{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,22]],"date-time":"2026-09-22T13:52:18Z","timestamp":1790085138164,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":57,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,11,29]],"date-time":"2021-11-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1638144000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001691","name":"Japan Society for the Promotion of Science","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001691","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Pediatr."],"abstract":"<jats:p><jats:bold>Background:<\/jats:bold> Child maltreatment is related to oxytocin (OT), which is related to social functioning. It may hamper the OT level to avoid a harmful situation and increase the OT level to adapt to the situation using a tend-and-befriend stress reaction.<\/jats:p><jats:p><jats:bold>Objective:<\/jats:bold> This study aims to examine the association between the accumulation of moderate\u2013severe childhood maltreatment and salivary OT levels in Japanese adolescents.<\/jats:p><jats:p><jats:bold>Participants:<\/jats:bold> We used convenience samples of adolescents living in an institution (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic> = 31) and those living with their parents (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic> = 46).<\/jats:p><jats:p><jats:bold>Methods:<\/jats:bold> Child maltreatment experiences were measured with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. The salivary OT levels were assessed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. A multivariate regression analysis was performed to see the association between the accumulation of child maltreatment types and the salivary OT levels adjusted for covariates (i.e., age, sex, and duration of institutionalization).<\/jats:p><jats:p><jats:bold>Results:<\/jats:bold> Physical abuse was associated with higher OT, while emotional neglect showed an inverse association with OT. OT was the lowest with one maltreatment type group, which was significantly lower than the non-maltreatment group. As the number of maltreatment types increased from one maltreatment type to 2\u20133 types and to 4\u20135 types, OT also increased. This U-shaped association between the number of maltreatment types and OT was confirmed with the significant result of a square term of number of maltreatment type in the model (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> = 0.012).<\/jats:p><jats:p><jats:bold>Conclusion:<\/jats:bold> We found herein a <jats:italic>U<\/jats:italic>-shaped association between the accumulation of child maltreatment and salivary OT levels. Also, different types of maltreatment had varied effects on the salivary OT. Further study is needed to elucidate the non-linear association between child maltreatment and OT levels.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fped.2021.710718","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,1]],"date-time":"2021-12-01T13:57:04Z","timestamp":1638367024000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Association Between Accumulation of Child Maltreatment and Salivary Oxytocin Level Among Japanese Adolescents"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"9","author":[{"given":"Rie","family":"Mizuki","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Takeo","family":"Fujiwara","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,11,29]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"954","DOI":"10.1038\/mp.2008.112","article-title":"Lower CSF oxytocin concentrations in women with a history of childhood abuse","volume":"14","author":"Heim","year":"2009","journal-title":"Mol Psychiatry."},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"17237","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.0504767102","article-title":"Early experience in humans is associated with changes in neuropeptides critical for regulating social behavior","volume":"102","author":"Wismer Fries","year":"2005","journal-title":"Proc Nat Acad Sci USA."},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.3109\/10253890.2011.560309","article-title":"Experience of stress in childhood negatively correlates with plasma oxytocin concentration in adult men","volume":"15","author":"Opacka-Juffry","year":"2012","journal-title":"Stress."},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"424","DOI":"10.1016\/j.yhbeh.2012.11.013","article-title":"Reduced plasma oxytocin levels in female patients with borderline personality disorder","volume":"63","author":"Bertsch","year":"2013","journal-title":"Horm Behav."},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"73","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijpsycho.2018.05.011","article-title":"Emotional neglect in childhood shapes social dysfunctioning in adults by influencing the oxytocin and the attachment system: results from a population-based study","volume":"136","author":"M\u00fcller","year":"2019","journal-title":"Int J Psychophysiol."},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"123","DOI":"10.1016\/j.physbeh.2014.04.028","article-title":"Salivary oxytocin mediates the association between emotional maltreatment and responses to emotional infant faces","volume":"131","author":"Bhandari","year":"2014","journal-title":"Physiol Behav."},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"138","DOI":"10.3389\/fnbeh.2015.00138","article-title":"Association of oxytocin level and less severe forms of childhood maltreatment history among healthy Japanese adults involved with child care","volume":"9","author":"Mizuki","year":"2015","journal-title":"Front Behav Neurosci."