Breastfeeding and offspring's compassion and empathy in adulthood: A study with an over 30-year follow-up.

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ID: 74619
2019
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Abstract
This study investigated whether breastfeeding predicts offspring's dispositional compassion and empathy from early adulthood to middle age. The parents of the participants (N = 1,394) of the Young Finns study answered questions about breastfeeding in 1983, and the participants' compassion and empathy were evaluated in 1997-2012 (participants were aged 20-50 years). Breastfeeding did not predict the course of compassion or empathy in adulthood at the age of 20-50 years. The associations remained non-significant, when adjusted for age, gender, socioeconomic factors, and a wide range of characteristics of the family environment (including mother's gestational age; premature birth; birth weight; number of other children at home; parental mental disorder; parental relationship status; parental postnatal smoking; parental postnatal alcohol use; parenting behavior; and child's externalizing behavior). In conclusion, breastfeeding seems not to predict offspring's compassion or empathy in adulthood. The findings may present a hopeful perspective for children growing up with non-breastfeeding caregivers.
Reference Key
saarinen2019breastfeedingscandinavian Use this key to autocite in the manuscript while using SciMatic Manuscript Manager or Thesis Manager
Authors Saarinen, Aino I L;Keltikangas-Järvinen, Liisa;Honda, Yukiko;Oksman, Elli;Raitakari, Olli;Pulkki-Råback, Laura;Hintsanen, Mirka;
Journal Scandinavian journal of psychology
Year 2019
DOI
10.1111/sjop.12600
URL
Keywords
breastfeeding personality longitudinal compassion empathy early childhood

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