The Effect of Father – Infant Skin to Skin Contact on Father’s Attachment and in Marital Adjustment: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Preterm birth often negatively influences mother–infant and father-infant interaction. Skin-to-skin contact (SSC) post birth has positive effects on maternal and paternal feelings toward their preterm infants and on infant development and family interaction.

Methods: The aim of this study designed to investigate the effects of skin-to-skin contact of the father with newborn babies in the neonatal intensive care unit to the attachment of father-infant and in marital adjustment. The study is a randomized controlled trial using pre-test and post-test design. A private hospital in the central district of Manisa in Turkey. The sampling involved 60 fathers (30 intervention group-30 control group). The data were collected by using ‘‘Demographic Data Form”, “The Marital Adjustment Scales (MAS)” and “Postnatal Paternal-Infant Attachment Questionnaire (PPAQ)’’.

Results: The fathers who participated in this study were in similar ages, education, occupation, income, and marriage period (p>0.05). Total average score for MAS was 49.20±6.58 for intervention group and, is 50.37±5.36 in control group (p>0.05). The total average score for MAS after the intervention was 50.47±7.78 in intervention group and 50.37±4.78 in control group. PPAQ average score after intervention in the intervention group was 78.96±5.94 and 76.82±5.21 in control group. However, the average score was higher for the intervention group than the control group, there was not any statistically significant difference between two groups (p>0.05). Post-intervention; there was a moderate and significant positive correlation between father's total point averages of MAS and total point averages of PPAQ and total point averages of Pleasure in Interaction Subscale found in the correlation analysis conducted (p<0.05).

Conclusion: It was concluded that SSC doesn’t have any influence on father-infant attachment and marital adjustment, but after the intervention, there were a significant positive relationship between father-infant attachment and marital adjustment.