Skin-to-Skin Care and Spontaneous Touch by Fathers in Full-Term Infants: A Systematic Review
Abstract
:1. Introduction
- (1)
- The primary aim of this review was to systematically analyze paternal touch behaviors with full-term infants, including SSC and ST, during parent–infant interactions. Specifically, the current review focuses on the impact of father–infant SSC on both, including biophysiological markers (e.g., oxytocin and heart rate), behavioral responses (e.g., crying and breastfeeding) and paternal psychological variables (e.g., paternal stress, depression, and bonding).
- (2)
- The second aim was to examine the available evidence from comparative studies looking at potential differences between fathers and mothers in early tactile caregiving behaviors.
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Search Strategy
2.2. Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria
2.3. Quality Appraisal
2.4. Study Selection and Data Collection Processes
3. Results
3.1. Data Synthesis, Analysis and General Methodological Approach
3.2. Skin-to-Skin Care
3.2.1. Paternal Outcomes
Biophysiological Measures
Behavioral Variables
Psychological Variables
3.2.2. Infant Outcomes
Biophysiological Measures
Behavioral Response
3.3. Spontaneous Touch
3.3.1. Paternal Outcomes
3.3.2. Infant Outcomes
3.4. Comparison between Fathers and Mothers
3.4.1. Paternal Outcomes
3.4.2. Infant Outcomes
4. Discussion
4.1. Implications for Research
4.2. Implications for Practice
4.3. Limitations
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
- Carozza, S.; Leong, V. The Role of Affectionate Caregiver Touch in Early Neurodevelopment and Parent–Infant Interactional Synchrony. Front. Neurosci. 2021, 14, 613378. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Feldman-Winter, L.; Goldsmith, J.P. Safe Sleep and Skin-to-Skin Care in the Neonatal Period for Healthy Term Newborns. Neonatal Care A Compend. AAP Clin. Pract. Guidel. Policies 2023, 138, 459–470. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Phillips, R. The Sacred Hour: Uninterrupted Skin-to-Skin Contact Immediately after Birth. Newborn Infant Nurs. Rev. 2013, 13, 67–72. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Head, L.M. The Effect of Kangaroo Care on Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Preterm Infants. J. Perinat. Neonatal Nurs. 2014, 28, 290–299. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Ludington-Hoe, S.M. Evidence-Based Review of Physiologic Effects of Kangaroo Care. Curr. Womens Health Rev. 2011, 7, 243–253. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Cabrera, N.J.; Volling, B.L.; Barr, R. Fathers Are Parents, Too! Widening the Lens on Parenting for Children’s Development. Child Dev. Perspect. 2018, 12, 152–157. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Parker, K.; Wang, W. Modern Parenthood. In Pew Research Center’s Social & Demographic Trends Project; Pew Research Center: Washington, DC, USA, 2013. [Google Scholar]
- Kaźmierczak, M.; Karasiewicz, K. Making Space for a New Role–Gender Differences in Identity Changes in Couples Transitioning to Parenthood. J. Gend. Stud. 2019, 28, 271–287. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Bakermans-Kranenburg, M.J.; Lotz, A.; Alyousefi-van Dijk, K.; van IJzendoorn, M. Birth of a Father: Fathering in the First 1000 Days. Child Dev. Perspect. 2019, 13, 247–253. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Craig, L.; Mullan, K. Parenthood, Gender and Work-Family Time in the United States, Australia, Italy, France, and Denmark. J. Marriage Fam. 2010, 72, 1344–1361. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Brown, G.L.; Mangelsdorf, S.C.; Shigeto, A.; Wong, M.S. Associations between Father Involvement and Father–Child Attachment Security: Variations Based on Timing and Type of Involvement. J. Fam. Psychol. 2018, 32, 1015–1024. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Lee, J.Y.; Lee, S.J. Caring Is Masculine: Stay-at-Home Fathers and Masculine Identity. Psychol. Men Masc. 2018, 19, 47–58. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Franck, L.S.; Spencer, C. Parent Visiting and Participation in Infant Caregiving Activities in a Neonatal Unit. Birth 2003, 30, 31–35. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Brown, G.L.; Aytuglu, H.A. Father-Child Attachment Relationships BT—Handbook of Fathers and Child Development: Prenatal to Preschool; Fitzgerald, H.E., von Klitzing, K., Cabrera, N.J., Scarano de Mendonça, J., Skjøthaug, T., Eds.; Springer International Publishing: Cham, Germany, 2020; pp. 273–290. ISBN 978-3-030-51027-5. [Google Scholar]