},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"501","DOI":"10.1111\/cdev.12136","article-title":"Stress-induced elevation of oxytocin in maltreated children: evolution, neurodevelopment, and social behavior","volume":"85","author":"Seltzer","year":"2014","journal-title":"Child Dev."},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"173","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyt.2015.00173","article-title":"Effect of the nature of subsequent environment on oxytocin and cortisol secretion in maltreated children","volume":"6","author":"Mizushima","year":"2015","journal-title":"Front Psychiatry."},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"291","DOI":"10.1080\/19361521.2011.610432","article-title":"Polyvictimization in developmental context","volume":"4","author":"Finkelhor","year":"2011","journal-title":"J Child Adolesc Trauma."},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"245","DOI":"10.1016\/S0749-3797(98)00017-8","article-title":"Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults: the adverse childhood experiences (ACE) study","volume":"14","author":"Felitti","year":"1998","journal-title":"Am J Prev Med."},{"key":"B12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"127","DOI":"10.1177\/1077559508326357","article-title":"Polyvictimization, childhood victimization, and psychological distress in college women","volume":"14","author":"Richmond","year":"2009","journal-title":"Child Maltreat."},{"key":"B13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"182","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1749-6632.2009.04504.x","article-title":"Empathy toward strangers triggers oxytocin release and subsequent generosity","volume":"1167","author":"Barraza","year":"2009","journal-title":"Ann N Y Acad Sci."},{"key":"B14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"128","DOI":"10.1016\/j.yhbeh.2009.03.019","article-title":"Oxytocin and social perception: oxytocin increases perceived facial trustworthiness and attractiveness","volume":"56","author":"Theodoridou","year":"2009","journal-title":"Horm Behav."},{"key":"B15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1426","DOI":"10.1177\/0956797610383439","article-title":"Oxytocin selectively improves empathic accuracy","volume":"21","author":"Bartz","year":"2010","journal-title":"Psychol Sci."},{"key":"B16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"731","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biopsych.2006.07.015","article-title":"Oxytocin improves \u201cmind-reading\u201d in humans","volume":"61","author":"Domes","year":"2007","journal-title":"Biol Psychiatry."},{"key":"B17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e507","DOI":"10.1038\/tp.2014.146","article-title":"Oxytocin increases eye contact during a real-time, naturalistic social interaction in males with and without autism","volume":"5","author":"Auyeung","year":"2015","journal-title":"Transl Psychiatry."},{"key":"B18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4389","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.0910249107","article-title":"Promoting social behavior with oxytocin in high-functioning autism spectrum disorders","volume":"107","author":"Andari","year":"2010","journal-title":"Proc Nat Acad Sci USA."},{"key":"B19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"522","DOI":"10.1016\/j.yhbeh.2005.07.009","article-title":"Oxytocin is associated with human trustworthiness","volume":"48","author":"Zak","year":"2005","journal-title":"Horm Behav."},{"key":"B20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"673","DOI":"10.1038\/nature03701","article-title":"Oxytocin increases trust in humans","volume":"435","author":"Kosfeld","year":"2005","journal-title":"Nature."},{"key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"258","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2011.00258","article-title":"The impact of oxytocin administration on charitable donating is moderated by experiences of parental love-withdrawal","volume":"2","author":"Van Ijzendoorn","year":"2011","journal-title":"Front Psychol."},{"key":"B22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"225","DOI":"10.1007\/978-94-007-7208-3_12","article-title":"Longterm consequences of child maltreatment","volume-title":"Handbook of Child Maltreatment.","author":"Widom","year":"2014"},{"key":"B23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"457","DOI":"10.1002\/9781119125556.devpsy311","article-title":"Child maltreatment and developmental psychopathology: a multilevel perspective","volume-title":"Developmental Psychopathology: Maladaptation and Psychopathology","author":"Cicchetti","year":"2016"},{"key":"B24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"612","DOI":"10.1017\/S204579601600055X","article-title":"Effects of maltreatment and parental schizophrenia spectrum disorders on early childhood social-emotional functioning: a population record linkage study","volume":"26","author":"Matheson","year":"2017","journal-title":"Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci."},{"key":"B25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1684","DOI":"10.1111\/cdev.13033","article-title":"The legacy of early abuse and neglect for social and academic competence from childhood to adulthood","volume":"90","author":"Raby","year":"2019","journal-title":"Child Dev."