Episode 131 (Dr Alexandra Sullivan)

Parenting Practices May Buffer the Impact of Adversity on Epigenetic Age Acceleration Among Young Children With Developmental DelaysAlexandra D W Sullivan, Anne K Bozack, Andres Cardenas, Jonathan S Comer, Daniel M Bagner, Rex Forehand, Justin ParentAffiliations expandPMID: 37733001PMCID: PMC10626625 (available on 2024-09-21)DOI: 10.1177/09567976231194221AbstractThis study examined whether children exposed to adversity would exhibit lower epigenetic age acceleration in the context of improved parenting. Children with developmental delays and externalizing behavior problems (N = 62; Mage = 36.26 months; 70.97% boys, 29.03% girls; 71% Latinx, 22.6% Black) were drawn from a larger randomized controlled trial (RCT), which randomized them to receive Internet-delivered parent-child interaction therapy (iPCIT; n = 30) or community referrals as usual (RAU; n = 32). Epigenetic age acceleration was estimated with the pediatric buccal epigenetic clock, using saliva. Adversity was assessed using parent, family, and neighborhood-level cumulative-risk indicators. Adversity interacted with Time 2 (T2) observations of positive and negative-parenting practices to predict epigenetic age acceleration 1.5 years later, regardless of treatment assignment. Children exposed to more adversity displayed lower epigenetic age acceleration when parents evidenced increased positive (b = -0.15, p = .001) and decreased negative (b = -0.12, p = .01) parenting practices.