- Pancsofar, N. Fathers’ Language Input and Early Child Language Development BT—Handbook of Fathers and Child Development: Prenatal to Preschool; Fitzgerald, H.E., von Klitzing, K., Cabrera, N.J., Scarano de Mendonça, J., Skjøthaug, T., Eds.; Springer International Publishing: Cham, Germany, 2020; pp. 393–409. ISBN 978-3-030-51027-5. [Google Scholar]
- Amodia-Bidakowska, A.; Laverty, C.; Ramchandani, P.G. Father-Child Play: A Systematic Review of Its Frequency, Characteristics and Potential Impact on Children’s Development. Dev. Rev. 2020, 57, 100924. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Rodrigues, M.; Sokolovic, N.; Madigan, S.; Luo, Y.; Silva, V.; Misra, S.; Jenkins, J. Paternal Sensitivity and Children’s Cognitive and Socioemotional Outcomes: A Meta-Analytic Review. Child Dev. 2021, 92, 554–577. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Hall, R.A.S.; De Waard, I.E.M.; Tooten, A.; Hoffenkamp, H.N.; Vingerhoets, A.J.J.M.; van Bakel, H.J.A. From the Father’s Point of View: How Father’s Representations of the Infant Impact on Father–Infant Interaction and Infant Development. Early Hum. Dev. 2014, 90, 877–883. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Anderson, S.; Roggman, L.A.; Innocenti, M.S.; Cook, G.A. Dads’ Parenting Interactions with Children: Checklist of Observations Linked to Outcomes (PICCOLO-D). Infant Ment. Health J. 2013, 34, 339–351. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Abdulghani, N.; Edvardsson, K.; Amir, L.H. Worldwide Prevalence of Mother-Infant Skin-to-Skin Contact after Vaginal Birth: A Systematic Review. PLoS ONE 2018, 13, e0205696. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Dongre, S.; Desai, S.; Nanavati, R. Kangaroo Father Care to Reduce Paternal Stress Levels: A Prospective Observational before-after Study. J. Neonatal. Perinatal. Med. 2020, 13, 403–411. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Vittner, D.; McGrath, J.; Robinson, J.A.; Lawhon, G.; Cusson, R.; Eisenfeld, L.; Walsh, S.; Young, E.; Cong, X. Increase in Oxytocin From Skin-to-Skin Contact Enhances Development of Parent–Infant Relationship. Biol. Res. Nurs. 2018, 20, 54–62. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Shukla, V.V.; Chaudhari, A.J.; Nimbalkar, S.M.; Phatak, A.G.; Patel, D.V.; Nimbalkar, A.S. Skin-to-Skin Care by Mother vs. Father for Preterm Neonatal Pain: A Randomized Control Trial (ENVIRON Trial). Int. J. Pediatr. 2021, 2021, 1–6. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Shorey, S.; He, H.G.; Morelius, E. Skin-to-Skin Contact by Fathers and the Impact on Infant and Paternal Outcomes: An Integrative Review. Midwifery 2016, 40, 207–217. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Kuo, S.F.; Chen, I.H.; Chen, S.R.; Chen, K.H.; Fernandez, R.S.; Dowling, D.; Schierholz, E.; Parker, L. The Effect of Paternal Skin-to-Skin Care: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Control Trials. Adv. Neonatal Care 2022, 22, E22–E32. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Morris, A.R.; Turner, A.; Gilbertson, C.H.; Corner, G.; Mendez, A.J.; Saxbe, D.E. Physical Touch during Father-Infant Interactions Is Associated with Paternal Oxytocin Levels. Infant Behav. Dev. 2021, 64, 101613. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Feldman, R.; Singer, M.; Zagoory, O. Touch Attenuates Infants’ Physiological Reactivity to Stress. Dev. Sci. 2010, 13, 271–278. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Weisman, O.; Zagoory-Sharon, O.; Feldman, R. Oxytocin Administration, Salivary Testosterone, and Father-Infant Social Behavior. Prog. Neuro-Psychopharmacol. Biol. Psychiatry 2014, 49, 47–52. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Page, M.J.; McKenzie, J.E.; Bossuyt, P.M.; Boutron, I.; Hoffmann, T.C.; Mulrow, C.D.; Shamseer, L.; Tetzlaff, J.M.; Akl, E.A.; Brennan, S.E.; et al. The PRISMA 2020 Statement: An Updated Guideline for Reporting Systematic Reviews. Int. J. Surg. 2021, 88, 105906. