Genetic differential susceptibility to the effects of parenting

Abstract

Intervention efforts aimed at remediating or preventing problems in children typically prove only moderately effective due to substantial heterogeneity in their efficacy. It thus becomes important to account for such variation in intervention efficacy. Here we summarize illustrative evidence that, due to their genetic make-up, some children benefit more from interventions targeting parenting than do others. Whereas some work documents the role of single, 'candidate' genes, other work reveals the utility of compositing multiple genes and genetic pathways. Collectively, this research extends prior observational work indicating that children most negatively affected by adverse experiences also benefit the most from supportive ones, while underscoring the need for research illuminating underlying neurobiological mechanisms that instantiate differential susceptibility to environmental influences.