Maternal childhood adversity and child temperament: An association moderated by child 5‐HTTLPR genotype |
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| Authors: | Andrée‐Anne Bouvette‐Turcot A S Fleming A Wazana M B Sokolowski H Gaudreau A Gonzalez J Deslauriers J L Kennedy M Steiner M J Meaney |
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| Institution: | 1. Douglas Mental Health University Institute of McGill University;2. Département de PsychologieUniversité de Montréal;3. Department of PsychologyUniversity of Montreal;4. Centre for Child Development and Mental Health, Jewish General Hospital of McGill University, Montreal;5. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto;6. St. Joseph's Hospital and Department of Psychiatry, McMaster University, Hamilton;7. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural NeurosciencesOfford Center for Child Studies, McMaster University;8. Center for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto;9. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral NeurosciencesMcMaster University;10. Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton, Canada;11. Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore |
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| Abstract: | We examined transgenerational effects of maternal childhood adversity on child temperament and a functional promoter polymorphism, 5‐HTTLPR, in the serotonin‐transporter gene (SLC6A4) as potential moderators of such maternal influences in 154 mother–child dyads, recruited into a longitudinal birth cohort study. We examined the interactive effects of maternal childhood experience using an integrated measure derived from Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and Parental Bonding Index (PBI). Triallelic genotyping of 5‐HTTLPR was performed. A measure of ‘negative emotionality/behavioural dysregulation’ was derived from the Early Childhood Behaviour Questionnaire at 18 and 36 months. Negative emotionality/behavioural dysregulation was highly stable between 18 and 36 months and predicted psychosocial problems at 60 months. After controlling multiple demographics as well as both previous and concurrent maternal depression there was a significant interaction effect of maternal childhood adversity and offspring 5‐HTTLPR genotype on child negative emotionality/behavioural dysregulation (β = 1.03, t11,115 = 2.71, P < .01). The results suggest a transgenerational effect of maternal developmental history on emotional function in the offspring, describing a pathway that likely contributes to the familial transmission of vulnerability for psychopathology. |
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| Keywords: | Differential susceptibility maternal adversity negative emotionality 5‐HTTLPR genotype transgenerational transmission |
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