Gene–Environment Interplay Beyond Interactions: Psychosocial Environments Mediate Genetic Effects Underlying Externalizing-Behavior Trajectories
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Studies of gene-environment interplay largely focus on just one form of interplay–interaction–while neglecting the possibility of mediation, where genetic effects may operate indirectly through psychosocial environments. In this study, we used data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (N = 20,745) to characterize latent trajectories of substance use (SUB) and antisocial behavior (ASB) from ages 13 to 41 and computed polygenic scores (PGS; N = 4,868) for externalizing behaviors to investigate both interaction and mediation effects for SUB and ASB trajectories. Environmental factors examined were supportive parenting, delinquent peer affiliation, school connectedness, and neighborhood connectedness. Results showed no evidence of interaction effects. The association of PGS with SUB and ASB trajectories operated indirectly through psychosocial environments, most prominently via deviant peer affiliation, which mediated 13.6 - 51.3% of total genetic effects. Findings highlight how the interplay between nature and nurture goes beyond interactions alone.
Source: Clinical Psychological Science
Authors: LiChen Dong, A. Brooke Sasia, James J. Li
Institution: University of Wisconsin–Madison
Language: English
Subfield: Genetics
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funders: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, European Research Council, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institute on Aging, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Awards: G1019158808, G1241654768, Genes, Environments & Interventions: Understanding and Addressing Alcohol Misuse, G2484621610, G3105654706, The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, Add Health: A Genotype and Phenotype Resource for the Global Scientific Community, Social Demographic Moderation of Genome Wide Associations for Body Mass Index, The development of alcohol misuse and related problems from adolescence to early midlife, Using the Genetic Architecture of Substance Use Disorders to Advance Gene Identification and Understanding of Pathways of Risk, Cross-species investigation of gene networks for ethanol-related behaviors, Waisman Center Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Integrating developmental and genomic approaches to identify early trajectories of eating and internalizing disorder symptoms, National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health): Wave VI Cognition and Early Risk Factors for Dementia Project, The impact of early life adversity on brain network development in youth, National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health): Wave VI Core Project, Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA).
OpenAlex ID: W4407032289