A systematic review and multivariate meta-analysis of the physical and mental health benefits of touch interventions.
Journal
Nature human behaviour
ISSN: 2397-3374
Titre abrégé: Nat Hum Behav
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101697750
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
08 Apr 2024
08 Apr 2024
Historique:
received:
16
08
2023
accepted:
29
01
2024
medline:
9
4
2024
pubmed:
9
4
2024
entrez:
8
4
2024
Statut:
aheadofprint
Résumé
Receiving touch is of critical importance, as many studies have shown that touch promotes mental and physical well-being. We conducted a pre-registered (PROSPERO: CRD42022304281) systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis encompassing 137 studies in the meta-analysis and 75 additional studies in the systematic review (n = 12,966 individuals, search via Google Scholar, PubMed and Web of Science until 1 October 2022) to identify critical factors moderating touch intervention efficacy. Included studies always featured a touch versus no touch control intervention with diverse health outcomes as dependent variables. Risk of bias was assessed via small study, randomization, sequencing, performance and attrition bias. Touch interventions were especially effective in regulating cortisol levels (Hedges' g = 0.78, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.24 to 1.31) and increasing weight (0.65, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.94) in newborns as well as in reducing pain (0.69, 95% CI 0.48 to 0.89), feelings of depression (0.59, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.78) and state (0.64, 95% CI 0.44 to 0.84) or trait anxiety (0.59, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.77) for adults. Comparing touch interventions involving objects or robots resulted in similar physical (0.56, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.88 versus 0.51, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.64) but lower mental health benefits (0.34, 95% CI 0.19 to 0.49 versus 0.58, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.73). Adult clinical cohorts profited more strongly in mental health domains compared with healthy individuals (0.63, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.80 versus 0.37, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.55). We found no difference in health benefits in adults when comparing touch applied by a familiar person or a health care professional (0.51, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.73 versus 0.50, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.61), but parental touch was more beneficial in newborns (0.69, 95% CI 0.50 to 0.88 versus 0.39, 95% CI 0.18 to 0.61). Small but significant small study bias and the impossibility to blind experimental conditions need to be considered. Leveraging factors that influence touch intervention efficacy will help maximize the benefits of future interventions and focus research in this field.
Identifiants
pubmed: 38589702
doi: 10.1038/s41562-024-01841-8
pii: 10.1038/s41562-024-01841-8
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Subventions
Organisme : Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation)
ID : Project-ID 422744262
Organisme : EC | EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation H2020 | H2020 Priority Excellent Science | H2020 European Research Council (H2020 Excellent Science - European Research Council)
ID : 758703
Informations de copyright
© 2024. The Author(s).
Références
Fulkerson, M. The First Sense: a Philosophical Study of Human Touch (MIT Press, 2013).
Farroni, T., Della Longa, L. & Valori, I. The self-regulatory affective touch: a speculative framework for the development of executive functioning. Curr. Opin. Behav. Sci. 43, 167–173 (2022).
doi: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2021.10.007
Ocklenburg, S. et al. Hugs and kisses—the role of motor preferences and emotional lateralization for hemispheric asymmetries in human social touch. Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev. 95, 353–360 (2018).
Ardiel, E. L. & Rankin, C. H. The importance of touch in development. Paediatr. Child Health 15, 153–156 (2010).
pubmed: 21358895
pmcid: 2865952
doi: 10.1093/pch/15.3.153
Moyer, C. A., Rounds, J. & Hannum, J. W. A meta-analysis of massage therapy research. Psychol. Bull. 130, 3–18 (2004).
pubmed: 14717648
doi: 10.1037/0033-2909.130.1.3
Lee, S. H., Kim, J. Y., Yeo, S., Kim, S. H. & Lim, S. Meta-analysis of massage therapy on cancer pain. Integr. Cancer Ther. 14, 297–304 (2015).
pubmed: 25784669
doi: 10.1177/1534735415572885
LaFollette, M. R., O’Haire, M. E., Cloutier, S. & Gaskill, B. N. A happier rat pack: the impacts of tickling pet store rats on human–animal interactions and rat welfare. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 203, 92–102 (2018).
doi: 10.1016/j.applanim.2018.02.006
Packheiser, J., Michon, F. Eva, C., Fredriksen, K. & Hartmann H. The physical and mental health benefits of social touch: a comparative systematic review and meta-analysis. PROSPERO https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022304281 (2023).
Lakens, D. Sample size justification. Collabra. Psychol. 8, 33267 (2022).
doi: 10.1525/collabra.33267
Quintana, D. S. A guide for calculating study-level statistical power for meta-analyses. Adv. Meth. Pract. Psychol. Sci. https://doi.org/10.1177/25152459221147260 (2023).
Eckstein, M., Mamaev, I., Ditzen, B. & Sailer, U. Calming effects of touch in human, animal, and robotic interaction—scientific state-of-the-art and technical advances. Front. Psychiatry 11, 555058 (2020).
pubmed: 33329093
pmcid: 7672023
doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.555058
Packheiser, J. et al. The physical and mental health benefits of affective touch: a comparative systematic review and multivariate meta-analysis. Open Science Framework https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/C8RVW (2023).
Kong, L. J. et al. Massage therapy for neck and shoulder pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Evid. Based Complement. Altern. Med. 2013, 613279 (2013).
doi: 10.1155/2013/613279
Wang, L., He, J. L. & Zhang, X. H. The efficacy of massage on preterm infants: a meta-analysis. Am. J. Perinatol. 30, 731–738 (2013).
pubmed: 23322391
doi: 10.1055/s-0032-1332801
Field, T. Massage therapy research review. Complement. Ther. Clin. Pract. 24, 19–31 (2016).
pubmed: 27502797
pmcid: 5564319
doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2016.04.005
Bendas, J., Ree, A., Pabel, L., Sailer, U. & Croy, I. Dynamics of affective habituation to touch differ on the group and individual level. Neuroscience 464, 44–52 (2021).
pubmed: 33385487
doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.12.024
Charpak, N., Montealegre‐Pomar, A. & Bohorquez, A. Systematic review and meta‐analysis suggest that the duration of Kangaroo mother care has a direct impact on neonatal growth. Acta Paediatr. 110, 45–59 (2021).
pubmed: 32683720
doi: 10.1111/apa.15489
Packheiser, J. et al. A comparison of hugging frequency and its association with momentary mood before and during COVID-19 using ecological momentary assessment. Health Commun. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2023.2198058 (2023).
Whitelaw, A., Heisterkamp, G., Sleath, K., Acolet, D. & Richards, M. Skin to skin contact for very low birthweight infants and their mothers. Arch. Dis. Child. 63, 1377–1381 (1988).
pubmed: 3060024
pmcid: 1779160
doi: 10.1136/adc.63.11.1377
Yogeswaran, N. et al. New materials and advances in making electronic skin for interactive robots. Adv. Robot. 29, 1359–1373 (2015).
doi: 10.1080/01691864.2015.1095653
Durkin, J., Jackson, D. & Usher, K. Touch in times of COVID‐19: touch hunger hurts. J. Clin. Nurs. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.15488 (2021).
Rokach, A., Lechcier-Kimel, R. & Safarov, A. Loneliness of people with physical disabilities. Soc. Behav. Personal. Int. J. 34, 681–700 (2006).
doi: 10.2224/sbp.2006.34.6.681
Palgi, Y. et al. The loneliness pandemic: loneliness and other concomitants of depression, anxiety and their comorbidity during the COVID-19 outbreak. J. Affect. Disord. 275, 109–111 (2020).
pubmed: 32658811
pmcid: 7330569
doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.06.036
Heatley-Tejada, A., Dunbar, R. I. M. & Montero, M. Physical contact and loneliness: being touched reduces perceptions of loneliness. Adapt. Hum. Behav. Physiol. 6, 292–306 (2020).
doi: 10.1007/s40750-020-00138-0
Packheiser, J. et al. The association of embracing with daily mood and general life satisfaction: an ecological momentary assessment study. J. Nonverbal Behav. 46, 519–536 (2022).
pubmed: 35967989
pmcid: 9362016
doi: 10.1007/s10919-022-00411-8
Porter, R. The biological significance of skin-to-skin contact and maternal odours. Acta Paediatr. 93, 1560–1562 (2007).
doi: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2004.tb00843.x
Hawkley, L. C., Masi, C. M., Berry, J. D. & Cacioppo, J. T. Loneliness is a unique predictor of age-related differences in systolic blood pressure. Psychol. Aging 21, 152–164 (2006).
pubmed: 16594800
doi: 10.1037/0882-7974.21.1.152
Russo, V., Ottaviani, C. & Spitoni, G. F. Affective touch: a meta-analysis on sex differences. Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev. 108, 445–452 (2020).
