title: Evidence of a Gene × Environment Interaction Between Birth Weight and Genetic Risk in the Prediction of Criminogenic Outcomes Among Adolescent Males.
abstract: A number of studies have revealed that low birth weight children have a heightened risk of various maladaptive outcomes, including academic challenges and delinquent involvement. However, very little research to date has examined whether the relationship between low birth weight, poor academic performance, and delinquent peer affiliation is moderated by genetic risk. Using data from the National Longitudinal study of Adolescent Health, the present study examines whether male adolescents born at very low birth weights are significantly predisposed to poor academic performance and delinquent peer affiliation. Moreover, we test whether the effect of birth weight on these outcomes is conditioned by level of genetic risk. We find no evidence that very low birth weight males are more likely to affiliate with delinquent peers or perform poorly in school during adolescence. However, upon examining gene-environment interactions, we find that being born at a very low birth weight does significantly increase the odds of poor academic performance and delinquent peer affiliation among males who possess a higher level of genetic risk. Limitations are noted and the implications of the findings are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Florida State University, Tallahassee, USA dbj09@my.fsu.edu.
authors.forename: Dylan B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.affiliation: Florida State University, Tallahassee, USA Center for Social and Humanities Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Kevin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Beaver
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000483:Alleles; D001724:Birth Weight; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D004522:Educational Status; D059647:Gene-Environment Interaction; D005838:Genotype; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000235:genetics; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000235:genetics; D050638:Receptors, Dopamine D4 / Q000235:genetics; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014481:United States
chemical_list: C581293:DRD2 protein, human; C493599:DRD4 protein, human; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; C493214:SLC6A3 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D050638:Receptors, Dopamine D4; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase; C579458:monoamine oxidase A, human
keywords: birth weight; delinquent peer affiliation; gender; genetic risk; moderating effects; poor academic performance