Population-Level Implications of Parental Similarity for the Prevalence and Heritability of Psychiatric Disorders

These findings suggest that partner similarity for psychiatric disorders is substantial and includes both within- and cross-disorder patterns, suggesting assortative mating alongside other mechanisms that may generate similarity between coparents. Regardless of its underlying mechanisms, this structure contributes meaningfully to observed family-based heritability and prevalence and leads to clustering of familial disease risk with important societal and public health implications.

Corresponding Author: Thomas Werge, PhD, Mental Health Services, Copenhagen University Hospital Thomas.Werge@regionh.dk& University of Copenhagen. Institute of Biological Psychiatry, Mental Health Services @ Sct. Hans, 2, Boserupvej, Roskilde 4000, Denmark (alfonso.buil.demur@regionh.dk).

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