Influence of a "warm touch" support enhancement intervention among married couples on ambulatory blood pressure, oxytocin, alpha amylase, and cortisol

To investigate whether a support intervention (warm touch enhancement) influences physiological stress systems that are linked to important health outcomes. Growing evidence points to a protective effect of social and emotional support on both morbidity and mortality. In this study, 34 healthy marri...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psychosomatic medicine 2008-11, Vol.70 (9), p.976-985
Main Authors: Holt-Lunstad, Julianne, Birmingham, Wendy A, Light, Kathleen C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
alpha-Amylases - analysis
Blood pressure
Blood Pressure - physiology
Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory
Circadian Rhythm
Couples
Empathy
Female
Humans
Hydrocortisone - analysis
Hydrocortisone - secretion
Intervention
Male
Marriage - psychology
Married couples
Oxytocin
Oxytocin - analysis
Oxytocin - secretion
Pituitary-Adrenal System - physiology
Psychosomatic medicine
Saliva - chemistry
Saliva - enzymology
Social Support
Studies
Touch
Young Adult
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Summary:To investigate whether a support intervention (warm touch enhancement) influences physiological stress systems that are linked to important health outcomes. Growing evidence points to a protective effect of social and emotional support on both morbidity and mortality. In this study, 34 healthy married couples (n = 68), aged 20 to 39 years (mean = 25.2 years), were randomly assigned to a "behavior monitoring" control group or participated in a 4-week intervention study in which clinic levels of plasma oxytocin, 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure, and salivary cortisol and alpha amylase were obtained pre and post intervention, at the same time salivary oxytocin was taken at home during weeks 1 and 4. Salivary oxytocin was enhanced both early and late in the intervention group and alpha amylase was reduced at post treatment in intervention group husbands and wives relative to controls. Husbands in the intervention group had significantly lower post treatment 24-hour systolic blood pressure than the control group. Increasing warm touch among couples has a beneficial influence on multiple stress-sensitive systems.
ISSN:0033-3174
1534-7796
DOI:10.1097/psy.0b013e318187aef7