Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions of fatherhood among fathers of high-risk neonates and their confidence regarding neonatal care.
Methods A study was conducted of 100 fathers whose neonates had been admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for at least 48 hours. Perceptions of fatherhood, neonatal characteristics, and fathers' confidence regarding neonatal care were measured using a self-reported questionnaire. The survey took approximately 10 minutes to complete and was completed anonymously. The factors that affected fathers' confidence regarding neonatal care were analyzed using multiple regression.
Results The scores for positive and negative perceptions of fatherhood were relatively high at 4.27 and 3.42 out of 5 points, respectively. A positive perception of fatherhood was found to influence fathers' confidence regarding neonatal care.
Conclusion NICU nurses should encourage fathers to effectively perform their parenting roles by implementing educational programs and interventions to promote positive perceptions of fatherhood and fathers' confidence regarding neonatal care after discharge.
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Purpose This study examined the effects of an educational program for fathers on improving father-infant interactions, child-rearing knowledge, and attachment.
Methods In this quasi-experimental study, the participants were recruited by convenience sampling among fathers with infants (2-6 months of age) residing in three districts of Seoul. Fifteen participants in the experimental group and 17 participants in the control group completed the follow-up investigation. A 5-week online and offline intervention program with five sessions was provided to the experimental group. The data were analyzed using generalized estimating equations (GEEs).
Results There was a significant difference in the change in father-infant interaction scores of the experimental group, especially in the caregiver aspect with a significance level of .100 in time and group-to-group interactions (B=6.46, p=.051, 95% confidence interval [CI]=-0.02-12.94). The changes between the groups and times were not statistically significant when it came to infant development knowledge and father-infant attachment.
Conclusion We conclude that hybrid online and offline education should be implemented as an effective method to improve fathers’ interactions with their children based on accurate knowledge about infant development.
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Purpose This study was conducted to explore first-time fathers' experiences during their transition to parenthood in South Korea.
Methods Data were collected from September 2019 to February 2020 through in-depth interviews that were conducted individually with 12 participants. First-time fathers with children under 2 months of age were recruited. Verbatim transcripts were analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological method.
Results Four theme clusters were identified: Preparing to become a father, challenges of becoming a father, motivation to foster familial bonds, and acknowledgement of fatherhood.
Conclusion These findings suggest that Korean first-time fathers prepared to practice parenthood through prenatal education, taegyo, and feeling bonds with their new baby. They recognized their identity as fathers and experienced self-growth. These results would be beneficial for health professionals in developing perinatal care programs, and the results provide basic data for studies on fathers and families during the transition to parenthood.
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