DIVERGE · Diverging Destinies: Introducing the Role of Social Environment and Genetic Sensitivity in the Effects of Family Instability

Diverging Destinies: Introducing the Role of Social Environment and Genetic Sensitivity in the Effects of Family Instability

Today a substantial share of children experiences their parents to separate or divorce, to re-partner with someone new, and potentially have children with this new partner. Whereas we know that such family instability has detrimental consequences for children’s behavior and mental health, it remains unclear the degree to which these negative effects are unevenly distributed. To disentangle this question, this project investigates the role of social environment and genetic sensitivity in the effects of family instability from a cross-disciplinary perspective. The project used new and unique data and combined insights from the social and the biological sciences in order to advance knowledge on three connected issues: 1. Do negative effects of family instability circumstances vary for children born into different family structures, and among children experiencing more family instability circumstances during childhood? 2. Are negative effects family instability augmented among children with fewer resources available in their social environment? 3. Are negative effects of family instability concentrated among children with greater genetic sensitivity? Based on the research undertaken by this project, we can conclude that children born into more fragile family structures, such as growing up without a residential father figure or experiencing spells of significant poverty, experience vastly greater effects relative to their peers born into more stable family structures. Likewise, negative effects of family instability are augmented among children with fewer resources available in their social environment. This latter finding also have spill-over effects into childrens other significant environments, including their school environment. Chidlren with fewer socio-economic resources available report significantly poorer social and psychological wellbeing also at school. Indeed, genetic sensitivity plays a crusial role too. Although differential susceptability may not apply evenly across different health outcomes and distributions, it was found that children with genetic predispositions and fewer resources available were more likely to experience augmented negative health effects. It is important to improve our understanding of heterogeneity in effects of resources available in the family environment because it allows us to more effectively address barriers to children’s’ development and families’ social mobility and improved health outcomes. Taken together, the results from this project can help explain why some children overcome the experience of social disadvantage while others don’t. Thereby this project provides a framework for how to better tailor interventions and programs serving children and families, and thus reduce children’s negative outcomes.

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз