The self-regulatory affective touch: a speculative framework for the development of executive functioning

Abstract

Sensitive periods soon after birth seem to be crucial for mapping brain networks and enable the development of healthy sensory responses in adulthood. Affective tactile experiences are at the core of interpersonal interactions in the neonatal period and represent a scaffolding for early development of autonomic self-regulation, which then becomes part of more complex patterns of social exchanges and executive functions across the first years of life. In the present article we reviewed recent studies that investigated physiological and behavioural responses to tactile stimulations across development, supporting our claim that affective touch is an essential part of early emerging self-regulatory skills with important cascade effects on infants’ socio-emotional and cognitive developmental trajectories.