Nonsupportive Parenting Affects Telomere Length in Young Adulthood Among African Americans: Mediation Through Substance Use

Telomere length (TL) is an indicator of age-related changes at the cellular level associated with heightened mortality risk. The effect of nonsupportive parenting (NSP) during late adolescence and young adulthood on TL 5 years later was examined in a sample of N = 183 young adult African Americans t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of family psychology 2014-12, Vol.28 (6), p.967-972
Main Authors: Beach, Steven R. H., Lei, Man Kit, Brody, Gene H., Yu, Tianyi, Philibert, Robert A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adolescents
Adult
African Americans
African Americans - genetics
African Americans - psychology
Alcoholism - complications
Alcoholism - genetics
Alcoholism - psychology
Black People
Childrearing Practices
Drug Usage
Drug use
Female
Genetics
Health
Human
Humans
Intervention
Male
Mortality
Mortality Rates
Parent Child Relations
Parental Involvement
Parenting - psychology
Parents & parenting
Risk
Risk factors
Smoking - adverse effects
Smoking - psychology
Social Support
Socioeconomic Status
Substance Abuse
Substance-Related Disorders - complications
Substance-Related Disorders - genetics
Substance-Related Disorders - psychology
Telomerase
Telomere Shortening - genetics
Telomeres
Young Adult
Young Adults
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Summary:Telomere length (TL) is an indicator of age-related changes at the cellular level associated with heightened mortality risk. The effect of nonsupportive parenting (NSP) during late adolescence and young adulthood on TL 5 years later was examined in a sample of N = 183 young adult African Americans to determine if effects of NSP on TL were mediated by substance use. Results indicated that the effect of caregiver reported NSP on diminished TL was mediated by escalation of drinking and smoking in young adulthood, even after controlling effects of socioeconomic status risk, gender, BMI, young adult stress, and intervention status. Results suggest that prevention of NSP may influence later physical health consequences by influencing substance use trajectory.
ISSN:0893-3200
1939-1293
DOI:10.1037/fam0000039