Physiological and Cognitive Mediators of Gene x Environment Interaction Effects on Children's Antisocial Behaviour

Lead Research Organisation: King's College London
Department Name: Social Genetic and Dev Psychiatry Centre

Abstract

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Description Our goal was to test whether harsh and nonsupportive parenting in early childhood was associated with children's physiological and behavioral development when they were 8 to 11 years old. We also aimed to better understand why some children might be resilient to early experiences of harsh and non-supportive parenting. So far, we have shown that children who experienced harsh and non-supportive parenting at age 3 had a blunted stress response 5 to 7 years later (as measured by the stress hormone cortisol), but only if they had also experienced traumatic events in the recent past, like violence in their families or neighborhoods. Thus, early and on-going exposure to harsh parenting and traumatic events was associated with a blunted cortisol response that was also predictive of children's externalizing and internalizing problems. In the absence of on-going exposure to traumatic events however, harsh and non-supportive parenting in early childhood were not associated with cortisol reactivity. This research was published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry in 2014. In a different paper, we found that children who were experiencing harsh parenting, low parental warmth, and other traumatic events in the family and neighborhood were at especially elevated risk for internalizing and externalizing problems if they carried the short form of a gene called the serotonin transporter-linked polymorphic region, but not if they carried two copies of the long form of this gene. Moreover, we showed that youth who carried the short form of the gene were at elevated risk for internalizing problems under conditions of environmental risk because they less frequently used distraction coping strategies (e.g., doing physical activity, reading a book to take their mind off their problems). We are making minor revisions to this manuscript for invited resubmission to the journal Development and Psychopathology. Finally, we have found that boys (but not girls) who experienced harsh and non-supportive parenting at age 3 scored higher on a measure of hostile attributional bias (i.e., the tendency to attribute malign intent to others under conditions of ambiguity). This effect was only significant, however, for boys who carried two copies of the minor allele of the beta 2 adrenergic receptor gene, which is involved in the regulation of blood pressure and cardiovascular reactivity. Thus, boys who have a genotype that predisposes to cardiovascular reactivity and who have been exposed to high levels of hostility in the family are quicker to attribute malign intend to another person's (potentially benign) behavior than boys who carry a different genotype or who have not been exposed to a hostile family environment. We are currently revising this manuscript for resubmission. These findings have been summarized in a Society for Research in Child Development Social Policy Report published in 2014 which reviewed studies on the neurobiology of abuse and neglect and discussed the implications of this research for policy.
Exploitation Route Our findings potentially inform interventions for youth at risk for internalizing and externalizing problems. For example, our findings suggest that interventions to promote the use of distraction coping strategies may be particularly effective for youth who are already experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety. Our findings also suggest that relaxation interventions (e.g., deep breathing, mindfulness meditation) may reduce blood pressure and help at least a subset of youth who come from hostile family environments to better encode, interpret, and respond to others' behavior, particularly under conditions of ambiguity. Finally, our findings on cortisol reactivity suggest that studies designed to identify links between exposure to stressors and cortisol reactivity must take into account a child's developmental history of stressor exposure (i.e., timing and chronicity) in order to make accurate predictions about whether stressor exposure at a given point in time will be associated with hyper- or hypo-activity of the stress response system.
Sectors Communities and Social Services/Policy,Education,Healthcare
 
Description The main impact has been to heighten awareness of how experiences in the family become biologically embedded in children's physiological response to subsequent stressors. Based on my research, I was invited to participate in several meetings organized by the Administration for Children, Youth, and Families in the United States to discuss research on the neurobiology of abuse and neglect. I was also invited to write the lead article in a Society for Research in Child Development Social Policy Report on the neurobiology of abuse and neglect. This report reviewed the relevant literature and discussed the policy implications of this research for the various sectors that interact with maltreated youth (e.g., health care, child protective services, foster care services).
First Year Of Impact 2012
Sector Communities and Social Services/Policy,Healthcare
Impact Types Policy & public services
 
Description University Research Foundation
Amount $35,200 (USD)
Organisation University of Pennsylvania 
Sector Academic/University
Country United States
Start 03/2014 
End 09/2015
 
Description Government consultation 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact Results of the panel were summarized in a Society for Research in Child Development policy brief that was published in 2014. The panel was also the impetus for a larger convening on the topic that involved a much bigger group of policy makers and legislative staffers.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2012
 
Description My Genes Made Me Do It public lecture 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Talk sparked questions and discussion afterwards.

None that I am aware of.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2011
 
Description Public lecture (Cardiff University) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Talk sparked questions and discussion afterwards

None that I am aware of.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2012
 
Description government consultation 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? Yes
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact Talks sparked questions and discussion afterwards on the intersection of research and policy.

US policy makers are devoting additional funding to the implementation and evaluation of trauma-focused interventions with youth in the child welfare system.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2013