Fathers’ hormone levels and brain activity may change when they spend time with their children, helping them adapt to parenthood in a way that has been overlooked until now, according to Professor Marian Bakermans-Kranenburg, who studies children and family relations at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and was until recently at Leiden University in the Netherlands. She is conducting a series of studies with new fathers, to investigate the role that hormones can play in how they bond with their children.
Is this hormonal effect in fathers a controversial idea?
‘Yes it is, but perhaps mainly because the changes in fathers have been largely overlooked. Half of parents are fathers, yet 99% of the research on parenting focuses on mothers. At the same time, the participation of fathers in parenting has increased over the past 30 years, so it seems surprising that the research has not followed that movement.’
So does this mean there are also changes taking place within the brain?
‘We think there are hormonal, neural and behavioural changes. This is what we are now exploring. We are conducting randomised controlled trials with fathers who have had their first baby. In one set of studies we are administering oxytocin and vasopressin to fathers in nasal sprays and looking at the effects on the neural and behavioural level.
‘In another series of studies, we try to influence behaviour by giving the father a soft baby carrier when their child is two months (old) to increase their physical contact with the baby. We take a saliva sample to monitor hormone changes and use fMRI brain scans to look for differences in neuronal activity. We are also using prenatal video feedback interventions that we have developed in our laboratory to increase parental sensitivity.’
To read more of Richard Gray's article, please click here.
Comments (0)