Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
Sexual and Reproductive Health Research Center, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Addiction Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
Brain Behav. 2022 Dec;12(12):e2802. doi: 10.1002/brb3.2802. Epub 2022 Oct 26.
Some fathers experience traumatic and unpleasant feelings such as fear of childbirth during pregnancy and childbirth. This study aimed to determine the mediating role of the expectant fathers' depression, anxiety, and stress in the relationship between maternal fear of childbirth and paternal fear of childbirth.
In this cross-sectional study, using a two-stage sampling method, 502 expectant Iranian fathers and their wives in the second half of pregnancy were recruited. The participants completed self-administered questionnaires, including the fathers' fear of childbirth scale, the Wijma delivery expectancy/experience questionnaire, and the depression, anxiety, and stress scale-21. To analyze the data, structural equation modeling was employed in the Amos software version 24.
Results indicated an acceptable fit of the model to the data. Maternal fear of childbirth was associated with paternal fear of childbirth, directly (β = 0.23, p = .046) and indirectly through the mediator of paternal depression, anxiety, and stress (β = .17, p = .007). The expectant fathers' stress had a greater impact on their fear of childbirth.
By considering the role of maternal fear of childbirth as well as expectant fathers' depression, anxiety, and stress on paternal fear of childbirth, it seems this study has some practical implications for improving the fathers' psychological well-being.
一些父亲在怀孕期间和分娩时会经历创伤性和不愉快的感觉，例如对分娩的恐惧。本研究旨在确定准父亲的抑郁、焦虑和压力在产妇对分娩的恐惧与父亲对分娩的恐惧之间的关系中的中介作用。
在这项横断面研究中，采用两阶段抽样法，招募了 502 名伊朗准父亲及其怀孕后期的妻子。参与者完成了自我管理的问卷，包括父亲对分娩的恐惧量表、Wijma 分娩期望/体验问卷和抑郁、焦虑和压力量表-21。为了分析数据，采用 Amos 软件版本 24 中的结构方程模型。
结果表明，该模型对数据具有可接受的拟合度。产妇对分娩的恐惧与父亲对分娩的恐惧直接相关（β=0.23，p=0.046），并通过准父亲的抑郁、焦虑和压力的中介作用间接相关（β=0.17，p=0.007）。准父亲的压力对他们的分娩恐惧有更大的影响。
通过考虑产妇对分娩的恐惧以及准父亲的抑郁、焦虑和压力对父亲对分娩的恐惧的作用，本研究似乎对改善父亲的心理健康具有一定的实际意义。
