359-374. PMID: 9586212.
Wisconsin Twin Panel
The Wisconsin Twin Panel consists of fourteen birth cohorts from 1989-1994 and 1997-2004. An initial parent interview of child temperament and emotion was gathered from 2,701 twin pairs around age 2-3yrs. A total of 9,321 twin pairs continue to belong to the panel and are available for study. There is strong representation of rural populations. The twin panel resource informed initial investigations of autism, childhood anxiety, ADHD, and sensory over-responsivity. The twin panel also provided sample enrichment for clinically relevant investigations of subsamples. Contact with panel families continues to be maintained with annual newsletters.
Sample papers:
Schmidt, N. L., Van Hulle, C. A., Brooker, R. J., Meyer, L. R., Lemery-Chalfant, L., Goldsmith, H. H. (2013). Wisconsin twin research: Early development, childhood psychopathology, autism, and sensory over-responsivity. Twin Research and Human Genetics, 16, 376-384. PMID: 23200241. PMCID: PMC3570675.
Stilp, R.L.H., Gernsbacher, M.A., Schweigert, E.K., Arneson, C.L. & Goldsmith, H.H. (2010). Genetic variance for autism screening items in an unselected sample of toddler-age twins. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 49, 267-276. PMID: 20410716. PMCID: PMC2947446.
Goldsmith, H. H., Van Hulle, C. A., Arneson, C. L., Schreiber, J. E., & Gernsbacher, M. A. (2006). A population-based twin study of parentally reported tactile and auditory defensiveness in young children. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 34, 378-392. PMID: 16649001.
Toddler Screen
The toddler screen was parent-rated telephone interview and survey about child temperament and behavior between age 2-3 years. Over 3,200 twin pairs from the Wisconsin population-based twin registry were screened. These data provided important early baseline assessment before selection criteria were in place. The primary instruments were the Toddler Behavior Assessment Questionnaire (TBAQ) and the Brief Infant Toddler Social-Emotional Assessment (BITSEA). Family demographics, toddler vocabulary, and self-reported parenting practices were also obtained.
| Survey | Interview | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Participants | >4500 | >4500 |
Sample papers:
Stilp, R.L.H., Gernsbacher, M.A., Schweigert, E.K., Arneson, C.L. & Goldsmith, H.H. (2010). Genetic variance for autism screening items in an unselected sample of toddler-age twins. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 49, 267-276. PMID: 20410716. PMCID: PMC2947446.
Goldsmith, H. H., Van Hulle, C. A., Arneson, C. L., Schreiber, J. E., & Gernsbacher, M. A. (2006). A population-based twin study of parentally reported tactile and auditory defensiveness in young children. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 34, 378-392. PMID: 16649001.
Age 7-15 yr Behavior Challenges
The age 7-15 year project investigated behavioral challenges, risk factors, and adaptive processes that contribute to social-emotional development. Nearly 4,000 twins were screened via parent report at age 7 and 702 twin pairs completed extensive follow-up at age 7, 12, & 15 years. The largest corpus of data comprise a home version of the temperament assessment battery adapted for middle childhood. Additional age 7 year home assessment included videotaped twin interactions, parent-twin interactions, the Berkeley Puppet Interview, measures of empathy, and cognitive development. In addition, this project includes our largest set of parent and sibling data (e.g., interviews, cortisol, genotyping, surveys). An additional group of twins underwent a similar age 7 assessment with concurrent psychophysiology measures.
The 12-year assessment included repeated measures of behavior, symptoms, cognition, cortisol, and experience (repeated for all family members). Additional assessment at age 12 included extensive home administered measurement of cognitive affective processes through self-report (e.g., attributional style, rumination) and computer-based Flanker tasks, and hormone measures of puberty. Most surveys about experience were captured with self-report, mother report, father report, and sometimes cotwin report.
