Abstract:
This study was descriptive research aimed to determine the relative
contributions of age, education level, intention to have a child, marital relationship,
and attitude toward sex roles on paternal involvement in child-rearing in the first 6-12
months of first –born infants.
The study group comprised about 150 fathers of 6-12 month old infants whose
children came to have vaccinations at the Well-Baby Clinic, Ratchaburi Hospital and
at the Maternal and Child Hospital. Data was collected using the demographic data
questionnaire, the marital relationship questionnaire, the attitude toward sex role
questionnaire, and the paternal involvement in child–rearing questionnaire. Data
analysis was conducted in terms of percentage, mean, standard deviation, multiple
correlation, and stepwise multiple regression.
The findings showed that the two most influential factors on paternal
involvement in child-rearing were the marital relationship and attitude toward sex
roles. Those factors explained 15.6 percent of variance in paternal involvement in
child-rearing. (p < .01).
Based on the findings of this study, it is suggested that maternal-child nurses
should promote paternal involvement in child-rearing by assessing and promoting the
marital relationship and attitudes toward sex roles as they could affect the amount of
paternal involvement in child- rearing