Does cortisol moderate the environmental association between peer victimization and depression symptoms? a genetically informed twin study
Article [Accepted Manuscript]
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Psychoneuroendocrinology ; vol. 84, pp. 42-50.Publisher(s)
ElsevierAuthor(s)
Affiliation
Abstract(s)
Many youths who are victimized by peers suffer from depression symptoms. However, not all bullying
victims become depressed and individuals’ biological sensitivity may play an important moderating role in this
regard. In line with this notion, peer victimization has been associated with increased depressive symptoms in
youth with higher basal cortisol secretion. It is unclear, however, whether this moderating effect of cortisol really
concerns the environmental effect of peer victimization on depression. Indeed, genetic factors can also influence
individuals’ environmental experiences, including peer victimization, and part of these genetic factors may be
those associated with depression. Using a genetically informed design based on 159 monozygotic and 120
dizygotic twin pairs (52% girls) assessed at age 14 years, this study examined whether cortisol secretion
moderates the environmental or the genetic association between peer victimization and depression symptoms.
Salivary cortisol at awakening was obtained with buccal swabs during four school week days. Peer victimization
and depression were assessed via self-reports. Cholesky modeling revealed that peer victimization was
associated with depression symptoms via both genetic and environmental pathways. Moreover, the
environmental association between peer victimization and depression symptoms steadily increased with
increasing levels of morning cortisol. The genetic association between peer victimization and depression
symptoms also varied, albeit less, as a function of individuals’ cortisol secretion. These findings support the
hypothesis that peer victimization increases internalizing psychopathology mainly in youth with heightened
biological reactivity to environmental conditions.
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