The 15-year assessment was an abbreviated interview follow-up of regulation, symptoms, and experiences.
| Age | Interview | Survey | Cortisol Test | Behavior Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Mothers: >1500 Fathers: >1500 Twins: >1500 |
Mothers: >800 Fathers: >600 |
Mothers: >600 Fathers: >500 Siblings: >300 Twins: >1000 |
Twins: >1000 |
| 12 | Mothers: >1000 Fathers: >700 Twins: >1000 |
Mothers: >400 Fathers: >300 |
Caregivers: >600 Siblings: >200 Twins: >700 |
Twins: >700 |
| 15 | Mothers: >1000 Twins: >1000 |
Sample papers:
Gagne, J. R., O’Sullivan, D. L., Schmidt, N. L., Spann, C. A., & Goldsmith, H. H. (2017). The shared etiology of attentional control and anxiety: An adolescent twin study. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 27, 122-138. PMID: 28498525. PMCID: PMC5431083.
Sarkisian, K., Van Hulle, C., Lemery-Chalfant, K., & Goldsmith, H. H. (2016). Childhood inhibitory control and adolescent impulsivity and novelty seeking as differential predictors of relational and overt aggression. Journal of Research in Personality. Published online, 3 August. PMCID: PMC5624336.
Van Hulle, C., Moore, M. N., Shirtcliff, E. A., Lemery-Chalfant, K., Goldsmith, H. H. (2015). Genetic and environmental contributions to covariation between DHEA and testosterone in adolescent twins. Behavior Genetics, 45, 324-340. PMID: 25633628. PMCID: PMC4425578. DOI 10.1007/s10519-015-9709-7
Clifford, S., Lemery-Chalfant, K., & Goldsmith, H. H. (2015). The unique and shared genetic and environmental contributions to fear, anger, and sadness in childhood. Child Development, 86, 1538–1556. PMID: 26182850. PMCID: PMC4567924.
Vendlinski, M. K., Javaras, K. N., Van Hulle, C. A., Lemery-Chalfant, K., Maier, R., Davidson, R. J., & Goldsmith, H. H. (2014). Relative influence of genetics and shared environment on child mental health symptoms depends on comorbidity. PLOS-ONE, 9 (7), e103080. PMID: 25077799. PMCID: PMC4117501.
Lemery-Chalfant, K., Kao, K., Swann, G., & Goldsmith, H. H. (2013). Childhood temperament: Passive gene-environment correlation, gene-environment interaction, and the hidden importance of the family environment. Development and Psychopathology, 25, 51-63. PMID: 23398752. PMCID: PMC3581153.
Moore, M. N., Salk, R. H., Van Hulle, C. A., Abramson, L. Y., Hyde, J. S., Lemery-Chalfant, K., & Goldsmith, H. H. (2013). Genetic and environmental influences on rumination, distraction, and depressed mood in adolescence. Clinical Psychological Science, 1(3), 316-322. PMID: 23956956. PMCID: PMC3742117.
Van Hulle, C. A., Shirtcliff, E. S., Lemery-Chalfant, K. & Goldsmith, H. H. (2012). Genetic and environmental influences on individual differences in cortisol level and circadian rhythm in middle childhood. Hormones and Behavior, 62, 36-42. PMID: 22583671. PMCID: PMC3377812
Wagner, A. I., Schmidt, N. L., Lemery-Chalfant, K., Leavitt, L. A., & Goldsmith, H. H. (2009). The limited effects of obstetrical and neonatal complications on conduct and ADHD symptoms in middle childhood. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 30, 217-225. PMID: 19433988. PMCID: accepted before the deadline; not submitted.
Ruf, H. T., Schmidt, N. L., Lemery-Chalfant, K. & Goldsmith, H. H. (2008). Components of childhood impulsivity and inattention: Child, family, and genetic correlates. European Journal of Developmental Science, 2, 52-76. PMCID: accepted before the deadline; not submitted.
Schreiber, J. E., Shirtcliff, E., Van Hulle, C., Lemery-Chalfant, K. S., Klein, M. H., Kalin, N. H., Essex, M. J., & Goldsmith, H. H. (2006). Environmental influences on family similarity in afternoon cortisol levels: Twin and parent-offspring designs. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 31, 1131-1137. PMID: 16997489. PMCID: PMC2754130.
Sensory Over-responsivity
Sensory over-responsivity (SOR) has been investigated concurrent with nearly every testing occasion from toddlerhood (parent-report) through early adulthood (self-report). These data informed many key questions about etiology, comorbidities, symptom stability across childhood, and parent-offspring similarities. We also investigated distinctiveness between auditory and tactile sensitivities. Importantly, these data are from a community-based sample and inform important questions about the full range of auditory and tactile sensitivities. A subsample of 80 twin pairs with reported high SOR were studied in person at age 4 years in an age-matched control design. These unique data were largely made possible with the support from the Wallace Research Foundation.
