The Early Growth and Development Study: Family Process, Genes and School Entry

描述(申请人提供)：这项拟议的研究是早期生长发育研究(EGDS)的继续，这是一项由350个收养三合一(亲生父母、领养儿童和养父母)组成的前瞻性收养设计。这项工作的主要目的是研究基因x环境(GxE)相互作用的机制，以确定防止遗传风险表达和促进遗传弹性表达的环境过程。我们关注GxE相互作用的三条发展路径：内化行为、外化行为和社会能力。我们还探讨了与这些途径密切相关的三个早期反应系统的作用假设：新出现的识字能力、HPA轴功能和执行功能。拟议的数据收集包括遗传风险和保护因素的多方法、多代理措施、环境过程以及儿童在过渡到小学期间的行为和神经调节发展。这一过渡过程中的成功或失败对儿童的心理健康和药物使用具有长期影响。亲生父母面对面评估建议在儿童5岁时进行，收养家庭面对面评估建议在41岁/z、6岁(幼儿园)和7岁(一年级)进行。建议的目标如下：(1)确定特定的父母过程，以调节遗传影响对儿童的内化行为、外化行为和社会能力的表达(基因-环境相关性)；(2)确定特定的父母养育过程和背景因素，以缓和基因对内化行为、外化行为和社会能力的影响(GxE交互作用)；(3)确定父母教养和收养家庭背景因素调节基因表达的机制；以及(4)探索可能调节儿童对家庭环境的影响或对家庭环境的敏感性的早期反应系统。 公共卫生相关性：幼儿的外化和内化问题给家庭和学校带来了严峻的挑战。进入小学时有问题的儿童更有可能在学业上挣扎，并在青少年和成年后获得心理健康和社会服务。拟议的工作将建立一个经验基础，以帮助指导在家庭环境中管理的预防计划。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The proposed study is the continuation of the Early Growth and Development Study (EGDS), a prospective adoption design consisting 350 adoption triads (birth parents, adopted child, and adoptive parents). The overarching aim of this work is to study mechanisms of Genotype x Environment (GxE) interaction to identify environmental processes that prevent the expression of genetic risk and promote the expression of genetic resilience. We focus on mechanisms of GxE interaction along three developmental pathways: internalizing behavior, externalizing behavior, and social competence. We also explore hypotheses regarding the role of three early responding systems that are closely linked to these pathways: emergent literacy, HPA axis functioning, and executive functioning. The proposed data collection consists of multimethod, multiagent measures of genetic risk and protective factors, environmental processes, and children's behavioral and neuroregulatory development during the transition to primary school. Success or failure during this transition has long-term implications for children's mental health and drug use. Birth parent in-person assessments are proposed at child age 5, and adoptive family in-person assessments are proposed at ages 41/z, 6 (kindergarten), and 7 (first grade). The following aims are proposed: (1) To identify specific parenting processes that mediate the expression of genetic influences on children's internalizing behavior, externalizing behavior, and social competence (genotype-environment correlation); (2) to identify specific parenting processes and contextual factors that moderate genetic influences on internalizing behavior, externalizing behavior, and social competence (GxE interaction); (3) to identify mechanisms by which parenting and adoptive family contextual factors moderate genotype expression; and (4) to explore early responding systems that may moderate a child's effect on or sensitivity to the family environment. Public Health Relevance: Young children's externalizing and internalizing problems pose critical challenges for families and schools. Children who enter primary school with problems are more likely to struggle academically and to access mental health and social services as adolescents and adults. The proposed work would build an empirical foundation to help guide prevention programs administered in family settings.