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Rajhans P, Goin-Kochel RP, Strathearn L, Kim S. It takes two! Exploring sex differences in parenting neurobiology and behaviour. J Neuroendocrinol 2019; 31:e12721. [PMID: 31034670 PMCID: PMC6773483 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Parents lay the foundation for their children's socio-emotional experiences by sensitively responding to their needs. The hormonal and neurobiological changes that occur during the transition to parenthood importantly contribute to the parents' caregiving behaviour toward their children. Much research has emphasised the relationship between the mother, who is most often the primary caregiver, and her infant, with less focus on the role of fathers in child development. However, recent accounts have suggested that fathers also play an important role in promoting the health, development and psychosocial wellbeing of their children. Evidence from the behavioural literature has indicated that there are significant differences between typical mother-infant versus father-infant interactions. The current review aims to outline differences between maternal and paternal caregiving by discussing the differences in their biological mechanisms. First, we focus on the different hormones that are correlated with sensitive parenting behaviours in mothers and fathers. Next, we discuss the differences between neural bases of motherhood and fatherhood. Lastly, we discuss ways in which parental hormones, parental brain and parental exposure to infant cues interact to shape parental caregiving behaviour. In summary, this review highlights the distinct but complementary nature of maternal and paternal caregiving.
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Affiliation(s)
- Purva Rajhans
- Department of Pediatrics Psychology, Baylor College of Medicine
- Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
| | | | - Lane Strathearn
- Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
- Center for Disabilities and Development, University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital
- Corresponding Authors: Lane Strathearn, MBBS FRACP PhD, Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, 100 Hawkins Drive, 217 CDD, Iowa City, IA 52242-1011. Tel: (319) 356-7044; , Sohye Kim, PhD, Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Psychiatry, and Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, 6651 Main Street, Suite F1060.04, Houston, TX 77030. Tel: (832) 826-8065;
| | - Sohye Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine
- Center for Reproductive Psychiatry, Pavilion for Women, Texas Children’s Hospital
- Corresponding Authors: Lane Strathearn, MBBS FRACP PhD, Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, 100 Hawkins Drive, 217 CDD, Iowa City, IA 52242-1011. Tel: (319) 356-7044; , Sohye Kim, PhD, Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Psychiatry, and Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, 6651 Main Street, Suite F1060.04, Houston, TX 77030. Tel: (832) 826-8065;
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Cao H, Mills-Koonce WR, Wood C, Fine MA. Identity Transformation During the Transition to Parenthood Among Same-Sex Couples: An Ecological, Stress-Strategy-Adaptation Perspective. JOURNAL OF FAMILY THEORY & REVIEW 2016; 8:30-59. [PMID: 27458482 PMCID: PMC4957560 DOI: 10.1111/jftr.12124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
This article reviews the current research on the potential stressors associated with identity transformation experienced by same-sex couples during the transition to parenthood and the coping strategies they employ. By integrating disparate findings into an ecological, stress-strategy-adaptation framework, we demonstrate that the identity transformation experiences among same-sex couples during the transition to parenthood (a) involve various adaptive processes of navigating different stressors via their human agency within multiple nested contexts; (b) are products of the intersections of individual characteristics, relational dynamics, LGBT community culture, and heterosexual sociostructural norms; and (c) are complicated by social contextual factors such as social class, race/ethnicity, family structure, and the sociocultural environment associated with geographic location. Last, several avenues for future inquiry are suggested.
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Prenatal hormones in first-time expectant parents: Longitudinal changes and within-couple correlations. Am J Hum Biol 2014; 27:317-25. [DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.22670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2014] [Revised: 11/08/2014] [Accepted: 11/15/2014] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
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