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Sometimes It's Good to be Short: The Serotonin Transporter Gene, Positive Parenting, and Adolescent Depression
Author(s) -
Little Keriann,
Olsson Craig A.,
Whittle Sarah,
Macdonald Jacqui A.,
Sheeber Lisa B.,
Youssef George J.,
Simmons Julian G.,
Sanson Ann V.,
Foley Debra L.,
Allen Nicholas B.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/cdev.12987
Subject(s) - 5 httlpr , psychology , depression (economics) , serotonin transporter , allele , developmental psychology , genotype , clinical psychology , psychiatry , genetics , gene , biology , macroeconomics , economics
In threatening environments, the short (S) allele of 5‐HTTLPR is proposed to augment risk for depression. However, it is unknown whether 5‐HTTLPR variation increases risk for depression in environments of deprivation, lacking positive or nurturant features. Two independent longitudinal studies ( n = 681 and 176, respectively) examined whether 5‐HTTLPR moderated associations between low levels of positive parenting at 11–13 years and subsequent depression at 17–19 years. In both studies only LL homozygous adolescents were at greater risk for depression with decreasing levels of positive parenting. Thus, while the S allele has previously been identified as a susceptible genotype, these findings suggest that the L allele may also confer sensitivity to depression in the face of specific environmental challenges.