pubmed: 31614152
doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.09.037
Schirmer, A. et al. Understanding sex differences in affective touch: sensory pleasantness, social comfort, and precursive experiences. Physiol. Behav. 250, 113797 (2022).
pubmed: 35367508
doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.113797
Berretz, G. et al. Romantic partner embraces reduce cortisol release after acute stress induction in women but not in men. PLoS ONE 17, e0266887 (2022).
pubmed: 35584124
pmcid: 9116618
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0266887
Gazzola, V. et al. Primary somatosensory cortex discriminates affective significance in social touch. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 109, E1657–E1666 (2012).
pubmed: 22665808
pmcid: 3382530
doi: 10.1073/pnas.1113211109
Sorokowska, A. et al. Affective interpersonal touch in close relationships: a cross-cultural perspective. Personal. Soc. Psychol. Bull. 47, 1705–1721 (2021).
doi: 10.1177/0146167220988373
Ravaja, N., Harjunen, V., Ahmed, I., Jacucci, G. & Spapé, M. M. Feeling touched: emotional modulation of somatosensory potentials to interpersonal touch. Sci. Rep. 7, 40504 (2017).
pubmed: 28079157
pmcid: 5228183
doi: 10.1038/srep40504
Saarinen, A., Harjunen, V., Jasinskaja-Lahti, I., Jääskeläinen, I. P. & Ravaja, N. Social touch experience in different contexts: a review. Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev. 131, 360–372 (2021).
pubmed: 34537266
doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.027
Huisman, G. Social touch technology: a survey of haptic technology for social touch. IEEE Trans. Haptics 10, 391–408 (2017).
pubmed: 28092577
doi: 10.1109/TOH.2017.2650221
Lewejohann, L., Schwabe, K., Häger, C. & Jirkof, P. Impulse for animal welfare outside the experiment. Lab. Anim. https://doi.org/10.17169/REFUBIUM-26765 (2020).
doi: 10.17169/REFUBIUM-26765
pubmed: 32050843
pmcid: 7160751
Sørensen, J. T., Sandøe, P. & Halberg, N. Animal welfare as one among several values to be considered at farm level: the idea of an ethical account for livestock farming. Acta Agric. Scand. A 51, 11–16 (2001).
Verga, M. & Michelazzi, M. Companion animal welfare and possible implications on the human–pet relationship. Ital. J. Anim. Sci. 8, 231–240 (2009).
doi: 10.4081/ijas.2009.s1.231
Coulon, M. et al. Do lambs perceive regular human stroking as pleasant? Behavior and heart rate variability analyses. PLoS ONE 10, e0118617 (2015).
pubmed: 25714604
pmcid: 4340872
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0118617
Soares, M. C., Oliveira, R. F., Ros, A. F. H., Grutter, A. S. & Bshary, R. Tactile stimulation lowers stress in fish. Nat. Commun. 2, 534 (2011).
pubmed: 22086335
doi: 10.1038/ncomms1547
Gourkow, N., Hamon, S. C. & Phillips, C. J. C. Effect of gentle stroking and vocalization on behaviour, mucosal immunity and upper respiratory disease in anxious shelter cats. Prev. Vet. Med. 117, 266–275 (2014).
pubmed: 25064364
doi: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2014.06.005
Oliveira, V. E. et al. Oxytocin and vasopressin within the ventral and dorsal lateral septum modulate aggression in female rats. Nat. Commun. 12, 2900 (2021).
pubmed: 34006875
pmcid: 8131389
doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-23064-5
Burleson, M. H., Roberts, N. A., Coon, D. W. & Soto, J. A. Perceived cultural acceptability and comfort with affectionate touch: differences between Mexican Americans and European Americans. J. Soc. Personal. Relatsh. 36, 1000–1022 (2019).
doi: 10.1177/0265407517750005
Wijaya, M. et al. The human ‘feel’ of touch contributes to its perceived pleasantness. J. Exp. Psychol. Hum. Percept. Perform. 46, 155–171 (2020).
pubmed: 31714105
doi: 10.1037/xhp0000705
Golaya, S. Touch-hunger: an unexplored consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Indian J. Psychol. Med. 43, 362–363 (2021).
pubmed: 34385733
pmcid: 8327863
doi: 10.1177/02537176211014469
Ng, T. W. H., Sorensen, K. L., Zhang, Y. & Yim, F. H. K. Anger, anxiety, depression, and negative affect: convergent or divergent? J. Vocat. Behav. 110, 186–202 (2019).
doi: 10.1016/j.jvb.2018.11.014
Maier, M., Bartoš, F. & Wagenmakers, E.-J. Robust Bayesian meta-analysis: addressing publication bias with model-averaging. Psychol. Methods 28, 107–122 (2022).
pubmed: 35588075
doi: 10.1037/met0000405
Ahles, T. A. et al. Massage therapy for patients undergoing autologous bone marrow transplantation. J. Pain. Symptom Manag. 18, 157–163 (1999).
doi: 10.1016/S0885-3924(99)00061-5
Albert, N. M. et al. A randomized trial of massage therapy after heart surgery. Heart Lung 38, 480–490 (2009).
pubmed: 19944872
doi: 10.1016/j.hrtlng.2009.03.001
Ang, J. Y. et al. A randomized placebo-controlled trial of massage therapy on the immune system of preterm infants. Pediatrics 130, e1549–e1558 (2012).
pubmed: 23147978
pmcid: 3507248
doi: 10.1542/peds.2012-0196
Arditi, H., Feldman, R. & Eidelman, A. I. Effects of human contact and vagal regulation on pain reactivity and visual attention in newborns. Dev. Psychobiol. 48, 561–573 (2006).
pubmed: 17016840
doi: 10.1002/dev.20150
Arora, J., Kumar, A. & Ramji, S. Effect of oil massage on growth and neurobehavior in very low birth weight preterm neonates. Indian Pediatr. 42, 1092–1100 (2005).
pubmed: 16340050
Asadollahi, M., Jabraeili, M., Mahallei, M., Asgari Jafarabadi, M. & Ebrahimi, S. Effects of gentle human touch and field massage on urine cortisol level in premature infants: a randomized, controlled clinical trial. J. Caring Sci. 5, 187–194 (2016).
pubmed: 27752484
pmcid: 5045952
doi: 10.15171/jcs.2016.020
Basiri-Moghadam, M., Basiri-Moghadam, K., Kianmehr, M. & Jani, S. The effect of massage on neonatal jaundice in stable preterm newborn infants: a randomized controlled trial. J. Pak. Med. Assoc. 65, 602–606 (2015).
pubmed: 26060154
Bauer, B. A. et al. Effect of massage therapy on pain, anxiety, and tension after cardiac surgery: a randomized study. Complement. Ther. Clin. Pract. 16, 70–75 (2010).
pubmed: 20347836
doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2009.06.012
Beijers, R., Cillessen, L. & Zijlmans, M. A. C. An experimental study on mother-infant skin-to-skin contact in full-terms. Infant Behav. Dev. 43, 58–65 (2016).
pubmed: 27130955
doi: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2016.01.001
Bennett, S. et al. Acute effects of traditional Thai massage on cortisol levels, arterial blood pressure and stress perception in academic stress condition: a single blind randomised controlled trial. J. Bodyw. Mov. Therapies 20, 286–292 (2016).
doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2015.10.005
Bergman, N., Linley, L. & Fawcus, S. Randomized controlled trial of skin-to-skin contact from birth versus conventional incubator for physiological stabilization in 1200- to 2199-gram newborns. Acta Paediatr. 93, 779–785 (2004).
pubmed: 15244227
doi: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2004.tb03018.x
Bigelow, A., Power, M., MacLellan‐Peters, J., Alex, M. & McDonald, C. Effect of mother/infant skin‐to‐skin contact on postpartum depressive symptoms and maternal physiological stress. J. Obstet. Gynecol. Neonatal Nurs. 41, 369–382 (2012).
pubmed: 22537390
doi: 10.1111/j.1552-6909.2012.01350.x
Billhult, A., Bergbom, I. & Stener-Victorin, E. Massage relieves nausea in women with breast cancer who are undergoing chemotherapy. J. Altern. Complement. Med. 13, 53–57 (2007).
pubmed: 17309378
doi: 10.1089/acm.2006.6049
Billhult, A., Lindholm, C., Gunnarsson, R. & Stener-Victorin, E. The effect of massage on cellular immunity, endocrine and psychological factors in women with breast cancer—a randomized controlled clinical trial. Auton. Neurosci. 140, 88–95 (2008).
pubmed: 18474451
doi: 10.1016/j.autneu.2008.03.006
Braun, L. A. et al. Massage therapy for cardiac surgery patients—a randomized trial. J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. 144, 1453–1459 (2012).
pubmed: 22964355
doi: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2012.04.027
Cabibihan, J.-J. & Chauhan, S. S. Physiological responses to affective tele-touch during induced emotional stimuli. IEEE Trans. Affect. Comput. 8, 108–118 (2017).
doi: 10.1109/TAFFC.2015.2509985
Campeau, M.-P. et al. Impact of massage therapy on anxiety levels in patients undergoing radiation therapy: randomized controlled trial. J. Soc. Integr. Oncol. 5, 133–138 (2007).
