The interaction between neighborhood disadvantage and genetic factors in the prediction of antisocial outcomes

Objective. There is growing recognition that antisocial behaviors are produced by a combination of environmental and genetic factors. Research has revealed that environmental and genetic factors work interactively and often moderate the effects of the other. Method. We test for gene– environment interactions in the current study by examining whether neighborhood disadvantage interacts with two dopamine receptor genes (DRD2 and DRD4) to predict three different antisocial measures: adolescent victimization, contact with delinquent peers, and involvement in violent delinquency. Results. Analysis of male respondents drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health revealed that the association between the two dopamine genes and the measures of antisocial outcomes tended to be stronger in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Conclusions. Antisocial outcomes appear to be affected by gene–environment interactions between dopaminergic genes and neighborhood disadvantage