1. The Roles of Genetic Background and Event Valence
in the Association between Stressful Life Events and Adolescent Antisocial Behavior
David W. Sosnowski1, Kristine Marceau2, Shawn J. Latendresse3, Briana Horwitz4, David Reiss5, Jenae M. Neiderhiser6
1Virginia Commonwealth University 2Brown University/Rhode Island Hospital 3Baylor University 4California State University, Fullerton 5Yale University 6The Pennsylvania State University
Abstract
Results
Conclusion
Associations between total SLE occurrences, uniquely positive SLE occurrences, and uniquely negative SLE occurrences and adolescent antisocial behavior were examined. In addition, associations among 5-HTTLPR and Taq1A and adolescent antisocial behavior were tested, along with their interactions with SLEs. Data were obtained from Waves 1 and 3 of the Nonshared Environment in Adolescent Development Study (N = 264; Females = 52%; Mage = 13.5). Regression analyses were used to examine main effects of each life event variable, each functional polymorphism, and their pairwise interactions. Uniquely positive SLEs were associated with less adolescent antisocial behavior, but no association between either total SLE occurrences or uniquely negative SLEs and adolescent antisocial behavior was found. Furthermore, there was an interaction between 5-HTTLPR and negative SLE occurrences predicting less adolescent antisocial behavior. No associations were found between Taq1A and adolescent antisocial behavior and no gene-environment interactions emerged. Findings suggest that perceived valence is essential in understanding the effects of SLEs on adolescent antisocial behavior, both independently and in the presence of genetic moderators.
Positive stressful life events were associated with decreases in antisocial behaviors.
Total SLEs and negative SLEs had no effect on antisocial behaviors.
Taq1A was not associated with antisocial behaviors.
An interaction effect was detected for 5-HTTLPR and negative SLEs: For adolescent carriers of the “long” allele, more negative SLEs were associated with more antisocial behaviors.
Perceived event valence plays an important role in the manifestation of adolescent antisocial behaviors.
The “short” allele of 5-HTTLPR may not confer risk in context of SLEs.
Neither 5-HTTLPR or Taq1A appear to function differentially within the context of SLEs.
Future studies should examine additional genetic variants and use novel gene scoring approaches (e.g., polygenic scores) to aid in detecting effects.
References
Belsky, J., & Pluess, M. (2009). Beyond diathesis stress: Differential susceptibility to environmental influences. Psychological Bulletin, 135,
Jackson, Y. & Warren, J. S. (2000). Appraisal, social support, and life events: Predicting outcomes behavior in school-age children. Child Development, 71(5),
Seo, D., Patrick, C. J., & Kennealy, P. J. (2008). Role of serotonin and dopamine system interactions in neurobiology of impulsive aggression and its comorbidity with other clinical disorders. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 13,
Timmermans, M., van Lier, P. A. C., & Koot, H. M. (2010). The role of stressful events in the development of behavioural and emotional problems from early childhood to late adolescence. Psychological Medicine, 40,
Introduction
Stressful life events (SLEs) are linked with externalizing outcomes during adolescence (Timmermans et al., 2010).
Life events literature often overlooks the impact of event valence (i.e., positive vs. negative) regarding SLEs.
Research suggests event valence may play a role in one’s response to SLEs (Jackson & Warren, 2000).
5-HTTLPR and Taq1A have been associated with an individual’s response to stressful experiences (Seo et al., 2008), both for better and for worse (Belsky and Pluess, 2009).
The current study aimed to examine the independent and interactive effects of event valence and genetic background on adolescent antisocial behavior in response to positive and negative SLEs.
Acknowledgements
Funding for this study was supported by NIMH grants R01MH43373; R01MH48825; R01MH59014 & the William T. Grant Foundation. In addition, the study was supported by NIDA grant F31DA