The serotonin transporter gene polymorphism (5HTTLPR) moderates the effect of adolescent environmental conditions on self-esteem in young adulthood: a structural equation modeling approach

Abstract

Here we examine the effects of both self-reported and independent observer-reported environmental risk indices, the serotonin transporter gene promoter (5HTTLPR) polymorphism, and their interaction on self-esteem. This trait was assessed during early and mid adolescence (mean age=14 and 16.5, respectively) and young adulthood (mean age=21.8) in a prospective cohort of 1214 unrelated participants in the Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Using structural equation modeling we identified a gene-environment (G×E) interaction using observer-report but not self-report measures of environmental stress exposure during adolescence: 5HTTLPR genotype and observer-reports of home and neighborhood quality (HNQ) during adolescence interacted to predict self-esteem levels in young adulthood (p<.004). Carriers of the s allele who lived in poor HNQ conditions during adolescence reported lower self-esteem in young adulthood than those with a good HNQ during adolescence. In contrast, among individuals with the l/l genotype, adolescent HNQ did not predict adulthood self-esteem. Genes may moderate the effect of adolescent environmental conditions on adulthood self-esteem.

Fig. 1

Latent construct Environmental Risk, showing the 4 latent variables of parenting, social support, home support, and stressful events, and their measured variables. Loadings are shown for Wave I early adolescence, and were similar for Wave II mid adolescence.

Fig. 2

Model testing the effects of environmental factors on self-esteem by genotype group. Variables SE1, SE2, and SE3 represent self-esteem, ENV1 and ENV2 represent environmental risk, and HNQ1 and HNQ2 represent home and neighborhood quality latent variables; 1 = Wave I early adolescence, 2 = Wave II mid adolescence, and 3 = Wave III early adulthood. Solid lines are significant paths. Only paths that differed by genotype show different loadings for each genotype group. All other paths were equal across genotype groups. Dashed lines indicate non-significant paths.

Fig. 3

Multiple linear regression analysis estimating the association between Wave II adolescent home and neighborhood quality factor score (average age = 16.5) and Wave III adulthood self-esteem factor score (average age = 21.8) as a function of the 3 5HTTLPR genotypes (l/l, s/l, and s/s), adjusting for age, gender and race.