Sample papers:
Van Hulle, C. A., Lemery-Chalfant, K., & Goldsmith, H. H. (2017). Parent-offspring transmission of internalizing and sensory over-responsivity symptoms in adolescence. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology. Published online, 10 April. PMID: 28393325. PMCID: PMC5634909.
Van Hulle, C., Lemery-Chalfant, K., & Goldsmith, H. H. (2015). Trajectories of sensory over-responsivity from early to middle childhood: Birth and temperament risk factors. PLoS ONE 10(6): e0129968. PMID: 26107259. PMCID: PMC4481270.
Van Hulle, C. A., Schmidt, N. L., & Goldsmith, H. H. (2012). Is sensory over-responsivity distinguishable from childhood behavior problems? A phenotypic and genetic analysis. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 53, 64-72. PMID: 21797864. PMCID: PMC3208137.
Keuler, M. M., Schmidt, N. L., Van Hulle, C. A., Lemery-Chalfant, K., & Goldsmith, H. H. (2011). Sensory over-responsivity: Prenatal risk factors and temperamental contributions. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 32, 533-541. PMID: 21743351. PMCID: PMC3163729.
Goldsmith, H. H., Van Hulle, C. A., Arneson, C. L., Schreiber, J. E., & Gernsbacher, M. A. (2006). A population-based twin study of parentally reported tactile and auditory defensiveness in young children. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 34, 378-392. PMID: 16649001.
MZ Difference with Neuroimaging
More than 170 monozygotic (MZ; genetically identify) twin pairs completed multimodal neuroimaging at age 12-23 years. All twins have rich early behavioral phenotyping. Imaging techniques included T1 weighted, diffusion tensor, arterial spin labeling, and resting state fMRI, and passive emotion task fMRI. Concurrent with the scan, we collected surveys, salivary cortisol and measures of cognitive affective processing with four tasks from the CAN-TAB (e.g., Affective Go/No-Go, Cambridge Gambling Task, Information Sampling Task, and One touch stocking of Cambridge).
The primary research goal is to quantify twin differences in brain structure, function, and circuitry and relate brain differences to differences in concurrent and early anxiety symptoms. What areas of brain structure and function are most susceptible to experiential differences before adulthood? How do experientially driven brain differences relate to clinically relevant behavior?
| Brain Scan | Survey | Behavior Sample | Cortisol Test | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Participants | >100 | >100 | >100 | >50 |
Sample papers:
Adluru, N., Luo, Z., Van Hulle. C, Schoen, A. J., Davidson, R. J., Alexander, A. L., & Goldsmith, H. H. (2017). Anxiety-related experience-dependent white matter structural differences in adolescence: A monozygotic twin difference approach. Scientific Reports, 7 (1), 8749. December, 2017. PMID: 28821748. PMCID: PMC5562810.
Burghy, C. A., Fox, M. E., Cornejo, M. D., Stodola, D. E., Van Hulle, C., Ojiaku, P., Schmidt, N. L., Davidson, R. J., Goldsmith, H. H., & Birn, R. M. (2016). Experience driven differences in childhood cortisol predict affect-relevant brain function and coping in adolescent monozygotic twins. Scientific Reports. Published online, Nov. 22. PMID: 27872489. PMCID: PMC5181835. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep37081 www.nature.com/articles/srep37081
Funding
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Active funding
R01-MH101504, P50 MH100031, U54 HD090256 (Waisman infrastructure), T32 MH18931, co-investigator
National Institute of Mental Health - Previous Funding
R01-MH101504, P50 MH100031, R01-MH59785 – renewed five years, P50 MH84051, R01 MH069793, R37-MH50560, R01-MH50560, P50-MH069315, UR3 DD000078-01, U54 MH66398, P50-MH52354, R01 MH44340, P50-MH52354
Foundation support - Previous Funding
- Wallace Research Foundation
- National Alliance for Autism Research
- MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Psychopathology and Development
- Dean Foundation
- March of Dimes Foundation
- MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Early Childhood Transitions
Waisman Center Infrastructure - Previous Funding
U54 HD090256, P30-HD03352