Related Data for: Serotonin Transporter Gene Polymorphisms and Maternal Overprotection Regulate Adult Social Expectations on Close Relationships

Humans are evolutionary-driven to adult mating and conceive social expectations on the quality of their affiliations. The genetic susceptibility to adverse environments in critical periods can alter close relationships. The current research investigates how the promoter region of the Serotonin Transporter Gene (5-HTTLPR) and perceived caregiving behavior in childhood could influence the social expectations on close adult relationships. For this purpose, 5-HTTLPR data was collected from the buccal mucosa of 65 Italian individuals (33 males). The participants filled a) the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) to provide the levels of care and overprotection from mother and father, and b) the Experience in Close Relationships-Revised (ECR-R) to report the social expectations on the intimate relationship assessed in terms of anxiety and avoidance from the partner. An interaction effect between 5-HTTLPR and PBI dimensions on the ECR-R scores was hypothesized. Results confirmed that the interplay between the genetic groups and history of maternal overprotection predicted avoidance experienced in romantic relationships in adulthood. Moreover, both adult anxiety and avoidance felt in an intimate relationship were found to covary as a function of maternal overprotection. The present work proposes further evidence of the genetic and parental mechanisms regulating social expectations involved in close relationships.

人类受进化驱动以完成成年婚配，并会对自身社交联结的质量形成社会期望。个体在关键时期暴露于不良环境的遗传易感性，可改变其亲密关系模式。本研究旨在探讨5-羟色胺转运体基因（Serotonin Transporter Gene, 5-HTTLPR）启动子区域多态性，以及个体感知到的童年期照料行为，如何影响其对成年亲密关系的社会期望。为此，研究人员从65名意大利被试（其中男性33名）的口腔黏膜样本中提取了5-HTTLPR数据。被试完成了两项量表：a）父母联结量表（Parental Bonding Instrument, PBI），用以报告其感知到的母亲与父亲的照料水平及过度保护程度；b）亲密关系经历修订版量表（Experience in Close Relationships-Revised, ECR-R），用以报告其对亲密关系的社会期望，该维度以伴侣引发的焦虑与回避感作为评估指标。研究假设5-HTTLPR与PBI各维度之间的交互效应，会对ECR-R得分产生影响。研究结果证实，遗传分组与母亲过度保护经历之间的交互作用，可预测个体成年后在浪漫关系中体验到的回避感。此外，研究还发现，个体在亲密关系中体验到的成年期焦虑与回避感，均随母亲过度保护程度的变化而共变。本研究为调控亲密关系中社会期望的遗传与家庭教养机制提供了进一步的实验证据。