title: Helping relationships and genetic propensities: a combinatoric study of DRD2, mentoring, and educational continuation.
abstract: From conception to death, helping relationships promote positive development and enable people to surmount challenges in their lives. Is it the case that the negative consequences of a genetic propensity for risky behaviors can be attenuated by helping relationships (a G x E)? But is it also the case that people with such a genetic propensity are less likely to have helping relationships compared to people without such a propensity (a rGE)? We illustrate this complex pattern of gene-environment interplay by drawing on the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health and a combinatoric analytic strategy. We focus on a gene associated with dopamine receptor type 2 (DRD2 TaqIA), student-mentor relationships, and educational continuation beyond secondary school. Results reveal that, for both white and black males, DRD2 A1+ (A1A1 and A1A2 genotypes) is associated with a decreased likelihood of school continuation compared to their counterparts with DRD2 A1-; mentors who are teachers compensate for this negative association (a G x E); and youth with DRD2 A1+ are less likely to have a mentor who is a teacher than their counterparts with DRD2 A1- (a rGE).
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3210, USA. mjshan@unc.edu
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Shanahan
authors.forename: Lance D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Erickson
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vaisey
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Smolen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D001483:Base Sequence; D002648:Child; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005824:Genetics, Behavioral; D006379:Helping Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008611:Mentors; D010551:Personality; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000235:genetics*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012919:Social Behavior; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2