Effect of skin to skin contact on father infant bonding in a randomized controlled trial

This study aimed to determine the effect of skin-to-skin contact on father-infant bonding. This randomized controlled experimental study included fathers of 165 newborns delivered at the obstetrics units of Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University Research Hospital and Çanakkale Mehmet Akif Ersoy State Hospital. The study will be conducted from June 2023 to April 2024. Fathers were randomly allocated to three groups: early skin-to-skin contact (n = 55), frequent skin-to-skin contact (n = 55), and standard care (n = 55). First data were collected at baseline using a questionnaire. At the third month, fathers completed a follow-up form and the Paternal-Infant Attachment Scale. Descriptive statistics, the Kruskal-Wallis test, stepwise multiple regression, and correlation analysis were used in the analysis. In the frequent skin-to-skin contact group, where fathers engaged in at least 15 min of skin-to-skin contact with their infants 6-7 days per week, the mean total score on the Paternal-Infant Bonding Scale was 72.44 ± 6.22. In the early skin-to-skin contact group, in which skin-to-skin contact was provided only once, the mean score was 69.29 ± 6.89, whereas in the standard care group, it was 65.69 ± 6.74. The differences between the groups were statistically significant (p < 0.05). It was found that changing the child's diaper, the partner's paid employment, joint soothing, and the fathers' university education positively influenced paternal-infant bonding, whereas standard care membership had a negative effect. This study revealed that frequent skin-to-skin contact increased father-infant bonding, and these fathers took on a greater role in their babies' care. Fathers' skin-to-skin contact with their babies for more than 10 min and skin-to-skin contact for 6 or 7 days increased the total score of the Father-Infant Bonding Scale.Clinical trial number: ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT07159477.