Adolescent Empathy and Epigenetic Aging in Adulthood: Substance Use as a Mediator

Prosocial behavior during adolescence has been associated with better physical health, including slower epigenetic aging. However, little is known about the specific role of empathy in epigenetic aging and the mechanisms explaining this relationship. One such mechanism may be substance use, which is predicted by low empathy and contributes to accelerated epigenetic aging. Thus, the present study examined whether empathy during early adolescence predicts epigenetic aging in young adulthood and whether substance use in late adolescence and young adulthood mediates this effect. Participants included 343 individuals (58% female, 81% Black, 19% White) who were interviewed at mean ages of 13, 17, and 27 years. Participants self-reported their empathy at Time 1 and their alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis use at Times 2 and 3. At Time 3, epigenetic aging was assessed from salivary DNA using the GrimAge, DunedinPACE, and PhenoAge clocks. A regression analysis demonstrated that higher empathy in early adolescence uniquely predicted lower epigenetic aging on the GrimAge clock in young adulthood even after adjusting for environmental and sociodemographic risk factors. Mediation models revealed that the link between empathy and lower epigenetic aging on all three clocks was mediated by lower tobacco use. These results suggest that higher empathy during early adolescence may contribute to better health throughout the lifespan due to lower tobacco use and slower epigenetic aging.