Infant-Father Attachment

The subject of this paper is infant-father attachment and the impact on the development on the infant. Most research has illustrated the importance of infant-mother relationship, without an equal consideration of the role of the father in infant-father relationships. However, with the changing family structure and social beliefs, more fathers are spending time with their infants. In addition, expectant fathers want to be a part of the birthing experience. In a 1981 survey, 95 percent of men looked forward to being in the delivery room (Rosenblith, 1992, p. 484). The surge of interest by fathers gave rise to many studies that sought to establish the impact of early father-infant bonding on their relationship later on. Therefore, discovering the impact of a father's interaction with the infant can be significant in promoting the overall well being of children.

The renewed scientific interest in the early seventies explored the stereotypical perception of fathers who were regarded as harsh disciplinarians and could not interact intimately with their infants (Rosenblith, 1992, p. 484). A study conducted on Australian fathers revealed that only 34 percent of the fathers believed that they could take care of their children (in Rosenblith, 1992, p. 484). However, another study revealed the complexity of some fathers' feelings toward these stereotypical notions. In the study, although most of the fathers' conceptions of their roles cohered with the stereotype, they also be

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ent to the topic because it assesses the importance of having fathers interact early with their infants. Research has proven that maternal bonding with the infant leads to greater interaction and body contact later on. Thus, Rodholm's (1981) study is an extension of that exploration: is early bonding with the infants significant in the case of fathers? Her results showed that fathers who bonded early with their infants interacted better and more intimately with their infants. Her findings are similar to the research on maternal bonding (Rodholm, 1981, p. 84). Therefore, it is vital not only to allow the mother, but also the father immediate access to the infant after the birth. In this study, all infants were delivered by Caesarean section. In the non-contact group, 16 infants were placed in an incubator for 1 day after delivery. The father was permitted to stand beside the incubator, but was not allowed to touch the infant. In the contact group consisting of 29 infants, the father received the infant 15 minutes after delivery and was left alone to play with the infant uninterruptedly for 10 minutes. Then the nurse returned to take care of the infant, though the father was allowed to remain in the room (Rodholm, 198

Category: Psychology - I