The Dark Side of Friends: A Genetically Informed Study of Victimization Within Early Adolescents’ Friendships

Using a genetically informed twin design, this study examined (a) whether, in line with gene–environment correlation (rGE), a genetic disposition for anxiety puts children at risk of being victimized by a close friend or by other peers, and (b) whether, in line with gene–environment interaction (GxE), victimization by a close friend or by other peers moderates the expression of a genetic disposition for anxiety. Participants were 268 monozygotic...