Can, Ş. & Kaya, H. The effects of yakson or gentle human touch training given to mothers with preterm babies on attachment levels and the responses of the baby: a randomized controlled trial. Health Care Women Int. 43, 479–498 (2021).
pubmed: 34515619
doi: 10.1080/07399332.2021.1958817
Carfoot, S., Williamson, P. & Dickson, R. A randomised controlled trial in the north of England examining the effects of skin-to-skin care on breast feeding. Midwifery 21, 71–79 (2005).
pubmed: 15740818
doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2004.09.002
Castral, T. C., Warnock, F., Leite, A. M., Haas, V. J. & Scochi, C. G. S. The effects of skin-to-skin contact during acute pain in preterm newborns. Eur. J. Pain. 12, 464–471 (2008).
pubmed: 17869557
doi: 10.1016/j.ejpain.2007.07.012
Cattaneo, A. et al. Kangaroo mother care for low birthweight infants: a randomized controlled trial in different settings. Acta Paediatr. 87, 976–985 (1998).
pubmed: 9764894
doi: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1998.tb01769.x
Charpak, N., Ruiz-Peláez, J. G. & Charpak, Y. Rey-Martinez kangaroo mother program: an alternative way of caring for low birth weight infants? One year mortality in a two cohort study. Pediatrics 94, 804–810 (1994).
pubmed: 7970993
doi: 10.1542/peds.94.6.804
Chermont, A. G., Falcão, L. F. M., de Souza Silva, E. H. L., de Cássia Xavier Balda, R. & Guinsburg, R. Skin-to-skin contact and/or oral 25% dextrose for procedural pain relief for term newborn infants. Pediatrics 124, e1101–e1107 (2009).
pubmed: 19948613
doi: 10.1542/peds.2009-0993
Chi Luong, K., Long Nguyen, T., Huynh Thi, D. H., Carrara, H. P. O. & Bergman, N. J. Newly born low birthweight infants stabilise better in skin-to-skin contact than when separated from their mothers: a randomised controlled trial. Acta Paediatr. 105, 381–390 (2016).
pubmed: 26303808
doi: 10.1111/apa.13164
Cho, E.-S. et al. The effects of kangaroo care in the neonatal intensive care unit on the physiological functions of preterm infants, maternal–infant attachment, and maternal stress. J. Pediatr. Nurs. 31, 430–438 (2016).
pubmed: 26975461
doi: 10.1016/j.pedn.2016.02.007
Choi, H. et al. The effects of massage therapy on physical growth and gastrointestinal function in premature infants: a pilot study. J. Child Health Care 20, 394–404 (2016).
pubmed: 26311485
doi: 10.1177/1367493515598647
Choudhary, M. et al. To study the effect of Kangaroo mother care on pain response in preterm neonates and to determine the behavioral and physiological responses to painful stimuli in preterm neonates: a study from western Rajasthan. J. Matern. Fetal Neonatal Med. 29, 826–831 (2016).
pubmed: 25758623
doi: 10.3109/14767058.2015.1020419
Christensson, K. et al. Temperature, metabolic adaptation and crying in healthy full-term newborns cared for skin-to-skin or in a cot. Acta Paediatr. 81, 488–493 (1992).
pubmed: 1392359
doi: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1992.tb12280.x
Cloutier, S. & Newberry, R. C. Use of a conditioning technique to reduce stress associated with repeated intra-peritoneal injections in laboratory rats. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 112, 158–173 (2008).
doi: 10.1016/j.applanim.2007.07.003
Cloutier, S., Wahl, K., Baker, C. & Newberry, R. C. The social buffering effect of playful handling on responses to repeated intraperitoneal injections in laboratory rats. J. Am. Assoc. Lab. Anim. Sci. 53, 168–173 (2014).
pubmed: 24602543
pmcid: 3966273
Cloutier, S., Wahl, K. L., Panksepp, J. & Newberry, R. C. Playful handling of laboratory rats is more beneficial when applied before than after routine injections. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 164, 81–90 (2015).
doi: 10.1016/j.applanim.2014.12.012
Cong, X. et al. Effects of skin-to-skin contact on autonomic pain responses in preterm infants. J. Pain. 13, 636–645 (2012).
pubmed: 22595172
doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2012.02.008
Cong, X., Ludington-Hoe, S. M., McCain, G. & Fu, P. Kangaroo care modifies preterm infant heart rate variability in response to heel stick pain: pilot study. Early Hum. Dev. 85, 561–567 (2009).
pubmed: 19505775
pmcid: 2742959
doi: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2009.05.012
Cong, X., Ludington-Hoe, S. M. & Walsh, S. Randomized crossover trial of kangaroo care to reduce biobehavioral pain responses in preterm infants: a pilot study. Biol. Res. Nurs. 13, 204–216 (2011).
pubmed: 21196428
doi: 10.1177/1099800410385839
Costa, R. et al. Tactile stimulation of adult rats modulates hormonal responses, depression-like behaviors, and memory impairment induced by chronic mild stress: role of angiotensin II. Behav. Brain Res. 379, 112250 (2020).
pubmed: 31654661
doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112250
Cutshall, S. M. et al. Effect of massage therapy on pain, anxiety, and tension in cardiac surgical patients: a pilot study. Complement. Ther. Clin. Pract. 16, 92–95 (2010).
pubmed: 20347840
doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2009.10.006
Dalili, H., Sheikhi, S., Shariat, M. & Haghnazarian, E. Effects of baby massage on neonatal jaundice in healthy Iranian infants: a pilot study. Infant Behav. Dev. 42, 22–26 (2016).
pubmed: 26646074
doi: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2015.10.009
Diego, M. A., Field, T. & Hernandez-Reif, M. Vagal activity, gastric motility, and weight gain in massaged preterm neonates. J. Pediatr. 147, 50–55 (2005).
pubmed: 16027695
doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2005.02.023
Diego, M. A., Field, T. & Hernandez-Reif, M. Temperature increases in preterm infants during massage therapy. Infant Behav. Dev. 31, 149–152 (2008).
pubmed: 17692385
doi: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2007.07.002
Diego, M. A. et al. Preterm infant massage elicits consistent increases in vagal activity and gastric motility that are associated with greater weight gain. Acta Paediatr. 96, 1588–1591 (2007).
pubmed: 17888059
doi: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2007.00476.x
Diego, M. A. et al. Spinal cord patients benefit from massage therapy. Int. J. Neurosci. 112, 133–142 (2002).
pubmed: 12325402
doi: 10.1080/00207450212023
Diego, M. A. et al. Aggressive adolescents benefit from massage therapy. Adolescence 37, 597–607 (2002).
pubmed: 12458696
Diego, M. A. et al. HIV adolescents show improved immune function following massage therapy. Int. J. Neurosci. 106, 35–45 (2001).
pubmed: 11264907
doi: 10.3109/00207450109149736
Dieter, J. N. I., Field, T., Hernandez-Reif, M., Emory, E. K. & Redzepi, M. Stable preterm infants gain more weight and sleep less after five days of massage therapy. J. Pediatr. Psychol. 28, 403–411 (2003).
pubmed: 12904452
doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsg030
Ditzen, B. et al. Effects of different kinds of couple interaction on cortisol and heart rate responses to stress in women. Psychoneuroendocrinology 32, 565–574 (2007).
pubmed: 17499441
doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2007.03.011
Dreisoerner, A. et al. Self-soothing touch and being hugged reduce cortisol responses to stress: a randomized controlled trial on stress, physical touch, and social identity. Compr. Psychoneuroendocrinol. 8, 100091 (2021).
pubmed: 35757667
pmcid: 9216399
doi: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2021.100091
Eaton, M., Mitchell-Bonair, I. L. & Friedmann, E. The effect of touch on nutritional intake of chronic organic brain syndrome patients. J. Gerontol. 41, 611–616 (1986).
pubmed: 3528273
doi: 10.1093/geronj/41.5.611
Edens, J. L., Larkin, K. T. & Abel, J. L. The effect of social support and physical touch on cardiovascular reactions to mental stress. J. Psychosom. Res. 36, 371–382 (1992).
pubmed: 1593512
doi: 10.1016/0022-3999(92)90073-B
El-Farrash, R. A. et al. Longer duration of kangaroo care improves neurobehavioral performance and feeding in preterm infants: a randomized controlled trial. Pediatr. Res. 87, 683–688 (2020).
