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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Integr. Neurosci.
Volume 19 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fnint.2025.1476654
This article is part of the Research Topic Mind-body medicine and its impacts on psychological networks, quality of life, and health - Volume II View all 38 articles
Investigating the Psychophysiological Effects of NaiKan Therapy: Salivary Oxytocin and Cortisol Release
Provisionally accepted
Ming Qian 1*
Minghui Wang 1 Siyi Song 1* Hansong Xia 1* Rui Huang 1* Yuan Qin 1* Zhi Zhu 1*
Haiyan Wei 1 Qing Ma 2*
Ming Chen 3 Hui Zhang 2*- 1 Nanhui mental health center Shanghai, China, Shanghai, China
- 2 Shanghai Sipo Polytechnic Shanghai, China, Shanghai, China
- 3 Fudan University, Shanghai, China
Naikan Therapy, a method of self-reflection and introspection, has garnered considerable interest for its psychological benefits. However, its physiological impacts, particularly on hormonal regulation, remain underexplored. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of Naikan Therapy on salivary oxytocin and cortisol release, shedding light on the psychophysiological mechanisms underlying this introspective practice. Sixty participants underwent Naikan Therapy sessions over five consecutive days, during which salivary samples were collected at multiple time points. Salivary oxytocin and cortisol levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. Our results revealed significant increases in salivary oxytocin levels following Naikan Therapy, suggesting a potential role of this practice in enhancing social bonding and emotional regulation. Conversely, salivary cortisol levels exhibited a decrease post-therapy, indicating a reduction in stress reactivity. These findings provide novel insights into the neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying Naikan Therapy and highlight its potential as a holistic approach to improving mental wellbeing. Further research exploring the long-term effects of Naikan Therapy and its implications for clinical practice is warranted.
Keywords: Naikan therapy, Salivary oxytocin, salivary cortisol, Psychophysiology, stress resilience
Received: 06 Aug 2024; Accepted: 11 Feb 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Qian, Wang, Song, Xia, Huang, Qin, Zhu, Wei, Ma, Chen and Zhang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Ming Qian, Nanhui mental health center Shanghai, China, Shanghai, China
Siyi Song, Nanhui mental health center Shanghai, China, Shanghai, China
Hansong Xia, Nanhui mental health center Shanghai, China, Shanghai, China
Rui Huang, Nanhui mental health center Shanghai, China, Shanghai, China
Yuan Qin, Nanhui mental health center Shanghai, China, Shanghai, China
Zhi Zhu, Nanhui mental health center Shanghai, China, Shanghai, China
Qing Ma, Shanghai Sipo Polytechnic Shanghai, China, Shanghai, China
Hui Zhang, Shanghai Sipo Polytechnic Shanghai, China, Shanghai, China
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