Evaluating the genetic susceptibility to peer reported bullying behaviors

Rashelle J Musci; Amie F Bettencourt; Danielle Sisto; Brion Maher; George Uhl; Nicholas Ialongo; Catherine P Bradshaw

doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2018.03.016

Evaluating the genetic susceptibility to peer reported bullying behaviors

Psychiatry Res. 2018 May:263:193-198. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2018.03.016. Epub 2018 Mar 15.

Authors

Rashelle J Musci¹, Amie F Bettencourt², Danielle Sisto³, Brion Maher³, George Uhl⁴, Nicholas Ialongo³, Catherine P Bradshaw⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 North Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 North Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 550 North Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
³ Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 North Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
⁴ Research Service, New Mexico VA Healthcare System, Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico, Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions.
⁵ Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 North Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Curry School of Education, University of Virginia, PO Box 400270, Charlottesille, VA 22904, USA.

Abstract

Bullying is a significant public health concern with lasting impacts on youth. Although environmental risk factors for bullying have been well-characterized, genetic influences on bullying are not well understood. This study explored the role of genetics on early childhood bullying behavior. Participants were 561 children who participated in a longitudinal randomized control trial of a preventive intervention beginning in first grade who were present for the first grade peer nominations used to measure early childhood bullying and who provided genetic data during the age 19-21 year follow-up in the form of blood or saliva. Measures included a polygenic risk score (PRS) derived from a conduct disorder genome wide association study. Latent profile analysis identified three profiles of bullying behaviors during early childhood. Results suggest that the PRS was significantly associated with class membership, with individuals in the moderate bully-victim profile having the highest levels of the PRS and those in the high bully-victim profile having the lowest levels. This line of research has important implications for understanding genetic vulnerability to bullying in early childhood.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Bullying*
Child
Child, Preschool
Conduct Disorder / epidemiology
Conduct Disorder / genetics
Conduct Disorder / psychology
Crime Victims / psychology*
Female
Genetic Predisposition to Disease / epidemiology
Genetic Predisposition to Disease / genetics*
Genetic Predisposition to Disease / psychology*
Genome-Wide Association Study / trends*
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Peer Group*

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding