Influence of oxytocin on parenting behaviors and parent–child bonding: A systematic review

Abstract

Oxytocin (OT) plays a pivotal role in early parent-child relationship formation and bonding that is critical for the social, cognitive, and emotional development of the child.Therefore, this systematic review aims to consolidate all available evidence regarding the associations of parental OT concentration levels with parenting behavior and bonding within the past 20 years. A systematic search was conducted in five databases from 2002 to May 2022, and 33 studies were finalized and included. Due to the heterogeneity of the data, findings were presented narratively based on the type of OT and parenting outcomes. Current evidence strongly suggests that parental OT levels are positively related to parental touch and parental gaze and affect synchrony and observer-coded parent-infant bonding. No gender difference in OT levels was observed between fathers and mothers, but OT strengthens affectionate parenting in mothers and stimulatory parenting in fathers. Child OT levels were also positively associated with parental OT levels. Family and healthcare providers could encourage more positive touch and interactive play between parent and child to strengthen parent-child relationships.

Romantic love evolved by co-opting mother-infant bonding

“…Findings indicate that higher levels of oxytocin are associated with the early stages of a romantic relationship ( Schneiderman et al, 2012 , 2014 ; Ulmer-Yaniv et al, 2016 ) and during maternal love, such as following mother–child contact ( Scatliffe et al, 2019 ) and during pregnancy ( Levine et al, 2007 ). A recent systematic review found substantial evidence for oxytocin’s role in human parenting behaviors and parent–child bonding ( Shorey et al, 2023 ).…”

Breast milk oxytocin and s-IgA modulate infant biomarkers and social engagement; The role of maternal anxiety

“…Interestingly, no associations were found between OT in maternal breast milk and infant saliva. Some studies identified links between mothers' and infants' OT levels or fathers' and infants' OT levels [ 23 , 38 , 67 ]. One possibility is that breastfeeding and sensitive, non-anxious maternal caregiving evoke OT secretion through the oral suckling stimulus, skin-to-skin touch, and a close affiliative relationship [ 68 ], but much further research is needed to examine the transfer of OT from mother to child through non-identical fractions, such as breast milk to saliva.…”