Exploring the role of endocrine factors in sensitive parenting in men

Lotz, Anna M.; Buisman, Renate S. M.; Dijk, Kim Alyousefi‐van; Witte, Annemieke M.; Bakermans‐Kranenburg, Marian J.; Verhees, Martine W. F. T.

doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105118

Cited by 5 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…In fathers, testosterone levels decreased during the Strange Situation Procedure and the amount of decrease predicted their sensitive parenting behavior when in interaction with their own 12-month-old child (Kuo et al, 2016). Lotz et al (2022) found associations at trend level between fathers' sensitivity and both oxytocin reactivity and testosterone reactivity, with more sensitive parenting behavior during a 10-min interaction with their own 2-month-old infant related to stronger increases in fathers' oxytocin and testosterone levels.…”

Section: Hormonal Reactivitymentioning

confidence: 82%

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Hormonal and behavioral responses to an infant simulator in women with and without children

Sinisalo

Bakermans‐Kranenburg

Peltola

2022

Developmental Psychobiology

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We investigated the impact of maternal status on hormonal reactivity and behavioral responses to an infant simulator in 117 women (54 primiparous, 63 nulliparous). The amount of affectionate touch and motherese were analyzed as behavioral measures of caregiving. Saliva was collected before and 10 min after interaction with the infant simulator to analyze oxytocin, testosterone, cortisol, and estradiol levels. Nulliparous women also provided information about their fertility motivation. Linear mixed models indicated that greater use of affectionate touch was associated with lower overall testosterone levels. Cortisol decreased in response to the interaction in both groups. In the primiparous group, the amount of affectionate touch associated inversely with cortisol levels, whereas in the nulliparous group such association was not found. Oxytocin or estradiol reactivity to the simulator did not differ between the groups, nor were these hormones associated with behavior. Higher fertility motivation in nulliparous women was related to more motherese, and lower testosterone levels. Our results indicate that the simulator elicits hormonal reactivity both in mothers and nonmothers, but the patterns of associations between caregiving behavior and hormonal levels may be partially different. These results encourage using the infant simulator to explore hormonal processes related to the transition to parenthood.

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Section: Hormonal Reactivitymentioning

confidence: 82%

“…Lotz et al. (2022) found associations at trend level between fathers’ sensitivity and both oxytocin reactivity and testosterone reactivity, with more sensitive parenting behavior during a 10‐min interaction with their own 2‐month‐old infant related to stronger increases in fathers’ oxytocin and testosterone levels.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hormonal and behavioral responses to an infant simulator in women with and without children

Sinisalo

Bakermans‐Kranenburg

Peltola

2022

Developmental Psychobiology

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“…Postnatally, however, a stronger negative association between CORT and caregiving behavior was found in fathers with higher T compared to fathers with lower T. Similarly, a recent study in 79 first-time fathers of 2-to 4-month-old infants revealed no significant associations between paternal sensitivity and basal hormone levels or reactivity, but found that cortisol and testosterone interacted. Fathers with low basal cortisol levels showed more sensitivity with increasing T levels, but fathers with high cortisol levels were less sensitive with increasing T levels (Lotz et al, 2022).…”

mentioning

confidence: 86%

“…While these results of Bos et al (2018) and Lotz et al (2022) suggest that T, CORT and their interaction forecast caregiving behavior in fathers during the perinatal period, it is still unknown whether CORT and T during the perinatal period remain predictive of caregiving quality later in childhood. During the transition from infancy to toddlerhood, parents need to adapt their caregiving behavior in a period of marked child developmental change.…”

mentioning

confidence: 95%

Cortisol and testosterone concentrations during the prenatal and postpartum period forecast later caregiving quality in mothers and fathers

Beijers

Breugelmans²,

Brett

et al. 2022

Hormones and Behavior

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“…According to the dual hormone hypothesis, T and Cort act in concert, with effects of T dependent on Cort levels [ 37 ]. In the context of fathers' parenting behaviour, only a combination of high T and high Cort levels was associated with less sensitive parenting [ 35 , 38 ]. T may also moderate associations between OT and parenting: in fathers with high T levels, OT was negatively associated with affectionate touch [ 39 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is paternal oxytocin an oxymoron? Oxytocin, vasopressin, testosterone, oestradiol and cortisol in emerging fatherhood

Bakermans‐Kranenburg

Verhees

Lotz

et al. 2022

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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How do hormonal levels in men change from pregnancy to after the birth of their firstborn child, and what is the role of oxytocin, alone or in interplay with other hormones, in explaining variance in their parenting quality? We explored in 73 first-time fathers the development of five hormones that have been suggested to play a role in parenting: oxytocin (OT), vasopressin (AVP), testosterone (T), oestradiol (E2) and cortisol (Cort). In an extended group of fathers ( N = 152) we examined associations with fathers’ behaviour with their 2-month-old infants. OT and E2 showed stability from the prenatal to the postnatal assessments, whereas AVP and T decreased significantly, and Cort decreased marginally. OT on its own or in interplay with other hormones was not related to paternal sensitivity. Using an exploratory approach, the interaction between T and E2 emerged as relevant for fathers’ sensitive parenting. Among fathers with high E2, high T was associated with lower sensitivity. Although we did not find evidence for the importance of OT as stand-alone hormone or in interplay with other hormones in this important phase in men's lives, the interaction between T and E2 in explaining variation in paternal behaviour is a promising hypothesis for further research. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Interplays between oxytocin and other neuromodulators in shaping complex social behaviours’.

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Exploring the role of endocrine factors in sensitive parenting in men

Cited by 5 publications

References 53 publications

Hormonal and behavioral responses to an infant simulator in women with and without children

Hormonal and behavioral responses to an infant simulator in women with and without children

Cortisol and testosterone concentrations during the prenatal and postpartum period forecast later caregiving quality in mothers and fathers

Is paternal oxytocin an oxymoron? Oxytocin, vasopressin, testosterone, oestradiol and cortisol in emerging fatherhood

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