Genetic moderation of transactional relations between parenting practices and child self-regulation.

Abstract

The present study addressed the ways in which parent and child dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) genotypes jointly moderate the transactional relations between parenting practices and child self-regulation. African American children (N = 309) and their parents provided longitudinal data spanning child ages 11 to 15 years and a saliva sample from which variation at DRD4 was genotyped. Based on the differential susceptibility perspective, this study examined moderation effects of DRD4 status on (a) the extent to which parenting practices affect child self-regulation and (b) the extent to which child self-regulation, as an environmental influence on the parent, affects parenting behavior. Results indicated that responsive-supportive parenting interacted with children’s DRD4 status to influence increases in child self-regulation. Also, child self-regulation interacted with parent’s DRD4 status to predict changes in parenting practices. Both G × E effects conformed to a differential susceptibility model in which parents’ and children’s DRD4 genes operated to increase environmental sensitivity in a “for better and for worse” manner.

A biopsychosocial approach to processes and pathways in the development of overweight and obesity in childhood: Insights from developmental theory and research

“…Differential susceptibility to environmental influences has been prominent in research and theory in developmental science . This means that developmental outcomes arise from parenting in relation to individual differences in the propensity or vulnerability for poor outcomes such as adjustment difficulties: If children with a higher biological or genetic vulnerability experience a harsh or negative psychosocial parenting environment, adjustment difficulties are more likely .…”

“…Therefore, earlier interactions or behaviors of parent and child can influence subsequent behavior in the other, and so on. For example, effective parenting promotes child self‐regulation, which in turn supports effective parenting behavior . This suggests that parent and child are part of a dynamic unfolding system over time.…”

“…Differential susceptibility to environmental influences has been prominent in research and theory in developmental science. 99,[227][228][229] This means that developmental outcomes arise from parenting in relation to individual differences in the propensity or vulnerability for poor outcomes such as adjustment difficulties: If children with a higher biological or genetic vulnerability experience a harsh or negative psychosocial parenting environment, adjustment difficulties are more likely. 103,229 In recognition of the central of role of biologically based individual susceptibility, genetic, biological, and/or temperament indicators are routinely included in longitudinal child development research that includes psychosocial influences.…”

“…For example, effective parenting promotes child self-regulation, which in turn supports effective parenting behavior. 228 This suggests that parent and child are part of a dynamic unfolding system over time.…”

Precision Strategies as a Timely and Unifying Framework for Ongoing Prevention Science Advances

“…contribution of a study to precision prevention is the discovery of a subpopulation for which an intervention either lacks or provides especially large efficacy as opposed to identification of the optimal treatments for multiple subpopulations (Cho et al 2016;Glenn et al 2018;Howe 2018). Moreover, for the purpose of advancing precision prevention science, discoveries about subpopulations for which an intervention fails to work or yields iatrogenic effects can be among the most cited and important studies in terms of experimental insight into the underlying mechanisms of etiology and prevention (Dishion et al 1999;Tryon 2018).…”