},{"key":"B26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"169","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1467-8624.1993.tb02902.x","article-title":"The effects of physical abuse on children's social relationships","volume":"64","author":"Salzinger","year":"1993","journal-title":"Child Dev."},{"key":"B27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"759","DOI":"10.1017\/S0954579401004023","article-title":"Dimensions of child maltreatment and children's adjustment: contributions of developmental timing and subtype","volume":"13","author":"Manly","year":"2001","journal-title":"Dev Psychopathol."},{"key":"B28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1467-9507.2007.00412.x","article-title":"Physical abuse, cognitive and emotional processes, and aggressive\/disruptive behavior problems","volume":"17","author":"Teisl","year":"2008","journal-title":"Soc Dev."},{"key":"B29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"735","DOI":"10.1017\/S0954579419000725","article-title":"Social-cognitive mechanisms in the cycle of violence: cognitive and affective theory of mind, and externalizing psychopathology in children and adolescents","volume":"32","author":"Heleniak","year":"2019","journal-title":"Dev Psychopathol."},{"key":"B30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"93","DOI":"10.1007\/s10896-014-9647-9","article-title":"Maltreatment and advanced theory of mind development in school-aged children","volume":"30","author":"O'Reilly","year":"2015","journal-title":"J Fam Violence."},{"key":"B31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"409","DOI":"10.1113\/expphysiol.1998.sp004124","article-title":"Daily patterns of secretion of neurohypophysial hormones in man: effect of age","volume":"83","author":"Forsling","year":"1998","journal-title":"Exp Physiol."},{"key":"B32","unstructured":"Validation of the Japanese version of the childhood trauma questionnaire\u2013short form (CTQ-J)53744\n            MizukiR\n            FujiwaraT\n          32986452Psychol Trauma132021"},{"key":"B33","volume-title":"Childhood Trauma Questionnaire: A Retrospective Self-Report: Manual","author":"Bernstein","year":"1998"},{"key":"B34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"169","DOI":"10.1016\/S0145-2134(02)00541-0","article-title":"Development and validation of a brief screening version of the childhood trauma questionnaire","volume":"27","author":"Bernstein","year":"2003","journal-title":"Child Abuse Negl."},{"key":"B35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"170","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bbr.2006.08.025","article-title":"Sex differences in oxytocin and vasopressin: implications for autism spectrum disorders?","volume":"176","author":"Carter","year":"2007","journal-title":"Behav Brain Res."},{"key":"B36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"965","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1467-9280.2007.02010.x","article-title":"Evidence for a neuroendocrinological foundation of human affiliation: plasma oxytocin levels across pregnancy and the postpartum period predict mother-infant bonding","volume":"18","author":"Feldman","year":"2007","journal-title":"Psychol Sci."},{"key":"B37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1154","DOI":"10.1038\/npp.2013.22","article-title":"Parental oxytocin and early caregiving jointly shape children's oxytocin response and social reciprocity","volume":"38","author":"Feldman","year":"2013","journal-title":"Neuropsychopharmacology."},{"key":"B38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"273","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1467-8721.2006.00451.x","article-title":"Tend and befriend: Biobehavioral bases of affiliation under stress","volume":"15","author":"Taylor","year":"2006","journal-title":"Curr Dir Psychol Sci."},{"key":"B39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biopsycho.2012.02.010","article-title":"A heartfelt response: oxytocin effects on response to social stress in men and women","volume":"90","author":"Kubzansky","year":"2012","journal-title":"Biol Psychol."},{"key":"B40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"115","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psyneuen.2010.07.004","article-title":"Oxytocin indexes relational distress following interpersonal harms in women","volume":"36","author":"Tabak","year":"2011","journal-title":"Psychoneuroendocrinology."},{"key":"B41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"11489","DOI":"10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.3984-05.2005","article-title":"Oxytocin modulates neural circuitry for social cognition and fear in humans","volume":"25","author":"Kirsch","year":"2005","journal-title":"J Neurosci."},{"key":"B42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1187","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biopsych.2007.03.025","article-title":"Oxytocin attenuates amygdala responses to emotional faces regardless of valence","volume":"62","author":"Domes","year":"2007","journal-title":"Biol Psychiatry."},{"key":"B43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"121","DOI":"10.1017\/S0954579400005915","article-title":"The impact of subtype, frequency, chronicity, and severity of child maltreatment on social competence and behavior problems","volume":"6","author":"Manly","year":"1994","journal-title":"Dev Psychopathol."