title: Adolescent Loneliness and the Interaction between the Serotonin Transporter Gene (5-HTTLPR) and Parental Support: A Replication Study.
abstract: Gene-by-environment interaction (GxEs) studies have gained popularity over the last decade, but the robustness of such observed interactions has been questioned. The current study contributes to this debate by replicating the only study on the interaction between the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) and perceived parental support on adolescents' peer-related loneliness. A total of 1,111 adolescents (51% boys) with an average age of 13.70 years (SD = 0.93) participated and three annual waves of data were collected. At baseline, adolescent-reported parental support and peer-related loneliness were assessed and genetic information was collected. Assessment of peer-related loneliness was repeated at Waves 2 and 3. Using a cohort-sequential design, a Latent Growth Curve Model was estimated. Overall, a slight increase of loneliness over time was found. However, the development of loneliness over time was found to be different for boys and girls: girls' levels of loneliness increased over time, whereas boys' levels of loneliness decreased. Parental support was inversely related to baseline levels of loneliness, but unrelated to change of loneliness over time. We were unable to replicate the main effect of 5-HTTLPR or the 5-HTTLPR x Support interaction effect. In the Discussion, we examine the implications of our non-replication.
authors.affiliation: Department of School Psychology and Child and Adolescent Development, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Annette W M
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Spithoven
authors.affiliation: Department of School Psychology and Child and Adolescent Development, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bijttebier
authors.affiliation: Department of Methodology of Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Van Den Noortgate
authors.affiliation: Department of School Psychology and Child and Adolescent Development, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Hilde
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Colpin
authors.affiliation: Department of School Psychology and Child and Adolescent Development, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Karine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Verschueren
authors.affiliation: Department of Parenting and Special Education, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Karla
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Van Leeuwen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Claes
authors.affiliation: Department of School Psychology and Child and Adolescent Development, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Goossens
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008132:Loneliness / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008957:Models, Genetic; D010290:Parents; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins