Prior research on the glucocorticoid receptor has linked variants in the gene with mental health problems such as mood and substance abuse disorders (van Rossum et al., 2006; van West et al., 2006; Zobel et al., 2008; Ambroggi et al., 2009; Mill et al., 2009; Desrivieres et al., 2011). Studies also identify the glucocorticoid receptor variants as moderators of stress reactivity and of developmental outcomes to environmental adversity (Kumsta et al., 2007; DeRijk et al., 2008; Bet et al., 2009; Kumsta et al., 2009; Manenschijn et al., 2009; van West et al., 2010; Velders et al., 2012). Based on this evidence, we hypothesized that glucocorticoid receptor variants would differentiate individuals with a “for better and for worse” sensitivity to environmental exposure (Belsky & Pluess, 2009), characterized by reduced rates of externalizing psychopathology in response to intervention and elevated rates in the absence of intervention.
