Interaction Between Oxytocin Gene Variants and Perceived Parenting in Relation to Social Anxiety in Adolescents: Evidence for Differential Susceptibility Effects

IntroductionAdolescence is a period of increasing demands in independent social functioning where parenting style may have an impact on social anxiety. A context-dependent effect of oxytocin on human social behavior has been suggested, however research on the gene coding for oxytocin (OXT) has mostly been reported without considering contextual factors.AimThis study investigated interactions between parenting style and polymorphic variations in the OXT gene in association with social anxiety symptoms in a community sample of adolescents.MethodsThe study group consisted of 1359 adolescents. Two single nucleotide polymorphisms located near OXT, rs4813625 and rs2770378, were genotyped. Social anxiety and perceived parenting style were assessed by behavioral questionnaires.ResultsSignificant joint effects in line with the differential susceptibility framework were observed for rs4813625 with parenting style. The levels of social anxiety among C allele carriers were conditional on the level of supportive parenting style whereas homozygote G carriers’ levels of social anxiety were unaffected by supportive parenting style. The nature of the interactions between rs2770378 and parenting style was in line with the diatheses-stress model. However, associations of rs2770378 and parenting style with social anxiety became nonsignificant in nonlinear models.ConclusionsThe study provides preliminary evidence for a modifying effect of supportive parenting style on the relationship between rs4813625 and social anxiety symptoms in adolescents, independent of sex. The findings may be interpreted from the perspective of the social salience hypotheses of oxytocin, with rs4813625 affecting social anxiety levels along a perceived unsafe–safe social context dimension.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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Differential susceptibility effects of oxytocin gene (OXT) polymorphisms and perceived parenting on social anxiety among adolescents

Development and Psychopathology ◽

10.1017/s0954579417000967 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 30 (2) ◽

pp. 449-459 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Susanne Olofsdotter ◽

Cecilia Åslund ◽

Tomas Furmark ◽

Erika Comasco ◽

Kent W. Nilsson

Keyword(s):

Social Anxiety ◽

Parenting Style ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Community Sample ◽

Differential Susceptibility ◽

Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽

Single Nucleotide ◽

Perceived Parenting ◽

Susceptibility Effects ◽

The Social

AbstractSocial anxiety is one of the most commonly reported mental health problems among adolescents, and it has been suggested that parenting style influences an adolescent's level of anxiety. A context-dependent effect of oxytocin on human social behavior has been proposed; however, research on the oxytocin gene (OXT) has mostly been reported without considering contextual factors. This study investigated the interactions between parenting style and polymorphic variations in the OXT gene in association with social anxiety symptoms in a community sample of adolescents (n = 1,359). Two single nucleotide polymorphisms linked to OXT, rs4813625 and rs2770378, were genotyped. Social anxiety and perceived parenting style were assessed by behavioral questionnaires. In interaction models adjusted for sex, significant interaction effects with parenting style were observed for both variants in relation to social anxiety. The nature of the interactions was in line with the differential susceptibility framework for rs4813625, whereas for rs2770378 the results indicated a diathesis–stress type of interaction. The findings may be interpreted from the perspective of the social salience hypothesis of oxytocin, with rs4813625 affecting social anxiety levels along a perceived unsafe–safe social context dimension.

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Toddler dysregulated fear predicts continued risk for social anxiety symptoms in early adolescence

Development and Psychopathology ◽

10.1017/s0954579419001743 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-12 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Kristin A. Buss ◽

Sunghye Cho ◽

Santiago Morales ◽

Meghan McDoniel ◽

Ann Frank Webb ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Social Anxiety ◽

