Further evidence of the limited role of candidate genes in relation to infant–mother attachment outcomes

ABSTRACT

In this paper, we examine the associations between specific candidate genes (DRD2, DRD4, COMT, biallelic and tri-allelic 5HTTLPR, and OXTR) and infant attachment outcomes as main effects and in conjunction with maternal sensitivity. The sample included 200 infants (97 European American, 94 African-American, and 9 biracial) and their mothers. Maternal sensitivity and overtly negative maternal behavior were observed when infants were 6 months and 1 year old in distress-eliciting contexts, attachment was assessed via the Strange Situation at age 1, and DNA samples were collected when children were 2 years old. Consistent with recent research in large samples, there was little evidence that these genes are associated with attachment security, disorganization, or distress as main effects (in additive, dominant, and homozygous models) or in conjunction with maternal sensitivity or overtly negative behavior (primarily dominance models). Furthermore, there was little evidence that associations vary as a function of race.

KEYWORDS:

• Attachment
• candidate genes
• molecular genetics
• maternal sensitivity
• G X E

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) under R01HD058578 and R21HD073594. The contents of this article are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of NICHD. We are grateful to the participants for their time and Dr. Regan Burney and project staff for their dedication.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) [Grant Numbers R01HD058578 and R21HD073594];