Resilience in refugee and Dutch adolescents: Genetic variability in the corticotropin releasing hormone receptor 1

Abstract

Relationships between the corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 1 (CRHR1) [rs878886] and serotonin transporter promoter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR), with resilience and satisfaction with life were examined in 172 adolescents; 70 refugee adolescents living in the Netherlands and 102 non-refugee (Dutch) adolescents. Genetic variation in the CRHR1 was related with self-reported resilience and satisfaction with life, while the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism was not. These findings did not depend on being a refugee or a non-refugee (Dutch) adolescent and did hold after accounting for age, number of exposures to potentially traumatic events and gender. This implies that adolescents who are G-allele carriers of CRHR1 (rs878886) might be more susceptible to mental health problems following trauma, further suggesting innate differences in CRHR1 as a factor in resilience.