Relationship Quality ◽

Peer Relationships ◽

Parental Monitoring ◽

Social Withdrawal ◽

Community Sample ◽

Anxiety Symptoms ◽

Child Reports ◽

Two Samples

Abstract Identifying early risk factors for the development of social anxiety symptoms has important translational implications. Accurately identifying which children are at the highest risk is of critical importance, especially if we can identify risk early in development. We examined continued risk for social anxiety symptoms at the transition to adolescence in a community sample of children (n = 112) that had been observed for high fearfulness at age 2 and tracked for social anxiety symptoms from preschool through age 6. In our previous studies, we found that a pattern of dysregulated fear (DF), characterized by high fear in low threat contexts, predicted social anxiety symptoms at ages 3, 4, 5, and 6 years across two samples. In the current study, we re-evaluated these children at 11–13 years of age by using parent and child reports of social anxiety symptoms, parental monitoring, and peer relationship quality. The scores for DF uniquely predicted adolescents’ social anxiety symptoms beyond the prediction that was made by more proximal measures of behavioral (e.g., kindergarten social withdrawal) and concurrent environmental risk factors (e.g., parental monitoring, peer relationships). Implications for early detection, prevention, and intervention are discussed.

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Gene–environment interaction: New insights into perceived parenting and social anxiety among adolescents

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/j.eurpsy.2020.62 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 63 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Viktoria Chubar ◽

Karla Van Leeuwen ◽

Patricia Bijttebier ◽

Evelien Van Assche ◽

Guy Bosmans ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Risk Factors ◽

Social Anxiety ◽

Environmental Risk ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Environmental Risk Factors ◽

Biological Pathways ◽

Anxiety Symptoms ◽

Perceived Parenting ◽

Gene Environment

Abstract Background. Social anxiety symptoms (SAS) are among the most common mental health problems during adolescence, and it has been shown that parenting influences the adolescent’s level of social anxiety. In addition, it is now widely assumed that most mental health problems, including social anxiety, originate from a complex interplay between genes and environment. However, to date, gene–environment (G × E) interactions studies in the field of social anxiety remain limited. In this study, we have examined how 274 genes involved in different neurotransmission pathways interact with five aspects of perceived parenting as environmental exposure (i.e., support, proactive control, psychological control, punitive control, and harsh punitive control) to affect SAS during adolescence. Methods. We have applied an analytical technique that allows studying genetic information at the gene level, by aggregating data from multiple single-nucleotide-polymorphisms within the same gene and by taking into account the linkage disequilibrium structure of the gene. All participants were part of the STRATEGIES cohort of 948 Flemish adolescents (mean age = 13.7), a population-based study on the development of problem behaviors in adolescence. Relevant genes were preselected based on prior findings and neurotransmitter-related functional protein networks. Results. The results suggest that genes involved in glutamate (SLC1A1), glutathione neurotransmission (GSTZ1), and oxidative stress (CALCRL), in association with harsh punitive parenting, may contribute to social anxiety in adolescence. Isolated polymorphisms in these genes have been related to anxiety and related disorders in earlier work.Conclusions: Taken together, these findings provide new insights into possible biological pathways and environmental risk factors involved in the etiology of social anxiety symptoms’ development. Conclusions. Taken together, these findings provide new insights into possible biological pathways and environmental risk factors involved in the etiology of social anxiety symptoms’ development.

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Detecting social anxiety symptoms in adolescents: Prevalence and comorbid symptoms in a community sample (the HUNT study) and a clinical sample (the CAP survey)

Neuropsychiatrie de l Enfance et de l Adolescence ◽

10.1016/j.neurenf.2012.04.207 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 60 (5) ◽

pp. S160

Author(s):

I. Ranøyen ◽

J. Wallander ◽

M.S. Indredavik ◽

T. Jozefiak

Keyword(s):

Social Anxiety ◽

Clinical Sample ◽

Community Sample ◽

Anxiety Symptoms ◽

Hunt Study

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Perceived Parenting Style and Adolescents’ Social Anxiety in Selangor, Malaysia

Makara Human Behavior Studies in Asia ◽

10.7454/hubs.asia.1120220 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 24 (1) ◽

pp. 17

Author(s):

