Affiliation with substance‐using peers: Examining gene‐environment correlations among parent monitoring, polygenic risk, and children's impulsivity

Abstract

Parental monitoring can buffer the effect of deviant peers on adolescents’ substance use by reducing affiliation with substance-using peers. However, children’s genetic predispositions may evoke poorer monitoring, contributing to negative child outcomes. We examined evocative genotype-environment correlations underlying children’s genetic predisposition for behavioral undercontrol and parental monitoring in early adolescence via children’s impulsivity in middle childhood, and the influence of parental monitoring on affiliation with substance-using peers a year and a half later (n = 359). Genetic predisposition for behavioral undercontrol was captured using a polygenic risk score, and a portion of passive rGE was controlled by including parents’ polygenic risk scores. Children’s polygenic risk predicted poorer parental monitoring via greater children’s impulsivity, indicating evocative rGE, controlling for a portion of passive rGE. Poorer parental monitoring predicted greater children’s affiliation with substance-using peers a year and a half later. Results are discussed with respect to gene-environment correlations within developmental cascades.

Polygenic risk, family cohesion, and adolescent aggression in Mexican American and European American families: Developmental pathways to alcohol use

“…This study extends previous literature by considering ethnicity, as a proxy for culture, in a genetically sensitive design examining familial pathways to alcohol use. In particular, previous research has examined polygenic risk scores in evocative r GE underlying children's disinhibition in familial pathways to alcohol and substance use (Elam et al, 2016, 2017). A separate body of literature has examined gene–environment interactions between single candidate genes and parenting in predicting substance use within racial/ethnic minority groups (Brody, Beach, Philibert, Chen, Lei, et al, 2009) and in predicting externalizing behavior across European American and racial/ethnic minority groups (Propper et al, 2007).…”

“…A complementary conceptualization is when a child's genetic predisposition evokes a systematic reaction from their environment, known as an evocative r GE (Plomin et al, 1977; Scarr & McCartney 1983). Emerging research provides evidence that genetic predispositions for aggression and behavioral disinhibition in childhood can evoke negative parenting that subsequently contributes to psychopathology in adolescence and adulthood (Elam et al, 2017). Evocative r GE has primarily been investigated in relation to single genetic polymorphisms, but in more recent years cumulative measures of genetic predisposition have been examined.…”

“…One such approach is aggregating across a number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to form a polygenic risk score. In particular, a recent study formed a polygenic risk score for behavioral disinhibition that was found to be associated with parental monitoring in early adolescence via child impulsivity, indicative of an evocative r GE (Elam et al, 2017). Poor parental monitoring was subsequently associated with adolescents’ affiliation with substance-using peers a year later, a significant risk factor for substance use.…”

“…Seminal literature proposes that negative evocative rGEs, in which genetic predispositions manifesting as negative child behavior evoke negative reactions from their family environment, are more common than positive evocative rGEs (Plomin, DeFries, & Loehlin, 1977). In line with this theory, emerging research examining evocative rGE has found that adolescents’ genetic predispositions for behavioral disinhibition can evoke more negative family environments, which subsequently increases risk for later psychopathology and substance use (Elam et al, 2017). In particular, low family cohesion, that is low emotional and physical closeness, is one aspect of the family environment that is associated with greater alcohol use in adolescence and early adulthood (Foxcroft & Lowe, 1991; Gutman, Eccles, Peck, & Malanchuk, 2011; Smart, Chibucos, & Didier, 1990; Wagner et al, 2010).…”

Genes-in-Dyads: A Study of Relationship Quality

“…Third, behaviors of social alters could partially be “evoked” by a focal individual’s genetic propensities (McGuire et al, 2012). Childhood studies using PGSs have found linkages of adolescents’ genetic risk for aggression with low family cohesion (Elam et al, 2018), for behavioral undercontrol with poorer parental monitoring (Elam et al, 2017), and for poor response inhibition with mothers’ inconsistent parenting (Wang et al, 2017). Analogous patterns in partnerships remain unexplored.…”