A study of the efficacy of fathers’ attachment training on paternal-fetal attachment and parental anxiety

Background. Attachment behaviors play an important role in accepting the identity of the fathers, the pleasant outcome of pregnancy and the child’s growth and development in the future.

Objectives. This study aimed to investigate the effect of father’s attachment training (awaiting a child) on paternal-fetal attachment and parental anxiety.

Material and methods. This clinical trial was conducted on 150 spouses of eligible pregnant women. In the intervention group, four 90-minute training sessions were designed on maternal-fetal attachment, while the control group received routine prenatal care. The questionnaire of paternal-fetal attachment was completed both before and after intervention in both cases and control groups. Data analysis was done in SPSS software using a paired t-test and independent t-test (the significant level was 0.05).

Results. The mean score of attachment was reported as 56.61 ± 6.05 and 64.53 ± 6.94 both before and after intervention, respectively. According to the paired t-test, there was a significant difference in the attachment score after intervention (p < 0.001). According to the independent t-test applied a month after intervention, the comparison of fathers’ anxiety scores before and after intervention showed a significant difference between the control and intervention groups (p < 0.001).

Conclusions. Training fathers about attachment skills leads to increased paternal-fetal attachment and a lower anxiety score. Therefore, it seems necessary to include education of fathers in prenatal care.