|
|||||
|
|
Infant Pathways to Externalizing Behavior: Evidence of Genotype × Environment Interaction |
|
| Authors: | Leslie D Leve David C R Kerr Daniel Shaw Xiaojia Ge Jenae M Neiderhiser Laura V Scaramella John B Reid Rand Conger David Reiss |
| Institution: | Oregon Social Learning Center; Oregon Social Learning Center and Oregon State University; University of Pittsburgh; University of Minnesota, Twin Cities; The Pennsylvania State University; University of New Orleans; Oregon Social Learning Center; University of California, Davis; Yale University |
| Abstract: | To further the understanding of the effects of early experiences, 9-month-old infants were observed during a frustration task. The analytical sample was composed of 348 linked triads of participants (adoptive parents, adopted child, and birth parents]) from a prospective adoption study. It was hypothesized that genetic risk for externalizing problems and affect dysregulation in the adoptive parents would independently and interactively predict a known precursor to externalizing problems: heightened infant attention to frustrating events. Results supported the moderation hypotheses involving adoptive mother affect dysregulation: Infants at genetic risk showed heightened attention to frustrating events only when the adoptive mother had higher levels of anxious and depressive symptoms. The Genotype × Environment interaction pattern held when substance use during pregnancy was considered. |
| Keywords: | |