Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 20, 2025

Using a Comparative Species Approach to Investigate the Neurobiology of Paternal Responses
07:59

Using a Comparative Species Approach to Investigate the Neurobiology of Paternal Responses

Published on: September 19, 2011

12.7K

The Current Concept of Paternal Bonding: A Systematic Scoping Review

Daichi Suzuki1, Yukiko Ohashi2,3,4, Eriko Shinohara5

  • 1Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Kanagawa Institute of Technology, Atsugi 243-0292, Japan.

Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
|November 24, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Paternal bonding, crucial for perinatal mental health, lacks clear definition and consistent assessment. Research shows father-child interaction aids bonding, yet fathers often feel more distant from newborns than mothers.

Area of Science:

  • Perinatal mental health
  • Developmental psychology
  • Family studies

Background:

  • Maternal bonding is well-researched, but paternal bonding remains understudied.
  • Understanding paternal bonding is essential for comprehensive perinatal mental health support.
  • Existing literature often defines paternal bonding by maternal bonding, lacking distinct conceptualization.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To clarify the current state of the concept of paternal-infant/fetus bonding.
  • To identify the constructs associated with paternal bonding.
  • To answer: What is paternal bonding and what are its constructs?

Main Methods:

  • Scoping review of 39 studies.
  • Eligibility criteria based on population, concept, and context.
  • Analysis of studies defining and measuring paternal bonding.

Main Results:

  • Paternal bonding is linked to paternal beliefs, rearing history, and interactions.
  • Fathers reported greater post-delivery distance from infants compared to mothers.
  • Definitions and constructs of paternal bonding lack consensus, with few studies differentiating it from maternal bonding.

Conclusions:

  • There is no consensus on the definition, constructs, or assessment of paternal bonding.
  • The causal relationship between paternal bonding and other variables is unexplored.
  • Future research should prioritize fathers' perspectives to address identified knowledge gaps.

Keywords:
bonding developmentfathersfather–infant relationshippaternal bondingscoping review

More Related Videos

A Common Marmoset Model of Mother-Infant Intervention for Breastfeeding Disorders in the Presence of Paternal Inhibition and Maternal Neglect05:04

A Common Marmoset Model of Mother-Infant Intervention for Breastfeeding Disorders in the Presence of Paternal Inhibition and Maternal Neglect

Published on: September 22, 2023

513
Analysis of Electrocardiograms and Behavior in Mice from Pregnancy to Lactation Period06:40

Analysis of Electrocardiograms and Behavior in Mice from Pregnancy to Lactation Period

Published on: April 5, 2024

551

Related Concept Videos

Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood03:34

Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood

Attachment is a long-standing connection or bond with others. While Attachment Theory was conceived in developmental psychology to describe infant-caregiver bonding, it's been extended into adulthood to include romantic relationships. 
43.8K
Parental Care00:55

Parental Care

Many animals exhibit parental care behavior, including feeding, grooming, and protecting young offspring. Parental care is universal in mammals and birds, which often have young that are born relatively helpless. Several species of insects and fish, as well as some amphibians, also care for their young.
11.8K
Attachment01:20

Attachment

Attachment is vital for infant development, as warm social interactions support growth and well-being. In a classic 1958 study by Harry Harlow, the significance of warmth and comfort in forming attachments was examined. Harlow separated newborn monkeys from their mothers and provided two artificial "mothers": one made of cold wire and the other covered in soft cloth. Despite the wire mother offering food, the infant monkeys preferred the comfort of the cloth mother, demonstrating that...
106
Parenting Styles01:27

Parenting Styles

Diana Baumrind's four parenting styles — authoritarian, authoritative, neglectful, and permissive — each influence children's socio-emotional development differently.
Authoritarian Parenting
This style is strict and controlling, with little room for open dialogue. Authoritarian parents demand obedience and often enforce rules with minimal warmth. Children raised this way may lack social skills and initiative, usually comparing themselves to others unfavorably.
Authoritative...
107
Socioemotional Development during Infancy01:30

Socioemotional Development during Infancy

Socio-emotional development in infancy is primarily shaped by early emotional responses and social connections, with temperament playing a central role. Temperament refers to the consistent patterns in an individual's emotional and behavioral responses, observable even in infancy. By examining temperament, researchers can better understand an infant's unique ways of interacting with the world, influencing subsequent personality and socio-emotional growth.
Primary Temperament Types
90
Imprinting01:22

Imprinting

Behavioral imprinting is observed in some newborn animals and occurs when they develop strong and specific attachments to another animal (usually a parent) following brief, early-life exposures. Offspring imprint onto parents within a brief period after birth or hatching; this time window is called the critical period. Once imprinting occurs, the bond established between the parents and their offspring is usually long-lasting.
10.0K