Negative parenting, epigenetic age, and psychological problems: prospective associations from adolescence to young adulthood
Mastrotheodoros, Stefanos; Boks, Marco P.; Rousseau, Céline; Meeus, Wim; Branje, Susan
(2023) Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, volume 64, issue 10, pp. 1446 - 1461
(Article)
Abstract
Background: Epigenetic clocks are based on DNA methylation levels of several genomic loci and have been developed as indices of biological aging. Studies examining the effects of stressful environmental exposures have shown that stress is associated with differences between epigenetic age and chronological age (i.e., Epigenetic Age acceleration, EA). This
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pre-registered longitudinal study examined the long-term effects of negative parenting and psychological problems throughout adolescence (ages 13–17 years) on EA in late adolescence (age 17 years) and EA changes from late adolescence to young adulthood (age 25 years). Further, it examined how (change in) EA is related to changes in psychological problems from adolescence to young adulthood. Methods: We used data from a sample of 434 participants followed from age 13 to age 25, with saliva collected at ages 17 and 25. We estimated EA using four commonly used epigenetic clocks and analyzed the data using Structural Equation Modeling. Results: While negative parenting was not related to EA nor change in EA, (change in) EA was related to developmental indices such as externalizing problems and self-concept clarity. Conclusions: Declining psychological well-being during young adulthood was preceded by EA.
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Keywords: Adolescence, epigenetic age, epigenetics, longitudinal studies, mental health, parenting, Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health, Developmental and Educational Psychology, Psychiatry and Mental health
ISSN: 0021-9630
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
Note: Funding Information: Data of the RADAR (Research on Adolescent Development And Relationships) study were used ( https://doi.org/10.17026/dans‐zrb‐v5wp ). RADAR has been financially supported by main grants from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (GB‐MAGW 480‐03‐005, GB‐MAGW 480‐08‐006), Stichting Achmea Slachtoffer en Samenleving (SASS), the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research to the Consortium Individual Development (CID; 024.001.003), a grant of the European Research Council (ERC‐2017‐CoG ‐ 773023 INTRANSITION), and various other grants from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research, VU University Amsterdam, and Utrecht University. The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The authors have declared that they have no competing or potential conflicts of interest. Key points Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.
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