Genes involved in stress response and alcohol use among high-risk African American youth

This research summary can be incorporated into a lecture or shared with students as a reading to demonstrate how psychological science explores the diversity of human experience. This resource can also be used to encourage students to identify the major components of a research study (i.e., the hypothesis or study question, sample, method, and findings). Students can be asked to identify potential limitations of the study and encouraged to discuss the implications for our understanding of human behavior. Keywords highlight how concepts within and across pillars are incorporated into a single research study.

Both genetic and environmental factors can contribute to alcohol misuse in young adults. This research team was interested in exploring whether stressful life events (e.g., loss of a family member) impacted the relationship between two genotypes and alcohol use in a sample of African American adolescents. The researchers hypothesized that the relationship between genes and alcohol would be stronger for those youth who experienced higher levels of life stress. To answer this research question, the study enrolled 541 Black teens living in high poverty neighborhoods, ages 13-18, with approximately 51.6% female. Data collection efforts included both extensive interviews and collection of DNA via saliva samples. Results indicated that neither genotype was associated directly with alcohol use; however, stressful life events were associated with alcohol use such that the more stressful events youth reported, the more alcohol use they reported. In addition, one of the genotypes combined with stressful life events to lead to more alcohol use. This study provides one example of the interactions between genetic and environmental factors in the behavioral outcomes of African American adolescents.

Goyal, N., Aliev, F., Latendresse, S. J., Kertes, D. A., Bolland, J. M., Byck, G. R., Mustanski, B., Salvatore, J. E., & Dick, D. M. (2016). Genes involved in stress response and alcohol use among high-risk African American youth. Substance Abuse, 37(3), 450–458. https://doi.org/10.1080/08897077.2015.1134756opens in new window

Race, Biological, Adolescents, Substance Use, Stress

The development of resources to broaden diversity and representation in the teaching of high school psychology resources is an APA Committee of Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools initiative supported by funding from the American Psychological Foundation David and Carol Myers Fund. This resource was developed by Eric Castro, Shawn C.T. Jones, PhD, Allyn Olsen, and Catherine Sanderson, PhD.