},{"key":"B44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"139","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-006X.67.1.139","article-title":"Ethnicity, desirable responding, and self-reports of abuse: a comparison of European-and Asian-ancestry undergraduates","volume":"67","author":"Meston","year":"1999","journal-title":"J Consult Clin Psychol."},{"key":"B45","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.1016\/0145-2134(91)90085-R","article-title":"Physical and psychological maltreatment: relations among types of maltreatment","volume":"15","author":"Claussen","year":"1991","journal-title":"Child Abuse Negl."},{"key":"B46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"175","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biopsych.2011.12.025","article-title":"Sensitive parenting is associated with plasma oxytocin and polymorphisms in the OXTR and CD38 genes","volume":"72","author":"Feldman","year":"2012","journal-title":"Biol Psychiatry."},{"key":"B47","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"439","DOI":"10.1017\/S0954579411000162","article-title":"Association between childhood maltreatment and adult emotional dysregulation in a low-income, urban, African American sample: moderation by oxytocin receptor gene","volume":"23","author":"Bradley","year":"2011","journal-title":"Dev Psychopathol."},{"key":"B48","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"411","DOI":"10.1017\/S0954579412000077","article-title":"Gene by environment interaction and resilience: effects of child maltreatment and serotonin, corticotropin releasing hormone, dopamine, and oxytocin genes","volume":"24","author":"Cicchetti","year":"2012","journal-title":"Dev Psychopathol."},{"key":"B49","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"172","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psyneuen.2018.12.004","article-title":"Genetic and peripheral markers of the oxytocin system and parental care jointly support the cross-generational transmission of bonding across three generations","volume":"102","author":"Fujiwara","year":"2019","journal-title":"Psychoneuroendocrinology."},{"key":"B50","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e12596","DOI":"10.1111\/jne.12596","article-title":"Oxytocin levels in saliva correlate better than plasma levels with concentrations in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients in neurocritical care","volume":"30","author":"Martin","year":"2018","journal-title":"J Neuroendocrinol."},{"key":"B51","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"393","DOI":"10.1097\/PSY.0b013e31821df0c2","article-title":"Evaluation of enzyme immunoassay and radioimmunoassay methods for the measurement of plasma oxytocin","volume":"73","author":"Szeto","year":"2011","journal-title":"Psychosom Med."},{"key":"B52","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e62456","DOI":"10.7554\/eLife.62456","article-title":"Salivary and plasmatic oxytocin are not reliable trait markers of the physiology of the oxytocin system in humans","volume":"9","author":"Martins","year":"2020","journal-title":"Elife."},{"key":"B53","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1277","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psyneuen.2011.12.021","article-title":"Oxytocin during the initial stages of romantic attachment: relations to couples' interactive reciprocity","volume":"37","author":"Schneiderman","year":"2012","journal-title":"Psychoneuroendocrinology."},{"key":"B54","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"381","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psyneuen.2015.08.027","article-title":"Salivary oxytocin concentrations in response to running, sexual self-stimulation, breastfeeding and the TSST: the regensburg oxytocin challenge (ROC) study","volume":"62","author":"de Jong","year":"2015","journal-title":"Psychoneuroendocrinology."},{"key":"B55","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"13","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1523-536x.2001.00013.x","article-title":"Postpartum maternal oxytocin release by newborns: effects of infant hand massage and sucking","volume":"28","author":"Matthiesen","year":"2001","journal-title":"Birth."},{"key":"B56","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"97","DOI":"10.1080\/00332747.1999.11024859","article-title":"Preliminary research on plasma oxytocin in normal cycling women: investigating emotion and interpe rsonal distress","volume":"62","author":"Turner","year":"1999","journal-title":"Psychiatry."},{"key":"B57","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"144","DOI":"10.1016\/j.yfrne.2018.11.002","article-title":"Menstrual cycle-related fluctuations in oxytocin concentrations: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"52","author":"Engel","year":"2019","journal-title":"Front Neuroendocrinol."}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Pediatrics"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fped.2021.710718\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,1]],"date-time":"2021-12-01T13:57:11Z","timestamp":1638367031000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fped.2021.710718\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2021,11,29]]},"references-count":57,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fped.2021.710718"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fped.2021.710718","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-2360"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-2360","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2021,11,29]]},"article-number":"710718"}}