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Jackson, N.; Waters, E. Taskforce, for the G. for S.R. in H.P. and P.H. Criteria for the Systematic Review of Health Promotion and Public Health Interventions. Health Promot. Int. 2005, 20, 367–374. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Feldman, R.; Gordon, I.; Schneiderman, I.; Weisman, O.; Zagoory-Sharon, O. Natural Variations in Maternal and Paternal Care Are Associated with Systematic Changes in Oxytocin Following Parent-Infant Contact. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2010, 35, 1133–1141. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Velandia, M.; Matthisen, A.S.; Uvnäs-Moberg, K.; Nissen, E. Onset of Vocal Interaction between Parents and Newborns in Skin-to-Skin Contact Immediately after Elective Cesarean Section. Birth 2010, 37, 192–201. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Feldman, R.; Zagoory-Sharon, O.; Weisman, O.; Schneiderman, I.; Gordon, I.; Maoz, R.; Shalev, I.; Ebstein, R.P. Sensitive Parenting Is Associated with Plasma Oxytocin and Polymorphisms in the OXTR and CD38 Genes. Biol. Psychiatry 2012, 72, 175–181. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Velandia, M.; Uvnäs-Moberg, K.; Nissen, E. Sex Differences in Newborn Interaction with Mother or Father during Skin-to-Skin Contact after Caesarean Section. Acta Paediatr. Int. J. Paediatr. 2012, 101, 360–367. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Chen, E.-M.; Gau, M.-L.; Liu, C.-Y.; Lee, T.-Y. Effects of Father-Neonate Skin-to-Skin Contact on Attachment: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Nurs. Res. Pract. 2017, 2017, 1–8. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Gordon, I.; Pratt, M.; Bergunde, K.; Zagoory-Sharon, O.; Feldman, R. Testosterone, Oxytocin, and the Development of Human Parental Care. Horm. Behav. 2017, 93, 184–192. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Guala, A.; Boscardini, L.; Visentin, R.; Angellotti, P.; Grugni, L.; Barbaglia, M.; Chapin, E.; Castelli, E.; Finale, E. Skin-to-Skin Contact in Cesarean Birth and Duration of Breastfeeding: A Cohort Study. Sci. World J. 2017, 2017, 1940756. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Huang, X.; Chen, L.; Zhang, L. Effects of Paternal Skin-to-Skin Contact in Newborns and Fathers after Cesarean Delivery. J. Perinat. Neonatal Nurs. 2019, 33, 68–73. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Van Puyvelde, M.; Collette, L.; Gorissen, A.S.; Pattyn, N.; McGlone, F. Infants Autonomic Cardio-Respiratory Responses to Nurturing Stroking Touch Delivered by the Mother or the Father. Front. Physiol. 2019, 10, 1117. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Ayala, A.; Christensson, K.; Christensson, E.; Cavada, G.; Erlandsson, K.; Velandia, M. Newborn Infants Who Received Skin-to-Skin Contact with Fathers after Caesarean Sections Showed Stable Physiological Patterns. Acta Paediatr. Int. J. Paediatr. 2021, 110, 1461–1467. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Gettler, L.T.; Kuo, P.X.; Sarma, M.S.; Trumble, B.C.; Burke Lefever, J.E.; Braungart-Rieker, J.M. Fathers’ Oxytocin Responses to First Holding Their Newborns: Interactions with Testosterone Reactivity to Predict Later Parenting Behavior and Father-Infant Bonds. Dev. Psychobiol. 2021, 63, 1384–1398. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Yilmaz, E.M.; Korukcu, O.; Kabukcuoglu, K. The Effect of Skin-to-Skin Contact Between Father and Baby on Paternal Attachment. Curr. Psychiatry Res. Rev. 2022, 18, 248–256. [Google Scholar]
- Yang, S.C.; Chen, C.H. Correlations of father’s attitudes regarding breast feeding, father-infant attachment and marital adjustment. Hu Li Yan Jiu 2001, 9, 279–288. [Google Scholar] [PubMed]
- Condon, J.T.; Corkindale, C.J.; Boyce, P. Assessment of Postnatal Paternal–Infant Attachment: Development of a Questionnaire Instrument. J. Reprod. Infant Psychol. 2008, 26, 195–210. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Brazelton, T.B.; Nugent, J.K.; Lester, B.M. Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale. In Handbook of Infant Development, 2nd ed.; Wiley series on personality processes; Hardcover; John Wiley & Sons: Oxford, UK, 1987; pp. 780–817. ISBN 0-471-88565-7. [Google Scholar]
