Fathers' Attachment Status to their Infants

• Published in: International journal of caring sciences Vol. 10; no. 3; pp. 1410 - 1418
• Main Authors: Aslan, Ergul, Erturk, Sumeyye, Demir, Hilalnur, Aksoy, Omercan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Nicosia Professor Despina Sapountzi - Krepia Publisher of the International Journal of Caring Sciences 01-09-2017
• Subjects: Attachment; Attended births; Babies; Behavior; Child development; Childbirth & labor; Children & youth; Communication; Data collection; Education; Families & family life; Fathers; Marriage; Paternity; Personal relationships; Psychoanalysis; Psychology; Sociodemographics; Studies; Womens health
• EISSN: 1792-037X
• ISSN: 1791-5201

The father might play an active role in their babies psychosocial and mental development as far as mother does. The aim of this study was to determine fathers' attachment to their babies between 4-12 weeks old. The study was conducted in a cross-sectional and descriptive design. The study was carried out in new born and child polyclinics of a public teaching and research hospital in Istanbul between January-February 2015. Totally, 301 fathers selected with simple random sampling and agreed to participate were interviewed. Data were collected using an interview form questioning the socio-demographic characteristics and Paternal Infant Attachment. The average age of the fathers was 32.59±5.64 and the average duration of marriage was 6.83±5.66. The average subscale scores of Paternal Infant Attachment Scale were 31.19±3.80 in patience and tolerance subscale, 26.31±4.54 in pleasure in interaction subscale and 13.32±2.10 in love and pride subscale. The average of total scale score was 70.81±8.22. Subscale scores and total scale score were found to be significantly higher in fathers who were younger age, officer, having first baby, friendly to baby, happy in marriage, healthy baby and attended birth. On the other hand there was no significant relationship between scale scores and father's education level, working status, economic status, duration of marriage, family size, body mass index and spouses' occupation and education level. The study concluded that fathers' attachment levels to their infants were high, socio-demographic characteristics were not related to the attachment directly, however fathers' young age, having first baby, friendly to baby and attendance at the birth had a positive effect on the attachment.