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EXPECTANT FATHERS’ INTUITIVE PARENTING: ASSOCIATIONS WITH PARENT CHARACTERISTICS AND POSTPARTUM POSITIVE ENGAGEMENT
Author(s) -
SchoppeSullivan Sarah J.,
Altenburger Lauren E.,
Settle Theresa A.,
Kamp Dush Claire M.,
Sullivan Jason M.,
Bower Daniel J.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
infant mental health journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.693
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1097-0355
pISSN - 0163-9641
DOI - 10.1002/imhj.21468
Subject(s) - developmental psychology , psychology , pregnancy , third trimester , positive parenting , clinical psychology , intervention (counseling) , gestation , psychiatry , genetics , biology
This study examined expectant fathers’ intuitive parenting behavior and its correlates and associations with fathers’ postpartum positive engagement. One hundred eighty‐two expectant couples completed the Prenatal Lausanne Trilogue Play in the third trimester of pregnancy. Coders rated expectant fathers’ and mothers’ intuitive parenting behavior during this procedure. Expectant parents also completed surveys regarding their psychological and demographic characteristics. At 3 months postpartum, fathers completed time diaries that assessed the time that they spent in developmentally appropriate, positive engagement activities with their infants. Examination of correlates of expectant fathers’ intuitive parenting behavior revealed that expectant fathers showed lower levels of these behaviors than did expectant mothers, that intuitive parenting behavior was moderately positively associated for mothers and fathers, and that individual differences in expectant fathers’ intuitive parenting behavior were associated with parent demographic and psychological characteristics. In particular, expectant fathers showed greater intuitive parenting behavior when they had greater human capital and more progressive beliefs about parent roles, and when their partners had lower parenting self‐efficacy. Findings also indicated that expectant fathers’ greater intuitive parenting behavior was predictive of fathers’ greater subsequent engagement in developmentally appropriate activities at 3 months postpartum, but only when expectant mothers demonstrated low levels of intuitive parenting behavior.