Final answer:
The study by Gottesman and Shields (1966) found that individuals with a higher genetic risk for schizophrenia were more likely to develop the disorder when raised in disturbed family environments. This highlights the importance of gene-environment interactions in the development of schizophrenia.
Step-by-step explanation:
The study conducted by Gottesman and Shields (1966) investigated the relationship between genetic relatedness and the mental health disorder of schizophrenia.
They found that individuals with a higher genetic risk for schizophrenia were more likely to develop the disorder when raised in disturbed family environments.
Specifically, the study showed that 36.8% of adoptees with high genetic risk and a disturbed family environment developed schizophrenia, compared to 5.8% with high genetic risk and a healthy family environment.
This research supports the idea that both genetic vulnerability and environmental stressors are necessary for schizophrenia to develop, highlighting the role of gene-environment interactions in the disorder.
Overall, the study concludes that genes alone do not fully determine whether an individual will develop schizophrenia.