Chin Wen Cong ◽

Chuah Peng Aik ◽

Mohtaram Rabbani ◽

Arianna Oh Zhing Ni

Keyword(s):

Social Anxiety ◽

Parenting Style ◽

Perceived Parenting

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Authoritative Maternal Parenting Associates With the Explicit Need for Autonomy

Journal of Individual Differences ◽

10.1027/1614-0001/a000309 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 41 (2) ◽

pp. 110-116

Author(s):

Jonathan E. Ramsay

Keyword(s):

University Students ◽

Parenting Style ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Perceived Parenting ◽

Maternal Parenting ◽

Retrospective Design ◽

Dependent Variables ◽

Paternal Parenting ◽

The Relationship

Abstract. Previous research suggests that parenting style influences the development of the needs for achievement, power, and affiliation. The present study investigated the relationship between parenting style and another important motive disposition – the need for autonomy – in a sample of Singapore university students ( N = 97, 69% female), using a cross-sectional and retrospective design. It was predicted that an authoritative perceived parenting style would relate positively to the implicit need for autonomy ( nAut), the explicit need for autonomy ( sanAut), and the congruence between these two motive dispositions. Authoritative maternal parenting was found to positively associate with sanAut, while maternal parenting was not found to associate with nAut, or with nAut/ sanAut congruence. Paternal parenting was not associated with any of the dependent variables.

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Factorial Structure of the SCAS and Its Relationship With the SDQ

European Journal of Psychological Assessment ◽

10.1027/1015-5759/a000117 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 29 (1) ◽

pp. 28-35 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Daniela Di Riso ◽

Daphne Chessa ◽

Andrea Bobbio ◽

Adriana Lis

Keyword(s):

Age Differences ◽

Convergent Validity ◽

Factor Model ◽

Community Sample ◽

Anxiety Symptoms ◽

Factorial Structure ◽

Confirmatory Factor ◽

Culturally Based ◽

Positive Correlations ◽

Italian Children

The factorial structure of the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale (SCAS; Spence, 1997 ) was examined in a community sample of 1,397 Italian children from 8 to 10 years old. Sex and age differences as regards anxiety symptoms were also analyzed. The convergent validity of the SCAS was explored through correlations with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ; Goodman, 1997 ). The use of confirmatory factor analysis supported the six correlated factor model of the SCAS with only minor differences compared to the original work by Spence (1997 ), and it was therefore named SCAS-it. Modifications to the original SCAS were supported by methodologically, theoretically, and culturally based arguments. The internal consistency of the SCAS-it was acceptable. Females displayed significantly higher levels of anxiety symptoms than males, while age differences were nonsignificant. Positive correlations were found between the SCAS-it and selected subscales of the SDQ. The results support the SCAS model, with few exceptions that do not threaten the utility of Spence’s tool.

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Sex Differences in Childhood Associations between DNA Markers and General Cognitive Ability

Journal of Individual Differences ◽

10.1027/1614-0001.28.3.161 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 28 (3) ◽

pp. 161-164 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Rosalind Arden ◽

Nicole Harlaar ◽

Robert Plomin

Keyword(s):

Sex Differences ◽

Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽

Cognitive Ability ◽

Dna Markers ◽

Community Sample ◽

Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽

General Cognitive Ability ◽

Single Nucleotide ◽

The Difference

Abstract. An association between intelligence at age 7 and a set of five single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) has been identified and replicated. We used this composite SNP set to investigate whether the associations differ between boys and girls for general cognitive ability at ages 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, and 10 years. In a longitudinal community sample of British twins aged 2-10 (n > 4,000 individuals), we found that the SNP set is more strongly associated with intelligence in males than in females at ages 7, 9, and 10 and the difference is significant at 10. If this finding replicates in other studies, these results will constitute the first evidence of the same autosomal genes acting differently on intelligence in the two sexes.

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