Predicting infant–father attachment: the role of pre- and postnatal triadic family alliance and paternal testosterone levels

Witte, Annemieke M.; Bakermans‐Kranenburg, Marian J.; IJzendoorn, Marinus H. van; Szepsenwol, Ohad; Shai, Dana

doi:10.1080/14616734.2019.1680713

Cited by 23 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 43 publications

(62 reference statements)

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“…Fathers' perinatal behaviour and involvement during pregnancy is known to benefit maternal health behaviours and foetal outcomes (see Alio, Salihu, Kornosky, Richman and Marty, 2010;Lamb, 2010, for reviews) and the quality of later affective and behavioural involvement with his children (e.g. N. Cabrera et al, 2008;Cook et al, 2005;Fagan et al, 2007;Witte et al, 2019). Additionally, parenting sensitivity originates in the prenatal period (Leifer, 1977;Lucassen et al, 2015;Steele et al, 1996) and early postnatal parenting quality is likely founded on prenatal mental representations of the unborn child as well as the caregiver's imagined (future) relationship with the child (Siddiqui & Hägglöf, 2000;Vreeswijk et al, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development and feasibility of the prenatal video-feedback intervention to promote positive parenting for expectant fathers

Dijk

Waal

IJzendoorn

et al. 2021

Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology

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Objective: the transition period in which men become fathers might provide an important window of opportunity for parenting interventions that may produce long-term positive effects on paternal care and, consequently, child development. Existing prenatal programs traditionally focus on maternal and infant health and seldom involve the father. Study design: This paper describes an interaction-based prenatal parenting intervention program for first-time fathers using ultrasound images, the Prenatal video Feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting (VIPP-PRE). We randomised a group of expectant fathers (N = 73) to either the VIPP-PRE or a control condition. Results: Expectant fathers thought the VIPP-PRE was more helpful and influenced their insights into their babies to a greater extent than the control condition. Expectant fathers receiving the VIPP-PRE reported that they particularly liked seeing and interacting with their unborn children as well as receiving feedback on these interactions. The intervention was well received and was considered feasible by both expectant fathers and sonographers and midwives. Discussion: We discuss the VIPP-PRE based on the experiences and perspectives of fathers, interveners, and sonographers and midwives.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development and feasibility of the prenatal video-feedback intervention to promote positive parenting for expectant fathers

Dijk

Waal

IJzendoorn

et al. 2021

Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology

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“…This did not allow examination whether pre-natal triadic family relations might predict mother-and father-child attachment relationship. As regard this issue, a recent investigation has shown that children's attachment toward fathers (but not toward mothers) is predicted by pre-natal triadic family alliance, that is by the ability of the mother and father to cooperate and support each other in their parental roles (79).…”

Section: Limitations and Strengths Of The Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

Predictive and Incremental Validity of Parental Representations During Pregnancy on Child Attachment

Tambelli

Trentini

Dentale

2020

Front. Public Health

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Parental pre-natal representations predict the interactive patterns that parents will put in place after childbirth. Early interactions defined by high parental emotional availability (EA) influence the development of security in children. To date, research on the predictive role of parental pre-natal representations on child attachment is still poor. Moreover, investigations on pre-natal representations have mainly focused on mothers. This study aimed at: investigating the criterion validity of the Interview of Maternal Representations During Pregnancy-Revised (IRMAG-R) and of the Interview of Paternal Representations During Pregnancy (IRPAG), using EA, parental attachment, and child attachment toward both parents, as criteria; testing the incremental validity of the IRMAG-R and IRPAG in the prediction of child attachment, controlling for other covariates, such as depressive and anxious levels during pregnancy, EA, and parental attachment; evaluating the possible mediation role of EA on the relationship between parental representations during pregnancy and child attachment. Fifty couples of primiparous parents were recruited during pregnancy, when the IRMAG-R and IRPAG were administered to mothers and fathers. At 6–9 months after childbirth, the mother–child and father–child interactions were coded by means of the EA Scales (EAS). At 14–18 after childbirth, the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) was administered to parents, and the Strange Situation Procedure (SSP) was carried out to assess children's attachment toward mothers and fathers, respectively. The results showed significant correlations between parental pre-natal representations and EA, parental attachment and child attachment. As regards the prediction of child attachment, the IRMAG-R/IRPAG categories showed: a significant and large unique contribution for maternal representations; a close to be significant contribution for paternal representations (with a higher effect size for mothers than fathers). Moreover, while the indirect effect of pre-natal representations in the prediction of child attachment was not significant for mothers, it was instead significant for fathers. The results of this study confirmed the criterion validity of the IRMAG-R and IRPAG, and supported the incremental validity of the IRMAG-R and IRPAG in the prediction of children's attachment categories. Finally, the mediation models revealed that EA did not mediate the relationship between maternal pre-natal representations and child attachment, while it totally mediated the relationship between paternal pre-natal representations and child attachment.

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“…Moreover, studies on parents-to-be are still lacking. Experimental designs using a life-like doll have been proposed to examine the responsiveness of both childless participants and parents [ 4 , 5 ]. Hence, the presented research project focuses on expectant vs. non-expectant couples reacting to a life-like doll and, as a continuation, on the sensitive responsiveness of these new parents towards their children.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Empathy and Hormonal Changes as Predictors of Sensitive Responsiveness towards Infant Crying: A Study Protocol

Kaźmierczak

Pawlicka

Anikiej-Wiczenbach

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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Sensitive responsiveness refers to parents’ ability to recognize and respond to infants’ cues and has been linked to parental empathy. Additionally, oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP) are hormones important for sensitivity and empathy. The aim of this study is to test the links between dispositional empathy along with changing OT and AVP levels and responsiveness to a life-like doll in couples and to verify whether these factors are predictors of responsiveness to a child’s cues. Exploratory analyses include predictors of sensitive responsiveness: polymorphisms of OXTR, AVPR1a and CD38 genes, personal characteristics and relational factors. The project employs standardized experimental settings that can be used with non-parents and the assessment of parental sensitive responsiveness towards their child. The participants are couples expecting their first child (111) and childless couples (110). The procedure involves caretaking of a life-like doll. Salivary samples and questionnaire data are collected in a planned manner. In the second part, the expectant couples are invited for the assessment of their sensitivity to their own child (Free Play episodes). Parental sensitivity is assessed using the Ainsworth Sensitivity Scale. This paper presents an interdisciplinary research project that reaches beyond the questionnaire measurement, considering many factors influencing the dynamics of adult–infant interaction.

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Predicting infant–father attachment: the role of pre- and postnatal triadic family alliance and paternal testosterone levels

Cited by 23 publications

References 43 publications

Development and feasibility of the prenatal video-feedback intervention to promote positive parenting for expectant fathers

Development and feasibility of the prenatal video-feedback intervention to promote positive parenting for expectant fathers

Predictive and Incremental Validity of Parental Representations During Pregnancy on Child Attachment

Empathy and Hormonal Changes as Predictors of Sensitive Responsiveness towards Infant Crying: A Study Protocol

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