pubmed: 31493775
doi: 10.1038/s41390-019-0558-6
Erlandsson, K., Dsilna, A., Fagerberg, I. & Christensson, K. Skin-to-skin care with the father after cesarean birth and its effect on newborn crying and prefeeding behavior. Birth 34, 105–114 (2007).
pubmed: 17542814
doi: 10.1111/j.1523-536X.2007.00162.x
Escalona, A., Field, T., Singer-Strunck, R., Cullen, C. & Hartshorn, K. Brief report: improvements in the behavior of children with autism following massage therapy. J. Autism Dev. Disord. 31, 513–516 (2001).
pubmed: 11794416
doi: 10.1023/A:1012273110194
Fattah, M. A. & Hamdy, B. Pulmonary functions of children with asthma improve following massage therapy. J. Altern. Complement. Med. 17, 1065–1068 (2011).
pubmed: 22087616
doi: 10.1089/acm.2010.0758
Feldman, R. & Eidelman, A. I. Skin-to-skin contact (kangaroo care) accelerates autonomic and neurobehavioural maturation in preterm infants. Dev. Med. Child Neurol. 45, 274–281 (2003).
pubmed: 12647930
doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.2003.tb00343.x
Feldman, R., Eidelman, A. I., Sirota, L. & Weller, A. Comparison of skin-to-skin (kangaroo) and traditional care: parenting outcomes and preterm infant development. Pediatrics 110, 16–26 (2002).
pubmed: 12093942
doi: 10.1542/peds.110.1.16
Feldman, R., Singer, M. & Zagoory, O. Touch attenuates infants’ physiological reactivity to stress. Dev. Sci. 13, 271–278 (2010).
pubmed: 20136923
doi: 10.1111/j.1467-7687.2009.00890.x
Feldman, R., Weller, A., Sirota, L. & Eidelman, A. I. Testing a family intervention hypothesis: the contribution of mother–infant skin-to-skin contact (kangaroo care) to family interaction, proximity, and touch. J. Fam. Psychol. 17, 94–107 (2003).
pubmed: 12666466
doi: 10.1037/0893-3200.17.1.94
Ferber, S. G. et al. Massage therapy by mothers and trained professionals enhances weight gain in preterm infants. Early Hum. Dev. 67, 37–45 (2002).
pubmed: 11893434
doi: 10.1016/S0378-3782(01)00249-3
Ferber, S. G. & Makhoul, I. R. The effect of skin-to-skin contact (kangaroo care) shortly after birth on the neurobehavioral responses of the term newborn: a randomized, controlled trial. Pediatrics 113, 858–865 (2004).
pubmed: 15060238
doi: 10.1542/peds.113.4.858
Ferreira, A. M. & Bergamasco, N. H. P. Behavioral analysis of preterm neonates included in a tactile and kinesthetic stimulation program during hospitalization. Rev. Bras. Fisioter. 14, 141–148 (2010).
pubmed: 20464169
doi: 10.1590/S1413-35552010005000002
Fidanza, F., Polimeni, E., Pierangeli, V. & Martini, M. A better touch: C-tactile fibers related activity is associated to pain reduction during temporal summation of second pain. J. Pain. 22, 567–576 (2021).
pubmed: 33465505
doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2021.01.001
Field, T. et al. Leukemia immune changes following massage therapy. J. Bodyw. Mov. Ther. 5, 271–274 (2001).
doi: 10.1054/jbmt.2001.0228
Field, T. et al. Benefits of combining massage therapy with group interpersonal psychotherapy in prenatally depressed women. J. Bodyw. Mov. Ther. 13, 297–303 (2009).
pubmed: 19761951
pmcid: 2785018
doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2008.10.002
Field, T., Delage, J. & Hernandez-Reif, M. Movement and massage therapy reduce fibromyalgia pain. J. Bodyw. Mov. Ther. 7, 49–52 (2003).
doi: 10.1016/S1360-8592(02)00078-5
Field, T. et al. Fibromyalgia pain and substance P decrease and sleep improves after massage therapy. J. Clin. Rheumatol. 8, 72–76 (2002).
pubmed: 17041326
doi: 10.1097/00124743-200204000-00002
Field, T., Diego, M., Gonzalez, G. & Funk, C. G. Neck arthritis pain is reduced and range of motion is increased by massage therapy. Complement. Ther. Clin. Pract. 20, 219–223 (2014).
pubmed: 25444416
doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2014.09.001
Field, T., Diego, M., Hernandez-Reif, M., Deeds, O. & Figueiredo, B. Pregnancy massage reduces prematurity, low birthweight and postpartum depression. Infant Behav. Dev. 32, 454–460 (2009).
pubmed: 19646762
doi: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2009.07.001
Field, T. et al. Insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1 increased in preterm neonates following massage therapy. J. Dev. Behav. Pediatr. 29, 463–466 (2008).
pubmed: 18714203
pmcid: 2663361
doi: 10.1097/DBP.0b013e3181856d3b
Field, T. et al. Yoga and massage therapy reduce prenatal depression and prematurity. J. Bodyw. Mov. Ther. 16, 204–209 (2012).
pubmed: 22464118
doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2011.08.002
Field, T., Diego, M., Hernandez-Reif, M., Schanberg, S. & Kuhn, C. Massage therapy effects on depressed pregnant women. J. Psychosom. Obstet. Gynecol. 25, 115–122 (2004).
doi: 10.1080/01674820412331282231
Field, T., Diego, M., Hernandez-Reif, M. & Shea, J. Hand arthritis pain is reduced by massage therapy. J. Bodyw. Mov. Ther. 11, 21–24 (2007).
doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2006.09.002
Field, T., Gonzalez, G., Diego, M. & Mindell, J. Mothers massaging their newborns with lotion versus no lotion enhances mothers’ and newborns’ sleep. Infant Behav. Dev. 45, 31–37 (2016).
pubmed: 27599170
doi: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2016.08.004
Field, T. et al. Children with asthma have improved pulmonary functions after massage therapy. J. Pediatr. 132, 854–858 (1998).
pubmed: 9602199
doi: 10.1016/S0022-3476(98)70317-8
Field, T., Hernandez-Reif, M., Diego, M. & Fraser, M. Lower back pain and sleep disturbance are reduced following massage therapy. J. Bodyw. Mov. Ther. 11, 141–145 (2007).
doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2006.03.001
Field, T. et al. Effects of sexual abuse are lessened by massage therapy. J. Bodyw. Mov. Ther. 1, 65–69 (1997).
doi: 10.1016/S1360-8592(97)80002-2
Field, T. et al. Pregnant women benefit from massage therapy. J. Psychosom. Obstet. Gynecol. 20, 31–38 (1999).
doi: 10.3109/01674829909075574
Field, T. et al. Juvenilerheumatoid arthritis: benefits from massage therapy. J. Pediatr. Psychol. 22, 607–617 (1997).
pubmed: 9383925
doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/22.5.607
Field, T., Hernandez-Reif, M., Taylor, S., Quintino, O. & Burman, I. Labor pain is reduced by massage therapy. J. Psychosom. Obstet. Gynecol. 18, 286–291 (1997).
doi: 10.3109/01674829709080701
Field, T. et al. Massage therapy reduces anxiety and enhances EEG pattern of alertness and math computations. Int. J. Neurosci. 86, 197–205 (1996).
pubmed: 8884390
doi: 10.3109/00207459608986710
Field, T. et al. Brief report: autistic children’s attentiveness and responsivity improve after touch therapy. J. Autism Dev. Disord. 27, 333–338 (1997).
pubmed: 9229263
doi: 10.1023/A:1025858600220
Field, T. M. et al. Tactile/kinesthetic stimulation effects on preterm neonates. Pediatrics 77, 654–658 (1986).
pubmed: 3754633
doi: 10.1542/peds.77.5.654
Field, T. et al. Massage reduces anxiety in child and adolescent psychiatric patients. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry 31, 125–131 (1992).
pubmed: 1537763
doi: 10.1097/00004583-199201000-00019
Field, T. et al. Burn injuries benefit from massage therapy. J. Burn Care Res. 19, 241–244 (1998).
doi: 10.1097/00004630-199805000-00010
Filho, F. L. et al. Effect of maternal skin-to-skin contact on decolonization of methicillin-oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus in neonatal intensive care units: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-015-0496-1 (2015).
