Differential Susceptibility 2.0: Are the Same Children Affected by Different Experiences and Exposures?
Introduction
Differential Susceptibility Theory: Some individuals are more susceptible to both positive and negative effects of developmental experiences and environmental exposures.
Focus: Whether susceptibility to environmental influences is domain-general or domain-specific.
Empirical Support: Observational and experimental studies (Belsky, Bakermans-Kranenburg, van Ijzendoorn, Ellis et al.).
Key Questions
Are the same children affected more by different experiences and exposures?
Domain generality vs. Domain specificity: Does susceptibility affect various developmental inputs (e.g., parenting, peer influence) and outputs (e.g., aggression, cognition)?
Theoretical Background
Biological Sensitivity to Context: Orchids vs. Dandelions (Boyce & Ellis).
Sensitive Person Concept: General variation in environmental sensitivity (Aron & Aron).
General Trait of Susceptibility: Consideration in differential susceptibility literature.
Current Study
Data Source: NICHD study on early child care and youth development.
Re-examined Effects: Quality of care predicting enhanced cognitive functioning and quantity predicting poorer socioemotional development.
Novel Approach: Influence statistics to determine domain specificity/generality.
Effects of Early Childcare
Better quality care enhances cognitive-linguistic development.
Greater quantity of care forecasts more behavior problems.
Small effect sizes noted.
Role of Family Socioeconomic Conditions
Hypothesis: Different children affected by care quality and quantity come from different socioeconomic backgrounds.
Children from advantaged families more affected by quantity.
Children from disadvantaged families expected to benefit more from quality care, but not supported by data.
Polygenic plasticity score used to predict susceptibility.
Genes: 5-HTTLPR, DRD4, BDNF.
Genetic factors related to susceptibility to multiple childcare effects.
Results
Influence statistics showed domain specificity: Different children impacted by quality vs. quantity of care.
Socioeconomic status correlated with susceptibility to quantity but not quality of care.
Genetic makeup (polygenic score) affected susceptibility, but effect size was small.
Discussion
Influence-statistic approach deemed viable for exploring differential susceptibility.
Evidence of domain-specific susceptibility supported by socioeconomic and genetic findings.
Limited by focus on two childcare effects and three genetic markers.
Limitations and Future Directions
Narrow empirical focus and limited genetic markers.
Future research should expand beyond childcare to explore differential susceptibility using a broader set of environmental and developmental parameters.
Investigations should consider both similar and different environmental parameters affecting various developmental phenotypes.