Lang Xi, Zeng Tieying, Ni Sha, Jiang Lingjun, Qian Pan, Wu Meiliyang
Department of Nursing, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
School of Nursing, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Front Psychol. 2024 Jun 7;15:1249211. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1249211. eCollection 2024.
The transition to parenthood, which is influenced a lot by local parenting culture, is a dramatic stress for both men and women. Chinese social and cultural contexts form specific parental culture, shaping the unique experience of transition to parenthood. However, the understanding of the transition to parenthood in mainland China is limited. Additionally, few qualitative studies explored the transition to parenthood from both dyadic perspectives.
To explore the first-time transition to parenthood experience among mothers and fathers in mainland China during pregnancy, and compare the similarities and differences between their experiences in this transition period.
A descriptive qualitative study was conducted with 36 parents, including 18 primiparous women and their husbands. Data were analyzed by directed content analysis guided by the Transition Shock Model. The interview texts were first analyzed at individual levels and subsequently at the couple level to identify dyadic themes.
Five themes and thirteen sub-themes emerged from the data analysis, including role integration, health risk, dilemma of preparation, protective isolation, and multi-dimensional expectation. Unexpectedly, the experiences and perspectives of mothers and fathers regarding the transition to parenthood were found to be similar, with the exception of the sub-theme extra-care requirement.
The findings shed light on the complex emotional journey and expectations of parents, as well as the challenges they face in terms of physical well-being, limited coping resources, and restricted social connections. Notably, fathers in China often shared the stress of the whole process during the transition period alongside mothers but often lacked accessible avenues for seeking and receiving support. These findings underscore the importance of actively involving fathers as a key support population in perinatal care, as well as the need for comprehensive support systems and tailored interventions to enhance the well-being and adaptation of parents.
为人父母的转变受当地育儿文化的影响很大，对男性和女性来说都是巨大的压力。中国的社会文化背景形成了独特的育儿文化，塑造了为人父母转变过程中的独特体验。然而，对中国大陆为人父母转变的理解有限。此外，很少有定性研究从二元视角探讨为人父母的转变。
探讨中国大陆初为人父母的夫妻在孕期首次为人父母的体验，并比较他们在这一转变过程中体验的异同。
对36对父母进行描述性定性研究，包括18名初产妇及其丈夫。采用由转变冲击模型指导的定向内容分析法对数据进行分析。访谈文本首先在个体层面进行分析，随后在夫妻层面进行分析，以确定二元主题。
数据分析得出五个主题和十三个子主题，包括角色整合、健康风险、准备困境、保护性隔离和多维度期望。出乎意料的是，除了“额外照顾需求”这一子主题外，父母在为人父母转变方面的体验和观点相似。
研究结果揭示了父母复杂的情感历程和期望，以及他们在身体健康、应对资源有限和社会联系受限方面面临的挑战。值得注意的是，中国的父亲在转变过程中通常与母亲共同承担整个过程的压力，但往往缺乏寻求和获得支持的途径。这些发现强调了积极让父亲作为围产期护理关键支持人群参与的重要性，以及建立全面支持系统和量身定制干预措施以促进父母福祉和适应的必要性。