- van Anders, S.M.; Goldey, K.L.; Kuo, P.X. The Steroid/Peptide Theory of Social Bonds: Integrating Testosterone and Peptide Responses for Classifying Social Behavioral Contexts. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2011, 36, 1265–1275. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Walker, S.C.; McGlone, F.P. The Social Brain: Neurobiological Basis of Affiliative Behaviours and Psychological Well-Being. Neuropeptides 2013, 47, 379–393. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Moore, E.R.; Bergman, N.; Anderson, G.C.; Medley, N. Early Skin-to-skin Contact for Mothers and Their Healthy Newborn Infants. Cochrane Database Syst. Rev. 2016. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Ünal Toprak, F.; Şentürk Erenel, A. Impact of Kangaroo Care after Caesarean Section on Paternal–Infant Attachment and Involvement at 12 Months: A Longitudinal Study in Turkey. Health Soc. Care Community 2021, 29, 1502–1510. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Cascio, C.J.; Moore, D.; McGlone, F. Social Touch and Human Development. Dev. Cogn. Neurosci. 2019, 35, 5–11. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Underdown, A.; Barlow, J.; Stewart-Brown, S. Tactile Stimulation in Physically Healthy Infants: Results of a Systematic Review. J. Reprod. Infant Psychol. 2010, 28, 11–29. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Montirosso, R.; McGlone, F. The Body Comes First. Embodied Reparation and the Co-Creation of Infant Bodily-Self. Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev. 2020, 113, 77–87. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Haas, L.; Hwang, C.P. Policy Is Not Enough—The Influence of the Gendered Workplace on Fathers’ Use of Parental Leave in Sweden. Community. Work Fam. 2019, 22, 58–76. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Gray, P. Fathers in Cultural Context, D.W. Shwalb, B.J.; Schwalb, M.E. Lamb. Routledge, New York, NY (2013). Int. J. Intercult. Relations 2014, 39, 205–206. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- McFadden, K.E.; Tamis-Lemonda, C.S. Maternal Responsiveness, Intrusiveness, and Negativity During Play with Infants: Contextual Associations and Infant Cognitive Status in A Low-Income Sample. Infant Ment. Health J. 2013, 34, 80–92. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Steenhoff, T.; Tharner, A.; Væver, M.S. Mothers’ and Fathers’ Observed Interaction with Preschoolers: Similarities and Differences in Parenting Behavior in a Well-Resourced Sample. PLoS ONE 2019, 14, e0221661. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Ionio, C.; Salvatici, E.; Confalonieri, E.; Milani, L.; Mascheroni, E.; Riva, E.; Giovannini, M. Mothers and Fathers Facing Their Children’s Phenylketonuria. Child. Health Care 2018, 47, 83–100. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Candelori, C.; Trumello, C.; Babore, A.; Keren, M.; Romanelli, R. The Experience of Premature Birth for Fathers: The Application of the Clinical Interview for Parents of High-Risk Infants (CLIP) to an Italian Sample. Front. Psychol. 2015, 6, 1444. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Parfitt, Y.; Pike, A.; Ayers, S. Infant Developmental Outcomes: A Family Systems Perspective. Infant Child Dev. 2014, 23, 353–373. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Allport, B.S.; Johnson, S.; Aqil, A.; Labrique, A.B.; Nelson, T.; Kc, A.; Carabas, Y.; Marcell, A. V Promoting Father Involvement for Child and Family Health. Acad. Pediatr. 2018, 18, 746–753. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Jeong, J.; McCoy, D.C.; Yousafzai, A.K.; Salhi, C.; Fink, G. Paternal Stimulation and Early Child Development in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Pediatrics 2016, 138, e20161357. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Maselko, J.; Hagaman, A.K.; Bates, L.M.; Bhalotra, S.; Biroli, P.; Gallis, J.A.; O’Donnell, K.; Sikander, S.; Turner, E.L.; Rahman, A. Father Involvement in the First Year of Life: Associations with Maternal Mental Health and Child Development Outcomes in Rural Pakistan. Soc. Sci. Med. 2019, 237, 112421. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Rajhans, P.; Goin-Kochel, R.P.; Strathearn, L.; Kim, S. It Takes Two! Exploring Sex Differences in Parenting Neurobiology and Behaviour. J. Neuroendocrinol. 2019, 31, e12721. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Provenzi, L.; Brambilla, M.; Scotto di Minico, G.; Montirosso, R.; Borgatti, R. Maternal Caregiving and DNA Methylation in Human Infants and Children: Systematic Review. Genes Brain Behav. 