The effect of parenting styles on depressive symptoms among Chinese college students: The role of subjective well-being and Taq1A polymorphism

Based on different susceptibility models, the current study constructed a moderated mediation model to explore the influence of parenting style on college students' depressive symptoms. A total of 301 college students (74 boys and 227 girls) participated in this study. Subjective well-being played a mediating role in the effect of parenting style on depressive symptoms. The DRD2 Taq1A polymorphism moderated the direct pathway in the PPS (positive parenting style) model and the second half of the mediating pathway in the NPS (negative parenting style) model. The findings suggest that the Taq1A polymorphism allele A2 is the plasticity gene for depression, and the A2A2 homozygous gene is the most sensitive to environmental stimuli.