Forward, J. B., Greuter, N. E., Crisall, S. J. & Lester, H. F. Effect of structured touch and guided imagery for pain and anxiety in elective joint replacement patients—a randomized controlled trial: M-TIJRP. Perm. J. 19, 18–28 (2015).
pubmed: 26222093
pmcid: 4625990
doi: 10.7812/TPP/14-236
Fraser, J. & Ross Kerr, J. Psychophysiological effects of back massage on elderly institutionalized patients. J. Adv. Nurs. 18, 238–245 (1993).
pubmed: 8436714
doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2648.1993.18020238.x
Frey Law, L. A. et al. Massage reduces pain perception and hyperalgesia in experimental muscle pain: a randomized, controlled trial. J. Pain. 9, 714–721 (2008).
pubmed: 18455480
doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2008.03.009
Gao, H. et al. Effect of repeated kangaroo mother care on repeated procedural pain in preterm infants: a randomized controlled trial. Int. J. Nurs. Stud. 52, 1157–1165 (2015).
pubmed: 25912524
doi: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2015.04.006
Garner, B. et al. Pilot study evaluating the effect of massage therapy on stress, anxiety and aggression in a young adult psychiatric inpatient unit. Aust. N. Z. J. Psychiatry 42, 414–422 (2008).
pubmed: 18478478
doi: 10.1080/00048670801961131
Gathwala, G., Singh, B. & Singh, J. Effect of kangaroo mother care on physical growth, breastfeeding and its acceptability. Trop. Dr. 40, 199–202 (2010).
Geva, N., Uzefovsky, F. & Levy-Tzedek, S. Touching the social robot PARO reduces pain perception and salivary oxytocin levels. Sci. Rep. 10, 9814 (2020).
pubmed: 32555432
pmcid: 7299999
doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-66982-y
Gitau, R. et al. Acute effects of maternal skin-to-skin contact and massage on saliva cortisol in preterm babies. J. Reprod. Infant Psychol. 20, 83–88 (2002).
doi: 10.1080/02646830220134595
Givi, M. Durability of effect of massage therapy on blood pressure. Int. J. Prev. Med. 4, 511–516 (2013).
pubmed: 23930160
pmcid: 3733180
Glover, V., Onozawa, K. & Hodgkinson, A. Benefits of infant massage for mothers with postnatal depression. Semin. Neonatol. 7, 495–500 (2002).
pubmed: 12614602
doi: 10.1053/siny.2002.0154
Gonzalez, A. et al. Weight gain in preterm infants following parent-administered vimala massage: a randomized controlled trial. Am. J. Perinatol. 26, 247–252 (2009).
pubmed: 19023851
doi: 10.1055/s-0028-1103151
Gray, L., Watt, L. & Blass, E. M. Skin-to-skin contact is analgesic in healthy newborns. Pediatrics 105, e14 (2000).
pubmed: 10617751
doi: 10.1542/peds.105.1.e14
Grewen, K. M., Anderson, B. J., Girdler, S. S. & Light, K. C. Warm partner contact is related to lower cardiovascular reactivity. Behav. Med. 29, 123–130 (2003).
pubmed: 15206831
doi: 10.1080/08964280309596065
Groër, M. W., Hill, J., Wilkinson, J. E. & Stuart, A. Effects of separation and separation with supplemental stroking in BALB/c infant mice. Biol. Res. Nurs. 3, 119–131 (2002).
pubmed: 12003440
doi: 10.1177/1099800402003003002
Gürol, A. P., Polat, S. & Nuran Akçay, M. Itching, pain, and anxiety levels are reduced with massage therapy in burned adolescents. J. Burn Care Res. 31, 429–432 (2010).
doi: 10.1097/BCR.0b013e3181db522c
Haley, S. et al. Tactile/kinesthetic stimulation (TKS) increases tibial speed of sound and urinary osteocalcin (U-MidOC and unOC) in premature infants (29–32 weeks PMA). Bone 51, 661–666 (2012).
pubmed: 22846674
pmcid: 3434881
doi: 10.1016/j.bone.2012.07.016
Harris, M., Richards, K. C. & Grando, V. T. The effects of slow-stroke back massage on minutes of nighttime sleep in persons with dementia and sleep disturbances in the nursing home: a pilot study. J. Holist. Nurs. 30, 255–263 (2012).
pubmed: 23007716
doi: 10.1177/0898010112455948
Hart, S. et al. Anorexia nervosa symptoms are reduced by massage therapy. Eat. Disord. 9, 289–299 (2001).
pubmed: 16864390
doi: 10.1080/106402601753454868
Hattan, J., King, L. & Griffiths, P. The impact of foot massage and guided relaxation following cardiac surgery: a randomized controlled trial. Issues Innov. Nurs. Pract. 37, 199–207 (2002).
Haynes, A. C. et al. A calming hug: design and validation of a tactile aid to ease anxiety. PLoS ONE 17, e0259838 (2022).
pubmed: 35263344
pmcid: 8906645
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259838
Henricson, M., Ersson, A., Määttä, S., Segesten, K. & Berglund, A.-L. The outcome of tactile touch on stress parameters in intensive care: a randomized controlled trial. Complement. Ther. Clin. Pract. 14, 244–254 (2008).
pubmed: 18940711
doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2008.03.003
Hernandez-Reif, M., Diego, M. & Field, T. Preterm infants show reduced stress behaviors and activity after 5 days of massage therapy. Infant Behav. Dev. 30, 557–561 (2007).
pubmed: 17548111
pmcid: 2254497
doi: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2007.04.002
Hernandez-Reif, M., Dieter, J. N. I., Field, T., Swerdlow, B. & Diego, M. Migraine headaches are reduced by massage therapy. Int. J. Neurosci. 96, 1–11 (1998).
doi: 10.3109/00207459808986453
Hernandez-Reif, M. et al. Natural killer cells and lymphocytes increase in women with breast cancer following massage therapy. Int. J. Neurosci. 115, 495–510 (2005).
pubmed: 15809216
doi: 10.1080/00207450590523080
Hernandez-Reif, M. et al. Children with cystic fibrosis benefit from massage therapy. J. Pediatr. Psychol. 24, 175–181 (1999).
pubmed: 10361400
doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/24.2.175
Hernandez-Reif, M., Field, T., Krasnegor, J. & Theakston, H. Lower back pain is reduced and range of motion increased after massage therapy. Int. J. Neurosci. 106, 131–145 (2001).
pubmed: 11264915
doi: 10.3109/00207450109149744
Hernandez-Reif, M. et al. High blood pressure and associated symptoms were reduced by massage therapy. J. Bodyw. Mov. Ther. 4, 31–38 (2000).
doi: 10.1054/jbmt.1999.0129
Hernandez-Reif, M. et al. Parkinson’s disease symptoms are differentially affected by massage therapy vs. progressive muscle relaxation: a pilot study. J. Bodyw. Mov. Ther. 6, 177–182 (2002).
doi: 10.1054/jbmt.2002.0282
Hernandez-Reif, M., Field, T. & Theakston, H. Multiple sclerosis patients benefit from massage therapy. J. Bodyw. Mov. Ther. 2, 168–174 (1998).
doi: 10.1016/S1360-8592(98)80009-0
Hernandez-Reif, M. et al. Breast cancer patients have improved immune and neuroendocrine functions following massage therapy. J. Psychosom. Res. 57, 45–52 (2004).
pubmed: 15256294
doi: 10.1016/S0022-3999(03)00500-2
Hertenstein, M. J. & Campos, J. J. Emotion regulation via maternal touch. Infancy 2, 549–566 (2001).
pubmed: 33451193
doi: 10.1207/S15327078IN0204_09
Hinchcliffe, J. K., Mendl, M. & Robinson, E. S. J. Rat 50 kHz calls reflect graded tickling-induced positive emotion. Curr. Biol. 30, R1034–R1035 (2020).
pubmed: 32961155
pmcid: 7533284
doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.08.038
Hodgson, N. A. & Andersen, S. The clinical efficacy of reflexology in nursing home residents with dementia. J. Altern. Complement. Med. 14, 269–275 (2008).
pubmed: 18370580
doi: 10.1089/acm.2007.0577
Hoffmann, L. & Krämer, N. C. The persuasive power of robot touch. Behavioral and evaluative consequences of non-functional touch from a robot. PLoS ONE 16, e0249554 (2021).
pubmed: 33951034
pmcid: 8099132
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249554
Holst, S., Lund, I., Petersson, M. & Uvnäs-Moberg, K. Massage-like stroking influences plasma levels of gastrointestinal hormones, including insulin, and increases weight gain in male rats. Auton. Neurosci. 120, 73–79 (2005).
pubmed: 15925549
doi: 10.1016/j.autneu.2005.04.007
Hori, M. et al. Tickling during adolescence alters fear-related and cognitive behaviors in rats after prolonged isolation. Physiol. Behav. 131, 62–67 (2014).
pubmed: 24727339
doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2014.04.008
Hori, M. et al. Effects of repeated tickling on conditioned fear and hormonal responses in socially isolated rats. Neurosci. Lett. 536, 85–89 (2013).
