MAOA Genotype and Longitudinal Delinquency among Males in the United States: The Moderating Role of Parental Incarceration and Parental Closeness

Michael E. Roettger, University of Colorado at Boulder
Guang Guo, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, we examine the relationship between the 2R allele in the MAOA gene with detailed information about delinquent behaviors among males paired with data on their biological mother and father’s incarceration histories. We show an increased risk of delinquent behaviors among carriers of the 2R allele compared to those without this allele. This association is completely independent of maternal and paternal incarceration histories eliminating the possibility of passive gene-environment correlation. This association is also consistent regardless of parental incarceration history (no evidence for a social trigger gene-environment interaction) but the risk of the 2R allele is significantly reduced for those who report a close relationship with their fathers (evidence for the social control gene-environment model). We discuss the importance of considering mass incarceration and the rise of single-parent households) when considering gene-environment interactions predicting delinquency in the modern U.S. society.