2020, 19, e12616. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Mariani Wigley, I.L.C.; Mascheroni, E.; Bonichini, S.; Montirosso, R. Epigenetic Protection: Maternal Touch and DNA-Methylation in Early Life. Curr. Opin. Behav. Sci. 2022, 43, 111–117. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Seward, R.R.; Stanley-Stevens, L. Fathers, Fathering, and Fatherhood Across Cultures BT—Parenting Across Cultures: Childrearing, Motherhood and Fatherhood in Non-Western Cultures; Selin, H., Ed.; Springer: Dordrecht, The Netherlands, 2014; pp. 459–474. ISBN 978-94-007-7503-9. [Google Scholar]
- Mariani Wigley, I.L.C.; Mascheroni, E.; Pastore, M.; Bonichini, S.; Montirosso, R. Exploring Maternal Touch in the Infant’s First 18 Months of Life: A Study on an Italian Sample. Infant Behav. Dev. 2023, 71, 101836. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Provenzi, L.; Rosa, E.; Visintin, E.; Mascheroni, E.; Guida, E.; Cavallini, A.; Montirosso, R. Understanding the Role and Function of Maternal Touch in Children with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities. Infant Behav. Dev. 2020, 58, 101420. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Mantis, I.; Mercuri, M.; Stack, D.M.; Field, T.M. Depressed and Non-Depressed Mothers’ Touching during Social Interactions with Their Infants. Dev. Cogn. Neurosci. 2019, 35, 57–65. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Beebe, B.; Jaffe, J.; Buck, K.; Chen, H.; Cohen, P.; Feldstein, S.; Andrews, H. Six-Week Postpartum Maternal Depressive Symptoms and 4-Month Mother–Infant Self- and Interactive Contingency. Infant Ment. Health J. 2008, 29, 442–471. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Duhn, L. The Importance of Touch in the Development of Attachment. Adv. Neonatal Care 2010, 10, 294–300. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
Study | A | B | C | D | E | F | Final Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2010, Feldman [31] | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
2 | 2010, Velandia [32] | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
3 | 2012, Feldman [33] | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | NA | 1 |
4 | 2012, Velandia [34] | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
5 | 2014, Weisman [28] | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
6 | 2017, Chen [35] | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | NA | 1 |
7 | 2017, Gordon [36] | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | NA | 2 |
8 | 2017, Guala [37] | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
9 | 2019, Huang [38] | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
10 | 2019, Van Puyvelde [39] | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
11 | 2021, Ayala [40] | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
12 | 2021, Gettler [41] | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
13 | 2021, Morris [26] | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
14 | 2022, Yilmaz [42] | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
First Author, Year | Country | Sample (n) | Infant Age (In Months) | Experimental Site | Type of Touch | Touch Coding | Variable Observed | Main Findings about Touch |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Velandia, 2010 [32] | Sweden | 72 infants (37 received SSC, 35 received standard care) | Newborns (38,75 gestational weeks, CI 95%) | Birthing room | SSC | None | Newborns and parents’ vocal interaction | Both fathers and mothers in SSC contact directed more soliciting sounds and speech to the infant and between them than did fathers and mothers without SSC contact. Infants who had SSC contact with their fathers cried significantly less than those in SSC contact with their mothers and shifted to a relaxed state earlier than in SSC contact with mothers. |
