Related Factors to Paternal Adaptation: A Cross‑sectional Study for First‑time Fathers

Narges Eskandari, Masoumeh Simbar, AbouAli Vedadhir, AhmadReza Baghestani, Somayeh Momenyan

Abstract


Background: Becoming a father challenges men’s ability and many men describe fathering as a negative and frustrating experience. This study was designed to determine related factors to paternal adaptation in first‑time fathers.

Materials and Methods: This cross‑sectional study was conducted in healthcare centers in Qom and environs, Iran, from July to September 2015. Participants were 572 first‑time fathers. Healthcare centers were selected by lottery and sampling was carried out continuously. Data were collected by demographic form and Paternal Adaptation Questionnaire; Spearman’s correlation coefficient, Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis test, and multiple linear regression model were used. p < 0.05 was considered as significant level.

Results: Participants were first‑time fathers with a mean (SD) age of 29.89 (4.45) years. The results indicated that planning for parenting is the most predictive factor in the ability to perform the paternal roles and responsibilities (β = 2.67, p < 0.001); marital satisfaction is the most predictive factor with regard to perceiving parental development (β = 3.09, p = 0.001) and stabilization in paternal position (β = 4.66, p < 0.001). Father’s self‑employment was the only predictive factor relating to challenges and worries (β = −1.19, p < 0.001) and marital satisfaction was the most predictive factor for paternal adaptation (β = 14.68, p < 0.01).

Conclusions: It appears that the father’s occupation, planning for becoming a parent, and marital satisfaction are the most predictive factors for paternal adaptation and its domains, thus by planning appropriate interventions aimed at developing the ability of fathers in these aspects, especially marital satisfaction, it is possible to facilitate men’s adaptation to paternal role.

 


Keywords


Adaptation,fathers,parents,paternal behavior,psychological

Full Text:

PDF

References


Alessia K, Roufeil L. “It’s quite a journey”: Australian parents’ experience of adopting older children from overseas orphanages Child Austr 2012;37:161‑9.

Eskandari N, Simbar M, Vadadhir A, Baghestani A. Fatherhood adaptation: Designing, assessing the psychometric properties, and applying of questionnaire [disseration]. Tehran: Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences; 2016.

Eskandari N, Simbar M, Vadadhir A, Baghestani AR. Design and evaluation of the psychometric properties of a paternal adaptation questionnaire. Am J Mens Health 2016. [Online]. https://doi.org/10.1177/1557988316660071.

McKellar L, Pincombe J, Henderson A. Enhancing fathers’ educational experiences during the early postnatal period. J Perinat Educ 2008;17:1.‑20.

Bowen GL. The Family adaptation model: A life course perspective. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: United States Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences, 1990.

Bradley E, Boath E, Mackenzie M. The experience of first‑time fatherhood: A brief report. J Reprod Infant Psychol 2004;22:45‑7.

Draper J. It’s the first scientific evidence: Men’s experience of pregnancy confirmation. J Adv Nurs 2002;39:563‑70.

Pistrang N, Picciotto A, Barker C. The communication of empathy in couples during the transition to parenthood. J Community Psychol 2001;29:615‑36.

Sandelowski M, Black BP, Mercer RT, Bergum V, Stainton MC. The epistemology of expectant parenthood. West J Nurs Res 1994;16:601‑22.

Chandler S, Field PA. Becoming a father: First Time fathers' experience of labor and delivery. J Nurse Midwifery 1997;42:17‑ 24.

Simbar M, Nahidi F, Ramezankhani A. Fathers’ educational needs for perinatal care in urban Iran: A qualitative approach. J Biosoc Sci 2010;42:633‑41.

Simbar M, Nahidi F, Ramezani‑Tehrani F, Akbarzadeh A. Educational needs assessment for men’s participation in perinatal care. EMHJ 2011;17:689‑96.

Madhavan S, Richter L, Norris S, Hosegood V. Fathers’ financial support of children in a low income community in South Africa. J Fam Econ Issues 2014;35:452‑63.

Cabrera NJ, Hofferth SL, Chae S. Patterns and predictors of father‑infant engagement across race/ethnic groups. Early Child Res Q 2011;26:365‑75.

Graham K. A phenomenological approach to understanding the early experience of becoming a father for the first time [disseration]. Bournemouth: Bournemouth University; 2007.

Summers JA, Boller K, Schiffman RF, Raikes HH. The meaning of “good fatherhood”: Low‑income fathers’ social constructions of their roles. Parenting 2006;6:145‑65.

Palm G. Attachment theory and fathers: Moving from “being there” to “being with”. J Fam Theory Rev 2014;6:282‑97.

Benjamin Goodman W, Crouter AC, Lanza ST, Cox MJ. Paternal work characteristics and father‑infant interactions in low‑income, rural families. J Marriage Fam 2008;70:640‑53.

Greaves L, Oliffe JL, Ponic P, Kelly MT, Bottorff JL. Unclean fathers, responsible men: Smoking, stigma and fatherhood. Health Sociol Rev 2010;19:522‑33.

Waller MR, Swisher R. Fathers’ risk factors in fragile families: Implications for “healthy” relationships and father involvement. Soc Probl 2006;53:392‑420.

Cabrera NJ, Shannon JD, Taillade JJL. Predictors of co‑parenting in Mexican American families and direct effects on parenting and child social emotional development. Infant Ment Health J2009;30:523‑48.

Armentrout JA, Burger GK. Children's reports of parental child‑ rearing behavior at five grade levels. Dev Psychol 1972;7:44‑8.

Conte HR, Plutchik R, Picard S, Buck L, Karasu TB. Gender differences in recalled parental childrearing behaviors and adult self‑esteem. Compr Psychiatry 1996;37:157‑66.

Lila M, Garcia F, Gracia E. Perceived paternal and maternal acceptance and children’s outcomes in Colombia. Self Identity 2007;35:115‑24.

Erkan S, Toran M. Child acceptance‑rejection behaviors of lower and upper socioeconomic status mothers. Soc Behav Pers 2010;38:427‑32.


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.