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Differential Sensitivity to Prevention Programming: A Dopaminergic Polymorphism-Enhanced Prevention Effect on Protective Parenting and Adolescent Substance Use
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Differential Sensitivity to Prevention Programming: A Dopaminergic Polymorphism-Enhanced Prevention Effect on Protective Parenting and Adolescent Substance Use

Gene H Brody, Yi-fu Chen, Steven R. H Beach, Steven M Kogan, Tianyi Yu, Ralph J DiClemente, Gina M Wingood, Michael Windle and Robert A Philibert
Health psychology, Vol.33(2), pp.182-191
02/2014
DOI: 10.1037/a0031253
PMCID: PMC3695005
PMID: 23379386

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Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate a genetic moderation effect of dopamine receptor-4 gene (DRD4) alleles that have 7 or more repeats on the efficacy of a preventive intervention to deter rural African American adolescents' substance use. Methods: Adolescents (N = 502, M age = 16 years) were assigned randomly to the Strong African American Families-Teen (SAAF-T) program or to a control condition and were followed for 22 months. Adolescents provided data on substance use, and both adolescents and their primary caregivers provided data on intervention-targeted protective parenting practices. Results: Male adolescents who carried at least one allele of DRD4 with 7 or more repeats who were assigned to the control condition evinced more substance use across 22 months than did (a) carriers of at least one allele of DRD4 with 7 or more repeats who were assigned to SAAF-T or (b) adolescents assigned to either condition who carried two alleles of DRD4 with 6 or fewer repeats. These findings were mediated by DRD4 × SAAF-T interaction effects on increases in intervention-targeted protective parenting practices, a mediated moderation effect. Conclusions: The results imply that prevention effects on health-relevant outcomes for genetically susceptible individuals, such as carriers of at least one allele of DRD4 with 7 or more repeats, may be underestimated.
substance use genetics intervention prevention African American

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