Paternal biobehavioral influence on the family: Preliminary data from the D.A.D.I.O. Project

Paternal biobehavioral influence on the family: Preliminary data from the D.A.D.I.O. Project. Nikki J Clauss, Erin Harrington, Jennifer Byrd-Craven. Human Behavior and Evolution Society 31st annual meeting. Boston 2019. http://tiny.cc/aa1w6y

Abstract: While research on maternal influence on the family unit has increased in recent years, assessment of the paternal influence remains sparse. The goal of this research was to increase our understanding of paternal influence on the biobehavioral dynamics of the family unit. Participants consisted of 40 family units recruited between 28- and 36-weeks’ gestation. Participants completed 6 monthly questionnaires and an in-home visit when the infant was 4 months of age, during which parents and infants completed semistructured interaction tasks and provided saliva samples. Saliva was assayed for testosterone, progesterone, and cortisol. Results revealed that fathers’ testosterone was associated with father-infant synchrony (p = .03), mother-infant synchrony (p = .02), and marginally with partner synchrony (p = .08). Maternal progesterone responses were correlated with father-infant synchrony and marginally with couple satisfaction (p = .08) Finally, Infant cortisol was inversely correlated with alloparental support (p = .003). Together, results suggest that a more muted testosterone response is associated with maternal sensitive responding, that maternal progesterone and paternal testosterone may serve similar functions in the familial context, and that alloparental support facilitates infant HPA response selectivity.