Multisite Prevention Trial (MPT) scientists found that involved-supportive parenting could moderate the association between a genetic vulnerability factor and longitudinal increases in substance use.  Involved-Supportive Parenting Moderates Impact of Genetic Vulnerability on Substance Use The authors used a longitudinal, prospective design to investigate a moderation effect of parenting style in the association between a genetic vulnerability factor, a variable nucleotide repeat polymorphism in the promoter region of 5HTT (5-HTTLPR), and increases in youths' substance use. The primary study hypothesis predicted that involved-supportive parenting would attenuate the link between the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism and longitudinal increases in substance use. African American youths residing in rural Georgia (N = 253, mean age = 11.5 years) provided 4 waves of data on their substance use and the mothers of the youths provided data on their parenting practices. Genetic data were obtained from youths via saliva samples. Latent growth curve modeling indicated that 5-HTTLPR status (presence of 1 or 2 copies of the s allele) was linked with increases in substance use over time; however, this association was greatly reduced when youths received high levels of involved-supportive parenting. This study demonstrates that parenting processes have the potential to ameliorate genetic risk. Brody G, Beach S, Philibert R, Chen Y, Lei M, Murry V, Brown A. Parenting moderates a genetic vulnerability factor in longitudinal increases in youths' substance use. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2009;77(1):1-11. [Director’s Report – September 2009, p. 72]