Cristin-prosjekt-ID: 413921
Sist endret: 12. januar 2015, 11:22

Cristin-prosjekt-ID: 413921
Sist endret: 12. januar 2015, 11:22
Prosjekt

The fathers role in infant development: A prospective population based study of paternal social background, relational experiences and expectations during pregnancy and father-infant interaction in the infant`s first year of life

prosjektleder

Erik Stänicke
ved Psykologisk institutt ved Universitetet i Oslo

prosjekteier / koordinerende forskningsansvarlig enhet

  • Seksjon sped- og småbarn ved RBUP Øst og Sør

Tidsramme

Avsluttet
Start: 1. januar 2012 Slutt: 31. desember 2017

Beskrivelse Beskrivelse

Tittel

The fathers role in infant development: A prospective population based study of paternal social background, relational experiences and expectations during pregnancy and father-infant interaction in the infant`s first year of life

Sammendrag

Aim
An overall focus of this project is to evaluate and explore the transition in how men become fathers from early on in pregnancy, through birth and the early stages of their children’s life. One aim of the present project is to study fathers’ social background, possible adverse experiences and stress in their own childhood and how this may relate to anxiety and depression towards the forthcoming birth during pregnancy. Further, to explore if fathers’ depression and anxiety during pregnancy are related to the interactional quality between the father and the child at 6 months of age. Finally, the project aims at exploring if fathers prenatal involvement influences on how they prioritize their paternal leave and how this relates to the assessed interactional quality when the children are 12 months of age. Research method
This sub-project, based on the "Liten i Norge" (LIN) study, follows a sample of approximately 1000 infants and their fathers through the fetal stage and up to 12 months. The project applies both observational methods and self-report measures. The use of differential methodologies and informants strengthens the study-design. The prenatal enrolment of participants is done by midwifes at the local well baby-clinics and via the national LIN-study. The sample is recruited by midwives at well baby clinics in the four Health regions of Norway, and provides the basis for the present study. Results
A plan for forthcoming publications has been worked out; the first article is expected to be published by the end of 2013.Scientific importance and relevance for society
This study aims to provide essential clinical and theoretical information about paternal caregiving, and how this caregiving relates to childrens’ mental developmental trajectories at an early age. Young fathers participate and prioritize more actively in caregiving of their infants today than fathers usually did earlier. Previously, fathers often have been excluded as informants, and researchers focused more on the mother-child than on the father-child interaction. The contemporary role of fathers as attachment figures for young children highlights the importance of employing fathers as participants and informants in this area of research. Although traditionally child rearing was left to mothers, social changes, i.e. paternal leave, promote fathers as caregivers. New social trends and ideals force a re-conceptualizing of the traditional view of fathers as breadwinners and mothers as primary caregivers. Today there is a dearth of prospective studies on father involvement begining in the prenatal or early infancy period. Hence, research on paternal expectations during pregnancy, paternal transition into fatherhood and fathers role as caregivers for infants is in great need. Moreover, previous research on fathers has focused on adverse outcomes or consequences, i.e. antisocial or absent fathers. Conversely, more recent research describes how highly engaged fathers contribute to more favorable outcomes; their children have often better cognitive development, better emotion regulation, better emphatic understanding toward peers and score higher on intelligence tests.

Funding
The subproject is financed by Diakonhjemmet hospital and Regional center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health and is coordinated by RBUP East & South.

Vitenskapelig sammendrag

Aim
An overall focus of this project is to evaluate and explore the transition in how men become fathers from early on in pregnancy, through birth and the early stages of their children’s life. One aim of the present project is to study fathers’ social background, possible adverse experiences and stress in their own childhood and how this may relate to anxiety and depression towards the forthcoming birth during pregnancy. Further, to explore if fathers’ depression and anxiety during pregnancy are related to the interactional quality between the father and the child at 6 months of age. Finally, the project aims at exploring if fathers prenatal involvement influences on how they prioritize their paternal leave and how this relates to the assessed interactional quality when the children are 12 months of age. Research method
This sub-project, based on the "Liten i Norge" (LIN) study, follows a sample of approximately 1000 infants and their fathers through the fetal stage and up to 12 months. The project applies both observational methods and self-report measures. The use of differential methodologies and informants strengthens the study-design. The prenatal enrolment of participants is done by midwifes at the local well baby-clinics and via the national LIN-study. The sample is recruited by midwives at well baby clinics in the four Health regions of Norway, and provides the basis for the present study. Results
A plan for forthcoming publications has been worked out; the first article is expected to be published by the end of 2013.Scientific importance and relevance for society
This study aims to provide essential clinical and theoretical information about paternal caregiving, and how this caregiving relates to childrens’ mental developmental trajectories at an early age. Young fathers participate and prioritize more actively in caregiving of their infants today than fathers usually did earlier. Previously, fathers often have been excluded as informants, and researchers focused more on the mother-child than on the father-child interaction. The contemporary role of fathers as attachment figures for young children highlights the importance of employing fathers as participants and informants in this area of research. Although traditionally child rearing was left to mothers, social changes, i.e. paternal leave, promote fathers as caregivers. New social trends and ideals force a re-conceptualizing of the traditional view of fathers as breadwinners and mothers as primary caregivers. Today there is a dearth of prospective studies on father involvement begining in the prenatal or early infancy period. Hence, research on paternal expectations during pregnancy, paternal transition into fatherhood and fathers role as caregivers for infants is in great need. Moreover, previous research on fathers has focused on adverse outcomes or consequences, i.e. antisocial or absent fathers. Conversely, more recent research describes how highly engaged fathers contribute to more favorable outcomes; their children have often better cognitive development, better emotion regulation, better emphatic understanding toward peers and score higher on intelligence tests.

Funding
The subproject is financed by Diakonhjemmet hospital and Regional center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health and is coordinated by RBUP East & South.

prosjektdeltakere

prosjektleder

Erik Stänicke

  • Tilknyttet:
    Prosjektleder
    ved Psykologisk institutt ved Universitetet i Oslo

Thomas Skjøthaug

  • Tilknyttet:
    Prosjektdeltaker
    ved RBUP Øst og Sør

Vibeke Moe

  • Tilknyttet:
    Prosjektdeltaker
    ved RBUP Øst og Sør

Lars Smith

  • Tilknyttet:
    Prosjektdeltaker
    ved RBUP Øst og Sør
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