Polygenic Risk, Family Cohesion, and Adolescent Aggression in Mexican-Origin and Non-Hispanic White Families: Pathways to Early Adult Alcohol Use

Evocative gene-environment correlations (rGEs) occur when children’s genetic predispositions evoke negative reactions from their family environment, which can subsequently increase risk for substance use later in life.... [ view full abstract ]

Evocative gene-environment correlations (rGEs) occur when children’s genetic predispositions evoke negative reactions from their family environment, which can subsequently increase risk for substance use later in life. Family cohesion is characterized by warmth, support, and stable family interactions, and can buffer against alcohol use during adolescence and into early adulthood (Kopak et al., 2012). However, family cohesion can be affected by adolescent aggression, which has a genetic basis (Porsch et al., 2016). In addition, family cohesion is present to some degree in all families but is a particularly central value for Latino families (Kopak et al. 2012). The current study examines whether evocative rGE underlies Mexican-origin and Non-Hispanic White children’s genetic predisposition for aggression, aggression and family cohesion across adolescence in pathways to early adult alcohol use.

Participants were from a longitudinal study of risk for alcohol disorder. Adolescents were Non-Hispanic White (67.2%, n=322) and Mexican-origin (32.8%, n=157), and 46.7% female. Participants were assessed in early adolescence (T1: Mage=11.67, SD=1.18), a year later (T2: Mage=12.86, SD=1.40), and in early adulthood (T3: Mage=19.66, SD=1.70). SNPs for the current polygenic risk score (PRS) were drawn from a meta-GWAS of childhood aggression (Pappa et al., 2016) at the p < .10 cutoff. Adolescents reported on family cohesion and their aggression at T1 and T2 which were examined in a cross-time cross-lagged model with T2 family cohesion and aggression predicting their report of alcohol use at T3. Pathways were subsequently probed for differences between Non-Hispanic White and Mexican-origin adolescents.

The PRS was associated with T1 aggression (B=.10, SE=.04, p=.017), T1 family cohesion (B=-.11, SE=.05, p=.029), and marginally with T2 family cohesion (B=-.10, SE=.05, p=.06), providing preliminary evidence of evocative rGE. There was a cross-lagged association between T1 aggression and T2 family cohesion (B=-.13, SE=.05, p=.014). Greater family cohesion at T2 was associated with less alcohol use at T3 (B=-.16, SE=.07, p=.02), and this association was found to be stronger for Mexican-origin adolescents (B=-.26, SE=.10, p=.042) compared to Non-Hispanic White adolescents (B=-.15, SE=.08, p=.059; Satorra-Bentler X²(1)=5.22, p=.022).

These results support the presence of evocative rGE within a developmental cascade to early adult alcohol use. Genetic risk for aggression in early adolescence evoked poorer family cohesion, which buffered against alcohol use in early adulthood. Within this cascade family cohesion appears to play a greater protective role for Mexican-origin adolescents compared to Non-Hispanic White adolescents. In particular, it may be beneficial to intervene early in developmental cascades within the family through culturally-informed interventions.

Kopak, A.M., Chen, A.C.C., Haas, S.A., & Gillmore, M.R. (2012). The importance of family factors to protect against substance use related problems among Mexican heritage and White youth. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 124(1), 34–41.

Pappa, I., St Pourcain, B., Benke, K., Cavadino, A., Hakulinen, C., Nivard, M. G., … Tiemeier, H. (2016). A genome-wide approach to children’s aggressive behavior: The EAGLE consortium. Neuropsychiatric Genetics, 171(5), 562–572

Porsch, R.M., Middeldorp, C.M., Cherny, S.S., Krapohl, E., van Beijsterveldt, C.E.M., Loukola, A.,…Bartels, M. (2016). Longitudinal heritability of childhood aggression. Neuropsychiatric Genetics, 171(5), 697–707.