Original scientific paper

PROSPECTIVE FATHERS: PSYCHOSOCIAL ADAPTATION AND INVOLVEMENT IN THE LAST TRIMESTER OF PREGNANCY

Karin Kuljanić ; University Hospital Center Rijeka, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Center of Clinical, Health and Organizational Psychology, Rijeka, Croatia
Tamara Martinac Dorčić ; University of Rijeka, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, Rijeka, Croatia
Ivana Ljubičić Bistrović ; University Hospital Center Rijeka, Department of Psychiatry, Rijeka, Croatia
Alemka Brnčić-Fischer ; University Hospital Center Rijeka, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Rijeka, Croatia

Abstract

Background: Paternal involvement in pregnancy has been recognized to have an impact on new-born’s outcomes and only
recently got under the spot light of mental health perspective. The aim of this study was to test differences in paternal involvement in
pregnancy, perceived stress and relationship quality regarding complications in pregnancy and pregnancy duration (gestational
weeks) in the last trimester of pregnancy. The role of personality traits (neuroticism and extroversion), relationship quality
satisfaction and perceived stress in prospective father’s perception of pregnancy involvement were examined.
Subjects and method: One-hundred forty-three primiparus couples in the last trimester of their pregnancy participated in the
study. Prospective fathers completed a booklet with questionnaires including The Quality of Marriage Index, The Perceived Stress
Scale, Eysenck Personality Questionnaire and Partner’s Involvement in Pregnancy Scale. Prospective mothers completed only
Eysenck Personality Questionnaire and questions on pregnancy complications and demographics.
Results: The prospective fathers showed high involvement in their partner’s pregnancies, elevated levels of perceived stress and
high relationship quality. There were found no differences in the above named variables regarding complications in pregnancy and
pregnancy duration. Higher involvement of prospective fathers was related with older age, lower male neuroticism and higher
female extroversion, better relationship quality and lower perceived stress.
Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that prospective father’s involvement in pregnancy is supported with psychological
factors, namely personality traits, quality of relationship and perceived stress. These results should lead to target interventions that
can modify and improve fathers’ involvement perspective and promoting a couples mental health during pregnancy: thus clinically
important for promotion of healthy prenatal behaviour and decrease in mothers’ emotional distress.

Keywords

pregnancy; mental health; fathers; pregnancy involvement; neuroticism

Hrčak ID:

177093

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/177093

Publication date:

12.12.2016.

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