Feldman, 2010 [31] | Israel | 41 fathers | From 4 to 6 months old (166.3 ± 12.6 days) | Laboratory | ST | Microcoding including cradling, affectionate touch, proprioceptive touch and stimulatory touch | Physiological (salivary and plasma oxytocin) | Baseline levels of plasma and salivary oxytocin in mothers and fathers were similar, oxytocin levels in plasma and saliva were inter-related, and oxytocin was associated with the parent-specific mode of tactile contact. Human mothers who provided high levels of affectionate contact showed an oxytocin increase following mother–infant interaction but such increase was not observed among mothers displaying low levels of affectionate contact. Among fathers, only those exhibiting high levels of stimulatory contact showed an oxytocin increase. |
Velandia, 2012 [34] | Sweden | 37 infants | Newborn (just been born) | Birthing room | SSC | None | Strong rooting (i.e., breast-seeking behaviors, distinct head turning and movements, sometimes followed by smacking sounds), breast-massaging movements, breastfeeding, crying and the following parental behaviors and inter-active parental behaviors | Girls started rooting movements earlier than boys in SSC with either parent. Infants engaged in SSC with mothers started to breastfeed significantly earlier compared with SSC with fathers during the first 5–30 min. Girls cried more than boys in SSC with either parent. Mothers used more touching behavior towards their newborn infant than fathers. Mothers touched girls less than boys. Fathers directed less speech towards girls compared with boys. |
Feldman, 2012 [33] | Israel | 272 mothers and fathers and their infants, and 80 nonparents. | 4-to-6-month-old | Laboratory | ST | Yes, but not specified. | Peripheral oxytocin, parental touch, gaze synchrony and parental care received in their own infancy. | Peripheral and genetic markers (i.e., oxytocin receptors and CD38 risk alleles) of the extended oxytocin pathway are interrelated and underpin core behaviors (i.e., parental touch and gaze synchrony) associated with human parenting and social engagement. |
Weisman, 2014 [28] | Israel | 35 fathers | 5.01 ± 1.25 months old | Laboratory | ST during a wider interaction | Microcoding of parental touch (divided into affectionate touch; extremities—touching, which refers to touch the extremities of the infant’s body; or touch + object, which refers to touching the infant and playing with an object at the same time). | Physiological (testosterone levels mediated by administration of oxytocin) and observational (different aspects of interaction, including touch) | Lower baseline testosterone correlated with more positive father and infant behaviors. Oxytocin administration altered testosterone production in fathers, relative to the pattern of testosterone in the placebo condition. Finally, oxytocin-induced changes in testosterone levels correlated with parent–child social behaviors, including positive affect, social gaze, touch, and vocal synchrony. |
Chen, 2017 [35] | Taiwan | 92 fathers and their infants (46 received SSC and 46 received standard care) | Newborn (first three days of life) | Nursery | SSC | None | Father–child attachment measured by Father–Child attachment scale (FCAS) | The changes in the mean FCAS scores were found to be significantly higher in the group who eceived SSC than in the group who received standard care. |
Guala, 2017 [37] | Italy | 252 infants and their parents | Newborn | Birthing room | SSC | None | Duration of breastfeeding | A significant association between mother’s SSC and exclusive breastfeeding rates on discharge was found. This effect is maintained and statistically significant at three and six months, as compared to the groups that had paternal SSC care or no SSC care. |
Gordon, 2017 [36] | Israel, USA, Germany | 160 mothers and fathers (80 couples) | T0 = 1 months old (51.69 ± 14.65 days); T1= 6 months old (175.27 ± 31.65) | Home | ST | Physiological (plasma oxytocin and testosterone) and microcoding of interactions between each parent and infant | Paternal testosterone was individually stable across the first six months of parenting and predicted lower father–infant synchrony (i.e., parent engagement in social gaze, affectionate touch, and “motherese” vocalization while the infant looked at the parent and expressed positive affect). Testosterone has complex modulatory effects on the relations of oxytocin and parenting. Among fathers, only when testosterone was high, negative associations emerged between oxytocin and paternal affectionate touch. | |
