Evaluation of 5-HTTLPR Gene Polymorphism and Resilience Components on the Development of Psychopathology in Adolescent Sexual Abuse Cases

Introduction: More than one-fourth adolescents are exposed to unexpected frightening experiences and traumas until adulthood. In this study, we aimed to determine the potential role of serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene polymorphism regarding resilience factors in the symptom variability of individuals exposed to sexual abuse. Methods: Adolescents aged 11-17 years, who were admitted to the Marmara University Child Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic Forensic division with sexual abuse experience history, were informed about the research, and volunteers were included in the study. Turkish versions of Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Present and Lifetime (K-SADS-PL) was used to assess the psychopathology and functionality. The evaluation of participants also included self-reports based on Eysenck Personality Inventory and Ways of Coping Inventory for reflecting the resilience domain. Results: The sample included 16 girls (88.9%) and 2 boys (11.1%), and the mean (+/- standard deviation) age was 14.58 +/- 1.97 years. Genotyping of the insertion/deletion polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) in the 5-HTT gene's transcriptional control zone was established, and 8 participants (44.4%) were determined to be of the LL genotype, while 7 (38.8%) were LS and 3 (16.6%) were SS carriers. Considering the relationship between coping styles regarding resilience and genetic variants, 87.5% of participants (n= 7) exhibiting problem-focused coping style were determined found to carry the LL allele, while 90% (n= 9) who exhibited emotion-focused coping styles were the SS-LS allele carriers (p=0.003). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that 5-HTTLPR gene polymorphism has a significant impact on the formation of coping styles. More studies are needed to determine other factors involved in the complex relationship between 5-HTTLPR gene polymorphism and development of psychopathology.