Intermediate
Technical
IVT
familial aggregation
The tendency for psychiatric disorders to occur more frequently within families than would be expected by chance.
Full Definition
Familial aggregation refers to the clustering of psychiatric disorders within family units at rates exceeding population expectations, indicating shared genetic and/or environmental risk factors. In psychiatric epidemiology, family aggregation studies examine patterns of disorder occurrence across generations and among relatives of different degrees. These investigations help distinguish genetic from environmental contributions to psychiatric risk and inform genetic counseling and prevention strategies.
Usage
Usage note: Expressed as relative risk or odds ratios comparing affected vs. unaffected families.
In Context
- "Strong familial aggregation of bipolar disorder suggested significant genetic influences." — family study results
- "The study examined familial aggregation patterns across three generations of affected families." — multigenerational study design
Also known as
family clustering
familial clustering
Contrasted with
random distribution
Don't confuse with
heritability
genetic correlation