The effects of a program to promote spouse involvement in pregnancy and birth on marital relationships, perception of childbirth experience, maternal-infant attachment, and paternal-infant attachment.
Abstract:
The present study was quasi-experimental research which aimed at
investigating the effects of a program to promote involvement of the spouse in
pregnancy and birth on marital relationships, perception of childbirth experience,
maternal-infant attachment, and paternal-infant attachment in first-time mothers and
fathers. The sample consisted of 60 pregnant women and their husbands who were
purposively selected from the obstetric department, Bangbor Hospital, and who were
divided into control and experimental groups. The control group received the usual
care from nursing staff, while the experimental group received the usual care plus the
program promoting spouse involvement in pregnancy and birth from the researcher.
This study was carried out between March and August 2007. Data were collected by
using the perception of childbirth experience questionnaire, the dyadic adjustment
scale, the maternal attachment inventory, and the affectional relationship
questionnaire. Data were statistically analyzed by means of independent t-test.
The results of this study showed that the mothers in the experimental group
had a statistically significantly higher mean score of childbirth experience than that of
the mothers in the control group (p < .001). As for paternal-infant attachment, the
experimental group had a statistically significant higher mean score than that of the
control group (p < .05). However, the mean scores of maternal-infant attachment and
marital relationship of the mothers and the fathers in the experimental group were not
statistically significant higher than those of the mothers and fathers in the control
group (p > .05).
The findings of this study have led to the conclusion that the program to
promote spouse involvement in pregnancy and the birth should be implemented by
nursing staff in order to promote marital relationships, perception of childbirth
experience, and parent-infant attachment among first-time mothers and fathers as well
as to further develop the quality of nursing services.