title: 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.
authors.affiliation: a Human Development and Family Studies , The University of North Carolina at Greensboro , Greensboro , NC , USA.
authors.forename: Esther M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Leerkes
authors.affiliation: a Human Development and Family Studies , The University of North Carolina at Greensboro , Greensboro , NC , USA.
authors.forename: Lindsey R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Gedaly
authors.affiliation: a Human Development and Family Studies , The University of North Carolina at Greensboro , Greensboro , NC , USA.
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: a Human Development and Family Studies , The University of North Carolina at Greensboro , Greensboro , NC , USA.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Calkins
authors.affiliation: b Center for Biotechnology, Genomics, and Health Research , The University of North Carolina at Greensboro , Greensboro , NC , USA.
authors.forename: Vincent C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Henrich
authors.affiliation: c Institute for Behavioral Genetics , University of Colorado Boulder , Boulder , CO , USA.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Smolen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018730:Infant Behavior; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D009034:Mother-Child Relations / Q000523:psychology*; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D009769:Object Attachment; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000235:genetics; D050638:Receptors, Dopamine D4 / Q000235:genetics; D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin / Q000235:genetics; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C581293:DRD2 protein, human; C493599:DRD4 protein, human; C569600:OXTR protein, human; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin; D050638:Receptors, Dopamine D4; C588010:COMT protein, human; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase
keywords: Attachment; G X E; candidate genes; maternal sensitivity; molecular genetics