Factors influencing paternal involvement during infancy: A prospective longitudinal study
Shefaly Shorey1, Lina Ang1, Esther C L Goh2
1Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore.
Insights
Paternal involvement at six months postpartum is influenced by factors like parenting self-efficacy and postnatal depression. Early paternal engagement during birth predicts continued involvement, highlighting the role of healthcare professionals in promoting fatherhood.
Area of Science:
- Maternal and Child Health
- Psychology
- Sociology
Background:
- Limited research exists on paternal involvement in infancy within the Asian context.
- Understanding factors influencing paternal engagement is crucial for infant development and family well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify key factors affecting paternal involvement at six months postpartum.
- To examine the longitudinal trends of these influencing factors over a six-month period.
Main Methods:
- A prospective longitudinal study design with four data collection points.
- 201 fathers recruited via convenience sampling from a local hospital (May 2016 - December 2017).
- Data collected through self-administered questionnaires and statistical analysis.
Main Results:
- Parenting self-efficacy, paternal involvement at discharge, postnatal depression, wife's employment, and antenatal class attendance significantly predicted paternal involvement at six months.
- For first-time fathers, parenting self-efficacy, initial paternal involvement, and wife's employment were key.
- For experienced fathers, initial paternal involvement and wife's antenatal class attendance were significant.
Conclusions:
- Paternal involvement during birth is a strong predictor of involvement at six months postpartum for both first-time and experienced fathers.
- Healthcare professionals can enhance paternal involvement by teaching infant care skills antenatally, particularly to first-time fathers.
- Promoting continuous paternal engagement throughout the perinatal period is recommended for improved fatherhood outcomes.
Aims:
To explore factors influencing paternal involvement at 6 months postpartum and to detail the trend of these factors over a period of 6 months.
Background:
There is a dearth of studies on paternal involvement during infancy in the unique Asian context.
Design:
A prospective four-time point longitudinal design was adopted.
Methods:
A total of 201 participants were recruited from a local hospital from May 2016 - December 2017 using convenience sampling. Self-administered questionnaires were used for data collection. Data were statistically analysed.
Results:
Parenting self-efficacy at 6-month postpartum, paternal involvement, and paternal postnatal depression on the day of wife's hospital discharge, wife in paid work and wife's antenatal class attendance significantly influenced paternal involvement at 6 months postpartum. A sub-analysis of first-time and experienced fathers revealed that parenting self-efficacy at 6-month postpartum, paternal involvement on the day of wife's hospital discharge and wife in paid work were significant factors influencing paternal involvement for first-time fathers. Significant factors influencing paternal involvement for experienced fathers were paternal involvement on the day of wife's hospital discharge and wife's antenatal class attendance.
Conclusion:
Fathers (first-time and experienced) who were involved during their infant's birth were also involved at 6-month postpartum. Healthcare professionals may encourage paternal involvement through teaching fathers infant care skills during the antenatal period, especially first-time fathers as they may be lacking in such skills, which may hinder their parenting satisfaction. Paternal involvement throughout the perinatal period can be enforced by healthcare professionals to promote paternal involvement.
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