Analyzing of The Mother And Father's Parenthood Behaviours at The Early Postpartum Period

There are many physiological and psychological changes in the postpartum period. One of the changes that occur in the family is the process of becoming a parent. Parenthood is a process that begins with the spouses deciding to get pregnant and continues throughout life. The foundations of an individual's future perspective on themselves and the world are largely determined by the parental interactions they experience in the first year of life and their quality. Parenting behaviors exhibited in the early postpartum period show the extent of communication parents have with their babies in later periods. It is also important because it can have short- and long-term effects on the baby. Parenting behaviors are behaviors in which the mother and father show interest in their baby, such as looking at the newborn baby in the postpartum period, asking questions about the baby, smiling at the newborn baby or making noise. Research shows that these behaviors are affected by socioeconomic reasons, the psychological state of the mother and father, their age, whether the pregnancy was planned, and the general health of the newborn. Parenting behaviors should be observed in the prenatal and postnatal period and supported with education when necessary. Parents need to adapt to their changing roles, develop new relationships, and organize their existing relationships according to their new roles. During the transition to parenthood, in addition to the current home and workplace demands, baby care demands are potential stress factors that can disrupt the organization and process of family life and threaten family and marital functioning. During the parental transition, couples with a greater sense of family cohesion willingly take on the challenges of new parenthood, are committed to seeking meaning in the parenting role, and overcome any challenges encountered during the transition, leading to a more satisfying family and marital relationship. Additionally, spousal support and involvement in infant care have been found to be associated with higher satisfaction in marital relationships and family functioning. Research suggests that spousal involvement and support for each other are particularly important for family and marital functioning during the transition to parenthood. Although significant research has been conducted on family and marital functioning during the transition to the parenting role, research on the effects of family cohesion, social support, and stress during the perinatal period on family and marital functioning is limited. This study aimed to examine the parenting behaviors and marital adjustment of mothers and fathers during the postpartum period.

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Key information

Conditions

Parenting Behavior Postpartum Period

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Acıbadem University

Istanbul, Ataşehir, Turkey (Türkiye)

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Willingness to participate in the study
Having a full-term birth (38-42 weeks of gestation)
No high-risk pregnancy
Having a healthy newborn
The couple being married

Exclusion criteria

Illiteracy
High-risk pregnancy
Multiple pregnancy
Prematurity
Newborn weighing less than 2500g or more than 4000g

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

Sociodemographic and Obstetric Data Collection Form for Mothers

Time frame: Baseline (completed at the first meeting with the mother, either before birth in planned births or on Day 1 after birth in unplanned births).

This form, prepared by the researcher through a literature review, consists of 18 questions and is designed to obtain sociodemographic and obstetric information from the mothers participating in the study.
Sociodemographic and Obstetric Data Collection Form for Fathers

Time frame: Baseline (completed at the first meeting with the father, either before birth in planned births or on Day 1 after birth in unplanned births).

This form, prepared by the researcher through a literature review, consists of 9 questions and is designed to obtain sociodemographic information from the fathers participating in the study.
Marital Adjustment Scale

Time frame: Baseline (completed at the first meeting with the participant, either before birth in planned births or on Day 1 after birth in unplanned births).

The Marital Adjustment Scale consists of 15 items and is used to assess marital adjustment. The scale yields a total score ranging from 1 to 60, with scores of 43 and above indicating marital adjustment and scores below 43 indicating marital maladjustment.
Postpartum Parenting Behavior Scale

Time frame: Day 1 (assessed during the first 10 minutes of the parent and newborn's first encounter).

The Postpartum Parenting Behavior Scale is used to assess parenting behaviors during the first encounter between parents and their newborn. The scale measures behaviors like close contact, affectionate touch, and positive comments through a 10-minute observation, with each item scored as present or absent. The total score ranges from 0 to 6, with higher scores indicating more positive parenting behaviors.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Acibadem University

Other

Collaborators

Bezmialem Vakif University

Registry information

Important dates

Study start: 2019
Primary completion: 2020
Study completion: 2020
First posted: Aug 28, 2024
Registry last updated: Jun 20, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

Completed