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Updated: Jun 24, 2026
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Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
Neonatal handling affects durably bonding and social development
Séverine Henry1, Marie-Annick Richard-Yris, Sylvie Tordjman
1UMR CNRS 6552 Ethos, Ethologie animale et humaine, Université de Rennes 1, Rennes, France. severine.henry@univ-rennes1.fr
Plos One
|April 9, 2009
Summary
Early life handling and maternal separation in foals disrupt mother-infant bonding, leading to insecure attachment and impaired social skills throughout development. This highlights the critical impact of neonatal experiences on long-term behavior.
Area of Science:
- Ethology
- Developmental Psychology
- Animal Behavior
Background:
- Neonatal period is crucial for mother-young bonding and adaptation.
- Human and equine newborns often undergo maternal separation and handling post-birth.
- Effects of these early disturbances on attachment and development are debated.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the impact of early postnatal handling and separation on foal development.
- Utilize domestic horses as a model for human infant experiences.
- Examine effects on mother-infant attachment and social competences.
Main Methods:
- Monitored behavior of foals from birth to adolescence in a natural social environment.
- Compared foals experiencing 1-hour separation/handling post-birth with undisturbed controls.
- Assessed attachment patterns and social behaviors.
Main Results:
- Experimental foals showed insecure attachment (clinginess, reduced play).
- Impaired social competences observed, including social withdrawal and aggressiveness.
- Effects persisted from early development through adolescence.
Conclusions:
- Early postnatal interventions significantly affect mother-young bonding and social development.
- Domestic horses serve as a valuable model for studying neonatal impacts.
- Findings underscore the importance of undisturbed early mother-infant interactions.
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