The working mother who cannot be at home to cuddle a distraught child can relax her voice on the phone soothes as much as a hug, a study suggests. US researchers put more than 60 girls in a stressful situation and monitored their hormonal responses when they were either phoned or hugged afterwards. Their mother's voice produced virtually the same amount of the stress-quelling hormone oxytocin as physical comfort. The findings appear in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Oxytocin , a hormone believed to be strongly associated with social bonding, usually required physical contact. But it is clear from these results that a mother's voice can have the same effect as a hug, even if they are not standing there. <br/> <br/>