Elif Sibel Aslan¹*, Verda Tunalıgil², Gülsen Meral³,⁴, Cüneyd Yavaş¹, Sajjad Eslamkhah¹, İrem Akpinar¹ and Sevval Dikmen¹

¹Molecular Biology and Genetic Department, Faculty of Engineering and Natural
Sciences, Biruni University, İstanbul, Türkiye
²Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Health (TR MoH) Health Directorate of İstanbul,
İstanbul, Türkiye
³Epigenetic Coaching, London, United Kingdom
⁴Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul Nisantasi University,
Istanbul, Turkey

*Corresponding Author: Elif Sibel Aslan, PhD, Molecular Biology and Genetic Department, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Biruni University. Merkezefendi, Zeytinburnu/İstanbul, Türkiye.

Received: March 18, 2026; Published: May 08, 2026

Abstract

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), particularly trauma, impact gene regulation through epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation, linking early-life stress to long-term health risks that interact with social and environmental determinants of public health.

Objective: To investigate the relationships among genomics-informed factors, psychosocial resilience, and health-related outcomes influenced by childhood trauma, with implications for public health strategies integrating genetic and environmental perspectives.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 100 participants (82% female, 18% male), aged 17–28 (mean = 20.62, SD = 1.94), using a 47-item self-report questionnaire covering health behaviors, socialization, childhood experiences, stress management, and academic competence. Data analysis included reliability testing (Cronbach’s α≥0.70), descriptive statistics, t-tests, Pearson correlations, and linear regression via SPSS. Ethical approval and informed consent were secured.

Results: Scale means ( ± SD) and internal consistency were: “Sociability and Social Support” 3.78 ± 0.65 (α = 0.866), “Perceived Academic Performance” 3.68 ± 0.66 (α = 0.864), “Psychological Resilience and Childhood Effect” 3.56 ± 0.38 (α = 0.466), “Lifestyle and Health” 3.10 ± 0.46 (α = 0.358). No significant gender or age differences were found (p > 0.05). “Sociability and Social Support” correlated moderately with “Lifestyle and Health” (r = 0.349, p < 0.001) and strongly with “Academic Performance” (r = 0.803, p < 0.001). “Academic Performance” correlated weakly with “Lifestyle and Health” (r = 0.231, p = 0.021) and moderately with “Psychological Resilience and Childhood Effect” (r = 0.309, p = 0.002).

Conclusions: Integrating genomic insights with public health, this study focuses on how gene-environment interactions via epigenetics influence academic and health outcomes. Social support and resilience may buffer negative epigenomic effects of ACEs. Public health initiatives should incorporate trauma-informed, genomics-aware interventions to enhance resilience and promote equitable health across populations.

Keywords: Epigenetics; Public Health; Child Abuse/Adverse Childhood Experiences; Resilience; Community Health Social Support; Academic Performance

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Citation

Citation: Elif Sibel Aslan., et al. “Incorporating Genomics, Resilience, and Sociability as a Pathway to Improving Academic and Public Health Outcomes Via Epigenetic Modifications". Acta Scientific Microbiology 9.5 (2026): 46-57.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2026 Elif Sibel Aslan., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.