Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 6, 2025

A Modified Trier Social Stress Test for Vulnerable Mexican American Adolescents
06:15

A Modified Trier Social Stress Test for Vulnerable Mexican American Adolescents

Published on: July 10, 2017

13.0K

Child maltreatment affects fathers' response to infant crying, not mediated by cortisol or testosterone

Martine W F T Verhees1, Marinus H van IJzendoorn2, Kim Alyousefi-van Dijk1

  • 1Clinical Child & Family Studies, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology
|June 27, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Fathers with childhood maltreatment history showed reduced ability to modulate handgrip force when hearing infant cries. This study explored the link between early adversity, hormones, and paternal responsiveness to crying.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Behavioral Endocrinology
  • Paternal Mental Health

Background:

  • Parental responsiveness to infant crying is crucial for child development and is influenced by parents' childhood experiences.
  • Childhood maltreatment can impact endocrine systems, potentially affecting adult behavior and parental care.
  • Understanding the mechanisms linking early adversity to paternal behavior is essential for supporting families.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between childhood maltreatment experiences in fathers and their ability to modulate physical responses to infant crying.
  • To examine the role of hair cortisol and testosterone concentrations as potential mediators in this relationship.
  • To explore the link between fathers' early life adversity and their physiological and behavioral responses to infant distress.

Main Methods:

  • Recruited 152 expectant and new fathers.
  • Assessed childhood maltreatment history and quantified hair cortisol and testosterone concentrations.
  • Measured fathers' handgrip force modulation while exposed to infant crying and control sounds.

Main Results:

  • Fathers reporting higher levels of childhood maltreatment exhibited excessive handgrip force when exposed to infant cries.
  • No significant association was found between hair cortisol or testosterone levels and childhood maltreatment experiences.
  • Hair cortisol and testosterone concentrations did not correlate with fathers' ability to modulate handgrip force.

Conclusions:

  • Fathers' early experiences of maltreatment are linked to difficulties in modulating behavioral responses to infant cries.
  • Hair cortisol and testosterone levels do not appear to be the primary mechanism underlying this observed association.
  • Further research is needed to elucidate the neurobiological and psychological pathways connecting paternal childhood maltreatment to infant care behaviors.

Keywords:
Childhood maltreatmentFathersHair cortisolHair testosteroneParenting

More Related Videos

Analysis of Electrocardiograms and Behavior in Mice from Pregnancy to Lactation Period06:40

Analysis of Electrocardiograms and Behavior in Mice from Pregnancy to Lactation Period

Published on: April 5, 2024

573
Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants06:39

Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants

Published on: June 13, 2021

3.1K

Related Concept Videos

Socioemotional Development during Infancy01:30

Socioemotional Development during Infancy

Socio-emotional development in infancy is primarily shaped by early emotional responses and social connections, with temperament playing a central role. Temperament refers to the consistent patterns in an individual's emotional and behavioral responses, observable even in infancy. By examining temperament, researchers can better understand an infant's unique ways of interacting with the world, influencing subsequent personality and socio-emotional growth.
Primary Temperament Types
111
Parenting Styles01:27

Parenting Styles

Diana Baumrind's four parenting styles — authoritarian, authoritative, neglectful, and permissive — each influence children's socio-emotional development differently.
Authoritarian Parenting
This style is strict and controlling, with little room for open dialogue. Authoritarian parents demand obedience and often enforce rules with minimal warmth. Children raised this way may lack social skills and initiative, usually comparing themselves to others unfavorably.
Authoritative...
123
Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood03:34

Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood

Attachment is a long-standing connection or bond with others. While Attachment Theory was conceived in developmental psychology to describe infant-caregiver bonding, it's been extended into adulthood to include romantic relationships. 
44.4K
Attachment01:20

Attachment

Attachment is vital for infant development, as warm social interactions support growth and well-being. In a classic 1958 study by Harry Harlow, the significance of warmth and comfort in forming attachments was examined. Harlow separated newborn monkeys from their mothers and provided two artificial "mothers": one made of cold wire and the other covered in soft cloth. Despite the wire mother offering food, the infant monkeys preferred the comfort of the cloth mother, demonstrating that...
128
Socioemotional Experience and Gender Development01:30

Socioemotional Experience and Gender Development

Social-emotional experiences and cultural influences play significant roles in shaping gender development. During middle childhood, from ages 6 to 11, peer groups become dominant in reinforcing gender norms. Children in this age group often align with same-gender peer groups, which actively encourage behaviors that conform to traditional gender roles. For instance, boys may be discouraged from engaging in activities perceived as feminine, reinforcing culturally dictated norms about masculinity...
77
Introduction to Stress and Lifestyle01:27

Introduction to Stress and Lifestyle

Stress is a multifaceted response to events perceived as challenging or threatening, highlighting physical, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral reactions. Physically, stress can lead to fatigue, sleep disruptions, and various health issues such as frequent colds, chest pains, and nausea. Emotionally, it can manifest as anxiety, depression, irritability, and anger triggered by both minor and major life events. Cognitively, it may result in difficulty in concentration, memory, and...
167