The Influence of Parental Touch on Infant Physiological Regulation: A Comparative Study of Maternal and Paternal Effects

Introduction: Affective touch plays a crucial role in early infant development, particularly through C-Tactile afferents, which are key in transmitting emotional information about interpersonal touch. Research has consistently shown that gentle maternal stroking, stimulating C-Tactile afferents, increases infant psychophysiological regulation both in the short and long term. Traditionally, the focus has been on mother-infant dyads, underpinned by the belief in a maternal physiological advantage in nurturing care. This study questions such conventional views by comparing the physiological impacts of stroking touch administered by both mothers and fathers on infant self-regulation.

Objective: This study aims to examine the presumed physiological advantage of maternal care by comparing the effects of maternal and paternal touch on infants’ physiological self-regulation in terms of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA).

Method: We compared the impact of a 3-min stroking period with a pre-stroking and post-stroking baseline of 25 (unrelated) mothers and 25 fathers on their infants (aged 4–16 weeks). We registered infant electrocardiogram and respiration to calculate RR-interval (RRI), respiration rate (fR) and RSA.

Conclusions: Infants showed a significant increase in RSA (mediated by heart rate and respiration) during and after stroking touch, regardless of whether the touch was delivered by the mother or the father. These findings do not support the hypothesis of a maternal physiological advantage in the context of affective touch. Instead, they advocate for a reevaluation of the role of paternal touch, suggesting that both parents play equally vital roles in the affective and physiological development of infants.