pubmed: 23313827
doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2012.12.054
Hucklenbruch-Rother, E. et al. Delivery room skin-to-skin contact in preterm infants affects long-term expression of stress response genes. Psychoneuroendocrinology 122, 104883 (2020).
pubmed: 33027708
doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104883
Im, H. & Kim, E. Effect of yakson and gentle human touch versus usual care on urine stress hormones and behaviors in preterm infants: a quasi-experimental study. Int. J. Nurs. Stud. 46, 450–458 (2009).
pubmed: 18353332
doi: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2008.01.009
Jain, S., Kumar, P. & McMillan, D. D. Prior leg massage decreases pain responses to heel stick in preterm babies. J. Paediatr. Child Health 42, 505–508 (2006).
pubmed: 16925535
doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1754.2006.00912.x
Jane, S.-W. et al. Effects of massage on pain, mood status, relaxation, and sleep in Taiwanese patients with metastatic bone pain: a randomized clinical trial. Pain 152, 2432–2442 (2011).
pubmed: 21802850
doi: 10.1016/j.pain.2011.06.021
Johnston, C. C. et al. Kangaroo mother care diminishes pain from heel lance in very preterm neonates: a crossover trial. BMC Pediatr. 8, 13 (2008).
pubmed: 18435837
pmcid: 2383886
doi: 10.1186/1471-2431-8-13
Johnston, C. C. et al. Kangaroo care is effective in diminishing pain response in preterm neonates. Arch. Pediatr. Adolesc. Med. 157, 1084–1088 (2003).
pubmed: 14609899
doi: 10.1001/archpedi.157.11.1084
Jung, M. J., Shin, B.-C., Kim, Y.-S., Shin, Y.-I. & Lee, M. S. Is there any difference in the effects of QI therapy (external QIGONG) with and without touching? a pilot study. Int. J. Neurosci. 116, 1055–1064 (2006).
pubmed: 16861168
doi: 10.1080/00207450600575474
Kapoor, Y. & Orr, R. Effect of therapeutic massage on pain in patients with dementia. Dementia 16, 119–125 (2017).
pubmed: 25908501
doi: 10.1177/1471301215583391
Karagozoglu, S. & Kahve, E. Effects of back massage on chemotherapy-related fatigue and anxiety: supportive care and therapeutic touch in cancer nursing. Appl. Nurs. Res. 26, 210–217 (2013).
pubmed: 24055114
doi: 10.1016/j.apnr.2013.07.002
Karbasi, S. A., Golestan, M., Fallah, R., Golshan, M. & Dehghan, Z. Effect of body massage on increase of low birth weight neonates growth parameters: a randomized clinical trial. Iran. J. Reprod. Med. 11, 583–588 (2013).
Kashaninia, Z., Sajedi, F., Rahgozar, M. & Noghabi, F. A. The effect of kangaroo care on behavioral responses to pain of an intramuscular injection in neonates. J. Pediatr. Nurs. 3, 275–280 (2008).
Kelling, C., Pitaro, D. & Rantala, J. Good vibes: The impact of haptic patterns on stress levels. In Proc. 20th International Academic Mindtrek Conference 130–136 (Association for Computing Machinery, 2016).
Khilnani, S., Field, T., Hernandez-Reif, M. & Schanberg, S. Massage therapy improves mood and behavior of students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Adolescence 38, 623–638 (2003).
pubmed: 15053490
Kianmehr, M. et al. The effect of massage on serum bilirubin levels in term neonates with hyperbilirubinemia undergoing phototherapy. Nautilus 128, 36–41 (2014).
Kim, I.-H., Kim, T.-Y. & Ko, Y.-W. The effect of a scalp massage on stress hormone, blood pressure, and heart rate of healthy female. J. Phys. Ther. Sci. 28, 2703–2707 (2016).
pubmed: 27821918
pmcid: 5088109
doi: 10.1589/jpts.28.2703
Kim, M. A., Kim, S.-J. & Cho, H. Effects of tactile stimulation by fathers on physiological responses and paternal attachment in infants in the NICU: a pilot study. J. Child Health Care 21, 36–45 (2017).
pubmed: 27659762
doi: 10.1177/1367493516666729
Kim, M. S., Sook Cho, K., Woo, H.-M. & Kim, J. H. Effects of hand massage on anxiety in cataract surgery using local anesthesia. J. Cataract Refr. Surg. 27, 884–890 (2001).
doi: 10.1016/S0886-3350(00)00730-6
Koole, S. L., Tjew A Sin, M. & Schneider, I. K. Embodied terror management: interpersonal touch alleviates existential concerns among individuals with low self-esteem. Psychol. Sci. 25, 30–37 (2014).
pubmed: 24190907
doi: 10.1177/0956797613483478
Krohn, M. et al. Depression, mood, stress, and Th1/Th2 immune balance in primary breast cancer patients undergoing classical massage therapy. Support. Care Cancer 19, 1303–1311 (2011).
pubmed: 20644965
doi: 10.1007/s00520-010-0946-2
Kuhn, C. et al. Tactile-kinesthetic stimulation effects sympathetic and adrenocortical function in preterm infants. J. Pediatr. 119, 434–440 (1991).
pubmed: 1880659
doi: 10.1016/S0022-3476(05)82059-1
Kumar, J. et al. Effect of oil massage on growth in preterm neonates less than 1800 g: a randomized control trial. Indian J. Pediatr. 80, 465–469 (2013).
pubmed: 23054851
doi: 10.1007/s12098-012-0869-7
Lee, H.-K. The effects of infant massage on weight, height, and mother–infant interaction. J. Korean Acad. Nurs. 36, 1331–1339 (2006).
doi: 10.4040/jkan.2006.36.8.1331
Leivadi, S. et al. Massage therapy and relaxation effects on university dance students. J. Dance Med. Sci. 3, 108–112 (1999).
doi: 10.1177/1089313X9900300303
Lindgren, L. et al. Touch massage: a pilot study of a complex intervention. Nurs. Crit. Care 18, 269–277 (2013).
pubmed: 24165068
doi: 10.1111/nicc.12017
Lindgren, L. et al. Physiological responses to touch massage in healthy volunteers. Auton. Neurosci. Basic Clin. 158, 105–110 (2010).
doi: 10.1016/j.autneu.2010.06.011
Listing, M. et al. Massage therapy reduces physical discomfort and improves mood disturbances in women with breast cancer. Psycho-Oncol. 18, 1290–1299 (2009).
doi: 10.1002/pon.1508
Ludington-Hoe, S. M., Cranston Anderson, G., Swinth, J. Y., Thompson, C. & Hadeed, A. J. Randomized controlled trial of kangaroo care: cardiorespiratory and thermal effects on healthy preterm infants. Neonatal Netw. 23, 39–48 (2004).
pubmed: 15182119
doi: 10.1891/0730-0832.23.3.39
Lund, I. et al. Corticotropin releasing factor in urine—a possible biochemical marker of fibromyalgia. Neurosci. Lett. 403, 166–171 (2006).
pubmed: 16716515
doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2006.04.038
Ma, Y.-K. et al. Lack of social touch alters anxiety-like and social behaviors in male mice. Stress 25, 134–144 (2022).
pubmed: 35254226
doi: 10.1080/10253890.2022.2047174
Massaro, A. N., Hammad, T. A., Jazzo, B. & Aly, H. Massage with kinesthetic stimulation improves weight gain in preterm infants. J. Perinatol. 29, 352–357 (2009).
pubmed: 19148112
doi: 10.1038/jp.2008.230
Mathai, S., Fernandez, A., Mondkar, J. & Kanbur, W. Effects of tactile-kinesthetic stimulation in preterms–a controlled trial. Indian Pediatr. 38, 1091–1098 (2001).
pubmed: 11677298
Matsunaga, M. et al. Profiling of serum proteins influenced by warm partner contact in healthy couples. Neuroenocrinol. Lett. 30, 227–236 (2009).
Mendes, E. W. & Procianoy, R. S. Massage therapy reduces hospital stay and occurrence of late-onset sepsis in very preterm neonates. J. Perinatol. 28, 815–820 (2008).
pubmed: 18633421
doi: 10.1038/jp.2008.108
Mirnia, K., Arshadi Bostanabad, M., Asadollahi, M. & Hamid Razzaghi, M. Paternal skin-to-skin care and its effect on cortisol levels of the infants. Iran. J. Pediatrics 27, e8151 (2017).
