Monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) interaction with parenting practices on callous-unemotional traits in preschoolers

Background and Objectives: From a gene-by-environment perspective, parenting in interaction with the polymorphism in the Monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene (MAOA-uVNTR) might also be associated with increased callous-unemotional traits (CU) in preschoolers. MAOA-uVNTR results in differential enzyme activity, so that high-activity alleles (MAOA-H) are linked to reduced dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine availability in comparison to low-activity allele (MAOA-L). As MAOA-uVNTR has been previously described to moderate the relationship between childhood parental maltreatment and aggressive and antisocial behavior, it may also play a role in CU traits etiology.MethodsData was collected through questionnaires answered by parents and teachers. MAOA-uVNTR was genotyped in 368 Caucasian children from a community sample (51.9% male). Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to analyze the interaction effect of MAOA genotypes and both positive parenting and punitive parenting practices on CU traits at two different periods (3 and 5 years old) and separately by sex.ResultsNo significant interactions were found for boys. Among girls, a significant interaction effect was found for MAOA-LL carriers, who showed higher CU traits at age 5 when exposed to higher punitive or positive parenting at age 3.ConclusionsOur study provides the first evidence for significant MAOA × early parenting effects on CU traits in preschoolers, specifically among female MAOA-LL carriers. This suggests that the MAOA-LL genotype for girls is associated with higher sensitivity to both positive and punitive parenting in girls, so that MAOA-LL emerges as a genotype that confers higher vulnerability to parental influences. (AU)

Predictors of functional impairment in children and adolescents.

The goal of this study was to investigate the variables that best predict functional impairment in children and adolescents. Two hundred and eight psychiatric and 129 pediatric children aged 7 to 17 years were assessed with measures of psychopathology, functional impairment, temperament, marital discord, educational style, coping, developmental milestones, stressful life events, medical history, school information, and family history of psychopathology. Multiple regression models adjusted by psychopathology were estimated. The global model, which included all the significant variables in partial models, revealed the following predictors of impairment: receiving review lessons, chronic disease or handicap, the presence of problems the child interpreted as stressful, late onset and long duration of psychopathological problems. These indicators could be useful for the proper identification of children with severe difficulties, in order to provide them with adequate psychological services.

Diagnostic agreement between clinicians and the Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents--DICA-R--in an outpatient sample.

The paper examines the diagnostic agreement between clinicians and the Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents. One hundred and thirty-seven outpatients-children and adolescents, and their parents-were diagnosed independently following DSM-III-R criteria by clinicians and by the DICA-R. The diagnostic concordance between clinicians and DICA-R ranged from low to moderate in the majority of the categories. The only exception was Conduct Disorder. Differences depending on the informant and the quality of the information (cognitive vs. observable) were observed. Combining the information from the child/adolescent and their parents ameliorates the concordance. The reasons for the scanty agreement found could be due to the fact that clinicians and structured interviews differ in what they evaluate (conditions on which they focus), how they evaluate (strictness in the criteria application, use of different informants and different information etc.), and when they evaluate (present condition vs. lifespan). After analysing the pros and cons of both, the use of structured interviews is advisable for research purposes. There is a clear need for a variety of informants, and the combination of information from different sources is recommended, depending on the age of the children and the type of disorder.