Kristina Bennett Sept 2020

What makes you, or your child, an Orchid or a Dandelion?

I'm sorry to disappoint some of you, but this blog does not actually include a fun quiz where you pick your favorite color and disney princess and we tell you "what kind of flower you are." That's because we are not talking about people being dandelions or orchids in a fun, metaphorical sense. Well, it is a metaphor, a psychological one. And, if you like science and learning about the brain, it might actually be kind of fun. But, I digress.

We know that people are affected by their environments. In general, we know that a predictable and safe environment is preferable to a harsh, unpredictable environment. One's environment, prenatal and postnatal, can influence things like mental disorders, grades, IQ scores, emotional reactivity... But what's interesting about this research is that some kids are deeply affected by influences of negative environments, whereas others seem relatively unaffected and perform like an average (in a statistical sense) kid.

What does it really mean?

Differential susceptibility is the concept that individuals are biologically more or less susceptible to the effects of their environments, both positive and negative. To illustrate, those who are sensitive to their environments, commonly referred to as orchids, will thrive in supportive and predictable environments. However, they will be strongly influenced by negative effects if raised in a hostile or unpredictable one. On the other hand, those who are less sensitive to their environment, referred to as dandelions, will be less negatively impacted by a poor environment, but also less positively impacted by a good environment. These are the kids we often refer to as "resilient" against hardship, but they are also "resilient" against positive environments.

These distinctions have been identified to be related to the 5-HTT allele. Multiple alleles can be responsible for a single observable trait, but this allele has been consistently associated with dandelion and orchid personality types. The 5-HTT long/long allele has been identified as the "dandelion allele" or the gene associated with low affect and resilience, and the short/short allele as the orchid allele, or increased sensitivity and high affect. The 5HTT short/short allele, or the orchid allele, has been previously identified as the "depression" allele because it is associated with higher rates of depression.

The question was, "Why would an allele that is associated with depression be so common in people? Wouldn't natural selection make it less likely for this allele to prevail?" We know that this allele became present early on within homo-sapiens because of its universality in human populations around the world and its non-existence in non-human primates. A variation of highly sensitive individuals and insensitive individuals is more likely to result in better outcomes than a population that is all hyper-sensitive or insensitive. In positive environments, orchids thrive, and dandelions do generally well in all circumstances. Highly reactive children may get more attention and support from parents, which is adaptive as well.

Why does it matter?

This research matters because of its implications for parents, teachers, counselors… everyone who interacts with children and teens. Children are often categorized and labeled as "resilient" or "just not" (aka dandelion or orchid). It is easy for teachers to see kids who are "thriving" (orchids in a supportive environment) those who are "fine and getting by" (dandelions) and those who "just aren't" (Orchids in a harsh environment). [I don't mean in terms of grades, though grades are one factor that could possibly be an indication.] We know from many studies that implicit biases can cause teachers to unknowingly act in ways that reinforce the bias-- such as not giving as much attention and support to a child who one already deems less bright (which may not actually be the case, but just a result of their home environment.)

Understanding that people may be less or more susceptible to the effects of their environments helps us to develop teaching strategies that better account for this; it can also assist therapy and intervention strategies to be more effective. Understanding the mechanisms behind behaviors allows us to better respond effectively. For example, if a teacher recognizes a student, or if a parent recognizes a child, who seems hyper-reactive and sensitive to their surroundings, are not thriving academically, and may be experiencing depression-- making changes to their environment could be integral to helping them improve. Increasing routines and predictability, reducing interpersonal conflicts, increasing support, and making sure that needs are met, have been shown to help "Orchids" that are struggling. This is important because we need to stop blaming kids and youth for the ways that they struggle, and start looking for ways we can adapt their environment to help them thrive.