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Child maltreatment, adaptive functioning, and polygenic risk: A structural equation mixture model
Eric L Thibodeau1, Katherine E Masyn2, Fred A Rogosch3
1University of Minnesota.
Insights
Child maltreatment significantly impacts adaptive functioning. Genetic factors also play a role, interacting with environmental influences on child development and behavior.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Behavioral Genetics
- Child Psychiatry
Background:
- Child maltreatment is a significant risk factor for adverse developmental outcomes.
- Understanding the interplay between genetic predispositions and environmental exposures is crucial for child mental health.
- Adaptive functioning encompasses prosocial, antisocial, withdrawn, and depressive behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the associations between child maltreatment, polygenic risk, and adaptive functioning.
- To identify distinct developmental trajectories based on behavioral indicators.
- To examine potential gene-environment interactions in shaping adaptive functioning.
Main Methods:
- A structural equation mixture model was employed.
- Latent class analysis was used to identify behavioral profiles in 1,004 children (aged 6-13).
- A weighted polygenic risk score was calculated from twelve genetic variants.
Main Results:
- Four distinct behavioral classes emerged: well-adjusted, externalizing, internalizing, and socially dominant.
- Significant main effects of maltreatment on adaptive functioning were observed.
- Evidence for a small but significant gene-environment interaction effect was found.
Conclusions:
- Child maltreatment has a substantial impact on adaptive functioning across different behavioral profiles.
- Genetic risk, in conjunction with environmental factors like maltreatment, influences child adaptive functioning.
- These findings highlight the complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors in child development.
Abstract:
This study used a structural equation mixture model to examine associations between child maltreatment, polygenic risk, and indices of adaptive functioning. Children aged 6 to 13 years (N = 1,004), half maltreated, half nonmaltreated, were recruited to attend a research day camp. Multi-informant indicators of prosocial behavior, antisocial behavior, withdrawn behavior, and depression were collected and used in a latent class analysis. Four classes emerged, characterizing "well-adjusted," "externalizing," "internalizing," and "socially dominant" groups. Twelve genetic variants, previously reported in the Gene × Environment literature, were modeled as one weighted polygenic risk score. Large main effects between maltreatment and adaptive functioning were observed (Wald = 35.3, df = 3, p < .0001), along with evidence of a small Gene × Environment effect (Wald = 13.5, df = 3, p = .004), adjusting for sex, age, and covariate interaction effects.
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