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Peer Victimization and DRD4 Genotype Influence Problem Behaviors in Young Children

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Abstract

Decades of research supports the presence of significant genetic influences on children’s internalizing (emotional), externalizing (acting out), and social difficulties, including victimization. Additionally, being victimized has been shown to relate to further behavioral problems. The current study assessed the nature of the gene–environment relationships between the DRD4 gene, peer victimization, and externalizing and internalizing difficulties in 6- to 10-year-old children. 174 children (56 % girls; 88.6 % Caucasian, 3.4 % African American, 8 % mixed race or Mayan) and their parents were administered victimization and problem behavior questionnaires, and DRD4 was genotyped for the children. An interaction between genes (DRD4) and environment (victimization) was significant and supported the differential susceptibility model for verbal victimization and child-reported externalizing behaviors. Children with the DRD4 7-repeat allele were differentially responsive to the verbal victimization environment, such that those experiencing little to no victimization reported significantly lower levels of externalizing behaviors, but if they experienced high amounts of victimization, they reported the highest levels of externalizing behaviors. Thus, consideration of how genes and environment affect children’s experiences of victimization prior to adolescence is essential for understanding the trajectory of both externalizing and internalizing behaviors during adolescent development.

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Acknowledgments

Funding for this study was provided by grants from SIUC, the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, and the Center for Integrative Neuroscience-Cognitive Neurosciences (CIR-CNS) awarded to the first author. The authors wish to thank Dr. Andrew Smolen for expert assistance with genotyping. We also wish to thank all the families who graciously gave their time for this study.

Author contributions

LD conceived of the study, participated in its design and coordination, performed the statistical analyses, and drafted the manuscript; KB conceived of the study, participated in interpretation of the data, and helped to draft the manuscript; SJ participated in the design and interpretation of the data and helped to draft the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Family and Community Medicine, Mail Code 6503, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Carbondale, IL, 62901, USA

    Lisabeth Fisher DiLalla

  2. Department of Psychology, Mail Code 6502, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, 62901, USA

    Kyle Bersted

  3. Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA

    Sufna Gheyara John

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  1. Lisabeth Fisher DiLalla
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Correspondence to Lisabeth Fisher DiLalla.

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DiLalla, L.F., Bersted, K. & John, S.G. Peer Victimization and DRD4 Genotype Influence Problem Behaviors in Young Children. J Youth Adolescence 44, 1478–1493 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-015-0282-4

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