Oxytocin Response Following Playful Mother–Child Interaction in Survivors of the Great East Japan Earthquake
BackgroundChildren who are exposed to natural disasters are at greater risk of developing mental and behavior problems. Prior studies have suggested that positive parenting practices could prevent child mental and behavior problems among those who were exposed to natural disasters. Parent–child inte...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00477/full |
| _version_ | 1828386034587533312 |
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| author | Nobutoshi Nawa Nobutoshi Nawa Nobutoshi Nawa Kazuaki Nakamura Takeo Fujiwara Takeo Fujiwara |
| author_facet | Nobutoshi Nawa Nobutoshi Nawa Nobutoshi Nawa Kazuaki Nakamura Takeo Fujiwara Takeo Fujiwara |
| author_sort | Nobutoshi Nawa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundChildren who are exposed to natural disasters are at greater risk of developing mental and behavior problems. Prior studies have suggested that positive parenting practices could prevent child mental and behavior problems among those who were exposed to natural disasters. Parent–child interaction increases oxytocin level in parents and infants; however, studies assessing the change in oxytocin level after positive parent-child interaction and its effect on child behavior problems among preadolescents who were exposed to natural disasters are lacking. This study investigated whether playful interaction stimulated oxytocin levels in 34 mother–child dyads who experienced the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake in Kesennuma City in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, and the effect of the maternal oxytocin changes on child behavior problems.MethodsParticipants were recruited in 2012 after the Great East Japan Earthquake. Annual surveys were conducted from 2012 to 2017. Salivary oxytocin level was assessed before and after the playful interaction in 2015. Behavior problems were evaluated by caregivers, using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) in 2017. Fixed effect regression analyses were conducted to determine the effect of playful mother–child interaction on oxytocin level by comparing the change in the 10 min after the interaction with the change in the 10 min before the interaction. We also examined the effect of maternal oxytocin changes before and after the playful interaction on the onset of child behavior problems in 2017.ResultsA significant increase in maternal oxytocin level was detected following playful interaction, especially among mothers of first-born boys (2.63 pg/mg protein. 95% CI: 0.45, 4.81). Maternal psychological distress and trauma were also negatively associated with an increase of oxytocin levels. The increase in maternal oxytocin level was significantly associated with lower externalizing problem score of children 2 years later.ConclusionOur results might suggest a rational for potential preventive intervention for child behavior problems through playful mother–child interaction after natural disasters. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T05:30:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c09a1c426ece48c480314b11d5eeb50b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T05:30:18Z |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-c09a1c426ece48c480314b11d5eeb50b2022-12-22T02:00:35ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402020-06-011110.3389/fpsyt.2020.00477532949Oxytocin Response Following Playful Mother–Child Interaction in Survivors of the Great East Japan EarthquakeNobutoshi Nawa0Nobutoshi Nawa1Nobutoshi Nawa2Kazuaki Nakamura3Takeo Fujiwara4Takeo Fujiwara5Department of Global Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, JapanInstitute of Education, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of Medical Education Research and Development, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of Pharmacology, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of Global Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of Social Medicine, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, JapanBackgroundChildren who are exposed to natural disasters are at greater risk of developing mental and behavior problems. Prior studies have suggested that positive parenting practices could prevent child mental and behavior problems among those who were exposed to natural disasters. Parent–child interaction increases oxytocin level in parents and infants; however, studies assessing the change in oxytocin level after positive parent-child interaction and its effect on child behavior problems among preadolescents who were exposed to natural disasters are lacking. This study investigated whether playful interaction stimulated oxytocin levels in 34 mother–child dyads who experienced the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake in Kesennuma City in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, and the effect of the maternal oxytocin changes on child behavior problems.MethodsParticipants were recruited in 2012 after the Great East Japan Earthquake. Annual surveys were conducted from 2012 to 2017. Salivary oxytocin level was assessed before and after the playful interaction in 2015. Behavior problems were evaluated by caregivers, using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) in 2017. Fixed effect regression analyses were conducted to determine the effect of playful mother–child interaction on oxytocin level by comparing the change in the 10 min after the interaction with the change in the 10 min before the interaction. We also examined the effect of maternal oxytocin changes before and after the playful interaction on the onset of child behavior problems in 2017.ResultsA significant increase in maternal oxytocin level was detected following playful interaction, especially among mothers of first-born boys (2.63 pg/mg protein. 95% CI: 0.45, 4.81). Maternal psychological distress and trauma were also negatively associated with an increase of oxytocin levels. The increase in maternal oxytocin level was significantly associated with lower externalizing problem score of children 2 years later.ConclusionOur results might suggest a rational for potential preventive intervention for child behavior problems through playful mother–child interaction after natural disasters.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00477/fulloxytocinthe Great East Japan Earthquakeparentingchild behavior problemsheart rate variability |
| spellingShingle | Nobutoshi Nawa Nobutoshi Nawa Nobutoshi Nawa Kazuaki Nakamura Takeo Fujiwara Takeo Fujiwara Oxytocin Response Following Playful Mother–Child Interaction in Survivors of the Great East Japan Earthquake Frontiers in Psychiatry oxytocin the Great East Japan Earthquake parenting child behavior problems heart rate variability |
| title | Oxytocin Response Following Playful Mother–Child Interaction in Survivors of the Great East Japan Earthquake |
| title_full | Oxytocin Response Following Playful Mother–Child Interaction in Survivors of the Great East Japan Earthquake |
| title_fullStr | Oxytocin Response Following Playful Mother–Child Interaction in Survivors of the Great East Japan Earthquake |
| title_full_unstemmed | Oxytocin Response Following Playful Mother–Child Interaction in Survivors of the Great East Japan Earthquake |
| title_short | Oxytocin Response Following Playful Mother–Child Interaction in Survivors of the Great East Japan Earthquake |
| title_sort | oxytocin response following playful mother child interaction in survivors of the great east japan earthquake |
| topic | oxytocin the Great East Japan Earthquake parenting child behavior problems heart rate variability |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00477/full |
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