Mitchell, A. J., Yates, C., Williams, K. & Hall, R. W. Effects of daily kangaroo care on cardiorespiratory parameters in preterm infants. J. Neonatal-Perinat. Med. 6, 243–249 (2013).
doi: 10.3233/NPM-1370513
Mitchinson, A. R. et al. Acute postoperative pain management using massage as an adjuvant therapy: a randomized trial. Arch. Surg. 142, 1158–1167 (2007).
pubmed: 18086982
doi: 10.1001/archsurg.142.12.1158
Modrcin-Talbott, M. A., Harrison, L. L., Groer, M. W. & Younger, M. S. The biobehavioral effects of gentle human touch on preterm infants. Nurs. Sci. Q. 16, 60–67 (2003).
pubmed: 12593316
doi: 10.1177/0894318402239068
Mok, E. & Pang Woo, C. The effects of slow-stroke back massage on anxiety and shoulder pain in elderly stroke patients. Complement. Ther. Nurs. Midwifery 10, 209–216 (2004).
pubmed: 15519938
doi: 10.1016/j.ctnm.2004.05.006
Mokaberian, M., Noripour, S., Sheikh, M. & Mills, P. J. Examining the effectiveness of body massage on physical status of premature neonates and their mothers’ psychological status. Early Child Dev. Care 192, 2311–2325 (2021).
doi: 10.1080/03004430.2021.2006194
Mori, H. et al. Effect of massage on blood flow and muscle fatigue following isometric lumbar exercise. Med. Sci. Monit. Int. Med. J. Exp. Clin. Res. 10, CR173–CR178 (2004).
Moyer-Mileur, L. J., Haley, S., Slater, H., Beachy, J. & Smith, S. L. Massage improves growth quality by decreasing body fat deposition in male preterm infants. J. Pediatr. 162, 490–495 (2013).
pubmed: 23062248
doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2012.08.033
Moyle, W. et al. Foot massage and physiological stress in people with dementia: a randomized controlled trial. J. Altern. Complement. Med. 20, 305–311 (2014).
pubmed: 24047244
pmcid: 3994911
doi: 10.1089/acm.2013.0177
Muntsant, A., Shrivastava, K., Recasens, M. & Giménez-Llort, L. Severe perinatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury induces long-term sensorimotor deficits, anxiety-like behaviors and cognitive impairment in a sex-, age- and task-selective manner in C57BL/6 mice but can be modulated by neonatal handling. Front. Behav. Neurosci. 13, 7 (2019).
pubmed: 30814939
pmcid: 6381068
doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00007
Negahban, H., Rezaie, S. & Goharpey, S. Massage therapy and exercise therapy in patients with multiple sclerosis: a randomized controlled pilot study. Clin. Rehabil. 27, 1126–1136 (2013).
pubmed: 23828184
doi: 10.1177/0269215513491586
Nelson, D., Heitman, R. & Jennings, C. Effects of tactile stimulation on premature infant weight gain. J. Obstet. Gynecol. Neonatal Nurs. 15, 262–267 (1986).
pubmed: 3635598
doi: 10.1111/j.1552-6909.1986.tb01395.x
Griffin, J. W. Calculating statistical power for meta-analysis using metapower. Quant. Meth. Psychol. 17, 24–39 (2021).
Nunes, G. S. et al. Massage therapy decreases pain and perceived fatigue after long-distance Ironman triathlon: a randomised trial. J. Physiother. 62, 83–87 (2016).
pubmed: 27025688
doi: 10.1016/j.jphys.2016.02.009
Ohgi, S. et al. Comparison of kangaroo care and standard care: behavioral organization, development, and temperament in healthy, low-birth-weight infants through 1 year. J. Perinatol. 22, 374–379 (2002).
pubmed: 12082472
doi: 10.1038/sj.jp.7210749
O′Higgins, M., St. James Roberts, I. & Glover, V. Postnatal depression and mother and infant outcomes after infant massage. J. Affect. Disord. 109, 189–192 (2008).
pubmed: 18086500
doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2007.10.027
Okan, F., Ozdil, A., Bulbul, A., Yapici, Z. & Nuhoglu, A. Analgesic effects of skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding in procedural pain in healthy term neonates. Ann. Trop. Paediatr. 30, 119–128 (2010).
pubmed: 20522298
doi: 10.1179/146532810X12703902516121
Oliveira, D. S., Hachul, H., Goto, V., Tufik, S. & Bittencourt, L. R. A. Effect of therapeutic massage on insomnia and climacteric symptoms in postmenopausal women. Climacteric 15, 21–29 (2012).
pubmed: 22017318
doi: 10.3109/13697137.2011.587557
Olsson, E., Ahlsén, G. & Eriksson, M. Skin-to-skin contact reduces near-infrared spectroscopy pain responses in premature infants during blood sampling. Acta Paediatr. 105, 376–380 (2016).
pubmed: 26342142
doi: 10.1111/apa.13180
Pauk, J., Kuhn, C. M., Field, T. M. & Schanberg, S. M. Positive effects of tactile versus kinesthetic or vestibular stimulation on neuroendocrine and ODC activity in maternally-deprived rat pups. Life Sci. 39, 2081–2087 (1986).
pubmed: 3491272
doi: 10.1016/0024-3205(86)90359-0
Pinazo, D., Arahuete, L. & Correas, N. Hugging as a buffer against distal fear of death. Calid. Vida Salud 13, 11–20 (2020).
Pope, M. H. et al. A prospective randomized three-week trial of spinal manipulation, transcutaneous muscle stimulation, massage and corset in the treatment of subacute low back pain. Spine 19, 2571–2577 (1994).
pubmed: 7855683
doi: 10.1097/00007632-199411001-00013
Preyde, M. Effectiveness of massage therapy for subacute low-back pain: a randomized controlled trial. Can. Med. Assoc. J. 162, 1815–1820 (2000).
Ramanathan, K., Paul, V. K., Deorari, A. K., Taneja, U. & George, G. Kangaroo mother care in very low birth weight infants. Indian J. Pediatr. 68, 1019–1023 (2001).
pubmed: 11770234
doi: 10.1007/BF02722345
Reddan, M. C., Young, H., Falkner, J., López-Solà, M. & Wager, T. D. Touch and social support influence interpersonal synchrony and pain. Soc. Cogn. Affect. Neurosci. 15, 1064–1075 (2020).
pubmed: 32301998
pmcid: 7657460
doi: 10.1093/scan/nsaa048
Rodríguez-Mansilla, J. et al. The effects of ear acupressure, massage therapy and no therapy on symptoms of dementia: a randomized controlled trial. Clin. Rehabil. 29, 683–693 (2015).
pubmed: 25322869
doi: 10.1177/0269215514554240
Rose, S. A., Schmidt, K., Riese, M. L. & Bridger, W. H. Effects of prematurity and early intervention on responsivity to tactual stimuli: a comparison of preterm and full-term infants. Child Dev. 51, 416–425 (1980).
pubmed: 7398449
doi: 10.2307/1129275
Scafidi, F. A. et al. Massage stimulates growth in preterm infants: a replication. Infant Behav. Dev. 13, 167–188 (1990).
doi: 10.1016/0163-6383(90)90029-8
Scafidi, F. A. et al. Effects of tactile/kinesthetic stimulation on the clinical course and sleep/wake behavior of preterm neonates. Infant Behav. Dev. 9, 91–105 (1986).
doi: 10.1016/0163-6383(86)90041-X
Scafidi, F. & Field, T. Massage therapy improves behavior in neonates born to HIV-positive mothers. J. Pediatr. Psychol. 21, 889–897 (1996).
pubmed: 8990731
doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/21.6.889
Scarr-Salapatek, S. & Williams, M. L. A stimulation program for low birth weight infants. Am. J. Public Health 62, 662–667 (1972).
pubmed: 5024292
pmcid: 1530243
doi: 10.2105/AJPH.62.5.662
Serrano, B., Baños, R. M. & Botella, C. Virtual reality and stimulation of touch and smell for inducing relaxation: a randomized controlled trial. Comput. Hum. Behav. 55, 1–8 (2016).
doi: 10.1016/j.chb.2015.08.007
Seyyedrasooli, A., Valizadeh, L., Hosseini, M. B., Asgari Jafarabadi, M. & Mohammadzad, M. Effect of vimala massage on physiological jaundice in infants: a randomized controlled trial. J. Caring Sci. 3, 165–173 (2014).
pubmed: 25276760
pmcid: 4171815
Sharpe, P. A., Williams, H. G., Granner, M. L. & Hussey, J. R. A randomised study of the effects of massage therapy compared to guided relaxation on well-being and stress perception among older adults. Complement. Therap. Med. 15, 157–163 (2007).
doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2007.01.004
Sherman, K. J., Cherkin, D. C., Hawkes, R. J., Miglioretti, D. L. & Deyo, R. A. Randomized trial of therapeutic massage for chronic neck pain. Clin. J. Pain. 25, 233–238 (2009).
pubmed: 19333174
pmcid: 2664516
doi: 10.1097/AJP.0b013e31818b7912
Shiloh, S., Sorek, G. & Terkel, J. Reduction of state-anxiety by petting animals in a controlled laboratory experiment. Anxiety, Stress Coping 16, 387–395 (2003).
