According to recent research done by Rutgers Health, parents may have significantly more control than they know in shaping their children's behaviour, especially if their children inherit genes that make them more prone to aggression or rule breaking. 

The study, published in Frontiers in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, found that consistent parental monitoring—simply knowing where children are, who they are with, and what they are doing—can significantly reduce the likelihood of adolescents with higher genetic vulnerability developing conduct problems.

Aggression, antisocial behaviour, and rule breaking are all examples of conduct issues. These frequently begin in childhood and are among the most common reasons why young people seek mental health treatment. Such activities can have long-term consequences, such as substance abuse, low academic achievement, and participation with the criminal justice system. 

"While genetics contribute to why some children are more likely to develop conduct problems, this study indicates that parenting really matters," said Maia Choi, a postdoctoral fellow at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School's Translational Psychiatric Genomics Lab and study lead author. "High levels of parental monitoring appeared to buffer the influence of genetic risk – meaning that attentive, consistent parenting can make a measurable difference, even for children who are more vulnerable biologically." 

Researchers examined data from over 4,000 adolescents aged 12 to 14 who participated in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children in the United Kingdom. They looked at how genetic predispositions for behavioural disinhibition, a technical term for tendencies towards impulsivity and rule-breaking, interacted with parental supervision. 

They discovered that teenagers with a higher genetic risk experienced conduct issues primarily when parental supervision was low. When parents maintained a tight, consistent, and supportive watch, genetic vulnerability had a considerably smaller impact. 

"This is a hopeful message for parents," said Danielle Dick, head of the Rutgers Addiction Research Centre at the Rutgers Brain Health Institute and the study's senior author. "Genes aren't destiny. The environment that parents build – the structure, consistency, and connection they provide – can have a significant impact on protecting vulnerable adolescents." 

The findings support decades of study indicating that genes and environment interact to determine a child's development. Only a few research studies have looked at polygenic score effects in early adolescence; therefore, our analysis makes an important contribution to the area. 

According to the researchers, the findings emphasise the need for family-based preventative programmes and early treatments that improve parenting abilities, particularly in communication and supervision. 

"Adolescence is a critical window for intervention," she said. "By supporting parents and helping them stay engaged, we can change trajectories for young people who might otherwise struggle."  Rutgers academics Genevieve Dash, Sally Kuo, Fazil Aliev, Holly Poore, and Sarah Brislin co-authored the work.