Huang, 2019 [38] | China | 108 fathers and their infants | Newborn | Hospital | SSC | None | Physiological (heart rate, forehead temperature), psychological (depression, anxiety and attachment) and behavioral (duration of crying, duration of breastfeeding) | Newborns in the treatment group had a more stable heart rate and forehead temperature, crying lasted less, and they started feeding behavior earlier. The duration of breastfeeding after SSC in the treatment group was longer as well. In addition, fathers in the treatment group had lower scores for anxiety and depression and better role attainment than those in the control group. |
Van Puyvelde, 2019 [39] | Belgium and UK | 50 infants | From 6 to 14 weeks old (10.40 weeks ± 2.63) | Home | ST | Stroking speed | Physiologic variables (heart rate, respiration rate, rr interval, respiratory sinus arrhythmia) and stroking rate | Infants’ respiratory sinus arrhythmia significantly increased during and after stroking, no matter whether touch was delivered by fathers or mothers. This effect was mediated by both heart rate and respiration. However, respiratory mediation occurred later when delivered by fathers than by mothers. |
Gettler, 2021 [41] | USA | 211 fathers | T0 = newborn; T1 = 2 to 4 months old (11.6 ± 6.54 weeks) | Birthing unit and home | SSC | None | Physiological (oxytocin) | First-time fathers’ oxytocin was higher following first holding of their newborns, compared to their preholding levels. Contrasting with prior results, fathers’ post-holding oxytocin levels following SSC did not differ from preholding levels, whereas fathers who provided standard holding showed higher oxytocin post-holding. |
Ayala, 2021 [40] | Sweden, Chile | 95 infants (32 received standard care in the cot, 34 experienced touch in their fathers’ arms and and 29 received SSC) | Newborn (gestational age 38.9 ± 0.9 weeks) | Neonatal unit | SSC | None | Physiological (body temperature, heart rate and oxygen saturation) and their wakefulness (by using the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale) | Heart rates were significantly higher in the SSC than cot or fathers’ arms groups and showed greater stability over time. Wakefulness was initially higher in the SSC group, but there were no significant differences by the end of the observation. There were no differences between the groups in peripheral oxygen saturation. SSC contact had no negative impact on infants. |
Morris, 2021 [26] | USA | 45 fathers | 6 months old (6.61 ± 0.46 months) | Laboratory | ST | Microcoding of paternal physical touch at 1/10 s intervals during a laboratory-based free-play interaction | Physiological (oxytocin) | Fathers who engaged in more playful proprioceptive touch showed higher levels of oxytocin. Gentle affectionate touch and functional proprioceptive touch assiociated with higher unextracted oxytocin levels. Fathers who did not show physical touch had lower levels of both unextracted and extracted oxytocin. |
Yilmaz, 2022 [42] | Turkey | 69 fathers (34 who established SSC with their infants and 35 who did not come into SSC with their infants). | T0 = up to three hours after birth T1 = 6 to 12 months old | Maternity ward and home | SSC | None | Father–infant attachment measured by Paternal-Infant Attachment Scale | The total score of fathers who established skin-to-skin contact with their babies was significantly higher than that of the control group. Moreover, the questionnaire filled in by first-time fathers was higher than that of the control group. |
Disclaimer/Publisher’s Note: The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content. |
© 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Share and Cite
Cordolcini, L.; Castagna, A.; Mascheroni, E.; Montirosso, R. Skin-to-Skin Care and Spontaneous Touch by Fathers in Full-Term Infants: A Systematic Review. Behav. Sci. 2024, 14, 60. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14010060
Cordolcini L, Castagna A, Mascheroni E, Montirosso R. Skin-to-Skin Care and Spontaneous Touch by Fathers in Full-Term Infants: A Systematic Review. Behavioral Sciences. 2024; 14(1):60. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14010060
Chicago/Turabian StyleCordolcini, Laura, Annalisa Castagna, Eleonora Mascheroni, and Rosario Montirosso. 2024. "Skin-to-Skin Care and Spontaneous Touch by Fathers in Full-Term Infants: A Systematic Review" Behavioral Sciences 14, no. 1: 60. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14010060