Pollak, Cicchetti, Klorman, & Brumaghim, 1997; Pollak, Klorman, Thatcher, & Cicchetti, 2001) also may influence social information processing and social functioning, as well as behavioral adjustment, thereby contributing to the developmental cascade toward substance use problems and vulnerability to addiction (Koob & Volkow, 2010). Deficits in cognitive executive functions may contribute to impulsivity and poor decision making, creating heightening risk for substance abuse among maltreated youth (Tarter, 2002; Tarter et al., 2003). In addition, investigations of gene by environment interactions have shown that allelic variations in certain genes (e.g., MAOA, 5-HTTLPR, CRHR1) moderate the impact of maltreatment on the development of psychopathology and personality functioning and may serve a protective function (Bradley et al., 2008; Caspi et al., 2002, 2003; Cicchetti, Rogosch, & Sturge-Apple, 2007; DeYoung, Cicchetti, & Rogosch, 2010; Kim-Cohen & Gold, 2009; Polanczyk et al., 2009). Investigation of Gene × Environment interactions in the context of the current cascade model could more clearly delineate which youth are more vulnerable to substance use problems in context of child maltreatment and environmental adversity.
