ABSTRACTEarly interactions with parents affect subsequent social experience throughout the course of a lifetime, as a repeated and prolonged perception of different levels of care, independence or control influences the modulation of emotional regulatory processes. As many factors play a role in shaping the expectations and features of social interaction, in this study we consider the influence of reported parental bonding and allelic variation of oxytocin receptor gene polymorphism (rs53576) over relationship levels of experienced anxiety and avoidance in 309 young adults belonging to two different cultural contexts, namely Italy and Singapore. Results highlight a major effect of maternal characteristics, care and overprotection, with differences between the two cultural groups. Additionally, the interaction between rs53576 and maternal overprotection suggest different environmental susceptibility in the Italian sample and the Singaporean one. Implication in clinical work and future steps are described in the conclusion.
Oxytocin receptor gene polymorphism (rs53576) moderates the intergenerational transmission of depression
