Another possible explanation for the improvements observed in children with the A/A genotype but not G carriers in the group intervention is that youth homozygous for the A allele may have limited social skills, and may be most in need of the opportunity to practice social skills with peers. In a group session, these individuals may benefit from the more natural practice of learned skills through role-playing. Such skills may include problem-solving in a social context, recognizing the perspectives and emotions of others, and regulating emotions in response to provocation. In addition, they may benefit from receiving peer reinforcement for attaining behavioral goals, and the creating of a group norm that utilizing non-aggressive strategies is useful. Although currently speculative, these interpretations regarding the social mechanisms underlying the observed interaction could be tested in future studies.
