Discrimination and anxiety: Using multiple polygenic scores to control for genetic liability

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Genetics
• Public Health

Background:

• Research links discrimination to increased anxiety and negative affect.
• Genetic factors may confound the association between discrimination and mental health.
• Previous studies lacked strict genetic controls.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between discrimination and anxiety/negative affect with genetic controls.
• To determine if discrimination is an environmental risk or reflects genetic liability.
• To inform public health interventions for mental well-being.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Study of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) biomarker project.
• Employed strict genetic controls, including polygenic scores and genetic principal components.
• Applied structural regression modeling to a sample of 1,146 European ancestry adults.

Main Results:

• Greater perceived discrimination was significantly associated with increased anxiety/negative affect (β = 0.53, P < 0.001).
• This association remained robust after accounting for genetic confounds.
• Findings support discrimination as an environmental risk factor.

Conclusions:

• Perceived discrimination is an environmental risk factor for anxiety and negative affect.
• It does not appear to be an index of genetic liability for anxiety, depression, or neuroticism.
• Mitigating the impact of discrimination is crucial for population mental health.