Shor-Posner, G. et al. Impact of a massage therapy clinical trial on immune status in young Dominican children infected with HIV-1. J. Altern. Complement. Med. 12, 511–516 (2006).
pubmed: 16884341
doi: 10.1089/acm.2006.12.511
Simpson, E. A. et al. Social touch alters newborn monkey behavior. Infant Behav. Dev. 57, 101368 (2019).
pubmed: 31521911
pmcid: 6878204
doi: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2019.101368
Smith, S. L., Haley, S., Slater, H. & Moyer-Mileur, L. J. Heart rate variability during caregiving and sleep after massage therapy in preterm infants. Early Hum. Dev. 89, 525–529 (2013).
pubmed: 23361061
pmcid: 3647010
doi: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2013.01.004
Smith, S. L. et al. The effect of massage on heart rate variability in preterm infants. J. Perinatol. 33, 59–64 (2013).
pubmed: 22538325
doi: 10.1038/jp.2012.47
Solkoff, N. & Matuszak, D. Tactile stimulation and behavioral development among low-birthweight infants. Child Psychiatry Hum. Dev. 6, 3337 (1975).
doi: 10.1007/BF01434430
Srivastava, S., Gupta, A., Bhatnagar, A. & Dutta, S. Effect of very early skin to skin contact on success at breastfeeding and preventing early hypothermia in neonates. Indian J. Public Health 58, 22–26 (2014).
pubmed: 24748353
doi: 10.4103/0019-557X.128160
Stringer, J., Swindell, R. & Dennis, M. Massage in patients undergoing intensive chemotherapy reduces serum cortisol and prolactin: massage in oncology patients reduces serum cortisol. Psycho-Oncol. 17, 1024–1031 (2008).
doi: 10.1002/pon.1331
Suman Rao, P. N., Udani, R. & Nanavati, R. Kangaroo mother care for low birth weight infants: a randomized controlled trial. Indian Pediatr. 45, 17–23 (2008).
pubmed: 18250500
Sumioka, H. et al. A huggable device can reduce the stress of calling an unfamiliar person on the phone for individuals with ASD. PLoS ONE 16, e0254675 (2021).
pubmed: 34297735
pmcid: 8301655
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254675
Sumioka, H., Nakae, A., Kanai, R. & Ishiguro, H. Huggable communication medium decreases cortisol levels. Sci. Rep. 3, 3034 (2013).
pubmed: 24150186
pmcid: 3805974
doi: 10.1038/srep03034
Suzuki, M. et al. Physical and psychological effects of 6-week tactile massage on elderly patients with severe dementia. Am. J. Alzheimer’s Dis. Other Dement. 25, 680–686 (2010).
doi: 10.1177/1533317510386215
Thomson, L. J. M., Ander, E. E., Menon, U., Lanceley, A. & Chatterjee, H. J. Quantitative evidence for wellbeing benefits from a heritage-in-health intervention with hospital patients. Int. J. Art. Ther. 17, 63–79 (2012).
doi: 10.1080/17454832.2012.687750
Triplett, J. L. & Arneson, S. W. The use of verbal and tactile comfort to alleviate distress in young hospitalized children. Res. Nurs. Health 2, 17–23 (1979).
pubmed: 254278
doi: 10.1002/nur.4770020104
Walach, H., Güthlin, C. & König, M. Efficacy of massage therapy in chronic pain: a pragmatic randomized trial. J. Altern. Complement. Med. 9, 837–846 (2003).
pubmed: 14736355
doi: 10.1089/107555303771952181
Walker, S. C. et al. C‐low threshold mechanoafferent targeted dynamic touch modulates stress resilience in rats exposed to chronic mild stress. Eur. J. Neurosci. 55, 2925–2938 (2022).
pubmed: 32852872
doi: 10.1111/ejn.14951
Weinrich, S. P. & Weinrich, M. C. The effect of massage on pain in cancer patients. Appl. Nurs. Res. 3, 140–145 (1990).
pubmed: 2252400
doi: 10.1016/S0897-1897(05)80135-1
Wheeden, A. et al. Massage effects on cocaine-exposed preterm neonates. Dev. Behav. Pediatr. 14, 318–322 (1993).
doi: 10.1097/00004703-199310000-00005
White, J. L. & Labarba, R. C. The effects of tactile and kinesthetic stimulation on neonatal development in the premature infant. Dev. Psychobiol. 9, 569–577 (1976).
pubmed: 1001842
doi: 10.1002/dev.420090610
Wilkie, D. J. et al. Effects of massage on pain intensity, analgesics and quality of life in patients with cancer pain: a pilot study of a randomized clinical trial conducted within hospice care delivery. Hosp. J. 15, 31–53 (2000).
pubmed: 11315685
Willemse, C. J. A. M., Toet, A. & van Erp, J. B. F. Affective and behavioral responses to robot-initiated social touch: toward understanding the opportunities and limitations of physical contact in human–robot interaction. Front. ICT 4, 12 (2017).
doi: 10.3389/fict.2017.00012
Willemse, C. J. A. M. & van Erp, J. B. F. Social touch in human–robot interaction: robot-initiated touches can induce positive responses without extensive prior bonding. Int. J. Soc. Robot. 11, 285–304 (2019).
doi: 10.1007/s12369-018-0500-9
Woods, D. L., Beck, C. & Sinha, K. The effect of therapeutic touch on behavioral symptoms and cortisol in persons with dementia. Res. Complement. Med. 16, 181–189 (2009).
doi: 10.1159/000220479
Yamaguchi, M., Sekine, T. & Shetty, V. A salivary cytokine panel discriminates moods states following a touch massage intervention. Int. J. Affect. Eng. 19, 189–198 (2020).
doi: 10.5057/ijae.IJAE-D-20-00001
Yamazaki, R. et al. Intimacy in phone conversations: anxiety reduction for Danish seniors with hugvie. Front. Psychol. 7, 537 (2016).
pubmed: 27148144
pmcid: 4835483
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00537
Yang, M.-H. et al. Comparison of the efficacy of aroma-acupressure and aromatherapy for the treatment of dementia-associated agitation. BMC Complement. Altern. Med. 15, 93 (2015).
pubmed: 25880034
pmcid: 4381454
doi: 10.1186/s12906-015-0612-9
Yates, C. C. et al. The effects of massage therapy to induce sleep in infants born preterm. Pediatr. Phys. Ther. 26, 405–410 (2014).
pubmed: 25251794
pmcid: 4176770
doi: 10.1097/PEP.0000000000000081
Yu, H. et al. Social touch-like tactile stimulation activates a tachykinin 1-oxytocin pathway to promote social interactions. Neuron 110, 1051–1067 (2022).
pubmed: 35045339
doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.12.022
Lakens, D. Calculating and reporting effect sizes to facilitate cumulative science: a practical primer for t-tests and ANOVAs. Front. Psychol. 4, 863 (2013).
pubmed: 24324449
pmcid: 3840331
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00863
Page, M. J., et al. The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. Syst. Rev. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-021-01626-4 (2021).
Wilson, D. B. Practical meta-analysis effect size calculator (Version 2023.11.27). https://campbellcollaboration.org/research-resources/effect-size-calculator.html (2023).
Viechtbauer, W. Conducting meta-analyses in R with the metafor package. J. Stat. Softw https://doi.org/10.18637/jss.v036.i03 (2010).
Scammacca, N., Roberts, G. & Stuebing, K. K. Meta-analysis with complex research designs: dealing with dependence from multiple measures and multiple group comparisons. Rev. Educ. Res. 84, 328–364 (2014).
pubmed: 25309002
doi: 10.3102/0034654313500826
Pustejovsky, J. E. & Tipton, E. Meta-analysis with robust variance estimation: expanding the range of working models. Prev. Sci. Off. J. Soc. Prev. Res. 23, 425–438 (2022).
doi: 10.1007/s11121-021-01246-3
Cook, R. D. in International Encyclopedia of Statistical Science (ed. M. Lovric) S. 301–302 (Springer, 2011).
Higgins, J. P. T., Thompson, S. & Deeks, J. Measuring inconsistency in meta-analyses. BMJ https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.327.7414.557 (2003).
Oberauer, K. The importance of random slopes in mixed models for Bayesian hypothesis testing. Psychol. Sci. 33, 648–665 (2022).
pubmed: 35357978
doi: 10.1177/09567976211046884
Nakagawa, S. et al. The orchard plot: cultivating a forest plot for use in ecology, evolution, and beyond. Res. Synth. Methods 12, 4–12 (2021).
pubmed: 32445243
doi: 10.1002/jrsm.1424