Session: Fathering in the Perinatal Period (Society for Social Work and Research 22nd Annual Conference - Achieving Equal Opportunity, Equity, and Justice)

There is increasing evidence of the benefits that accrue to children, mothers, and fathers themselves when fathers are positively involved during pregnancy and beyond. As social services increasingly seek to engage fathers and encourage positive involvement, better understanding the distinct experiences and needs of men during the perinatal period is necessary to inform the provision of relevant information and support. Further, better understanding of women's expectations and preferences for fathers' involvement is necessary to ensure that efforts to engage fathers are respectful of women's wishes. The three papers in this symposium will inform efforts to support, include and prepare fathers in the perinatal period. Following the presentations an expert on fathering and father engagement will serve as discussant.

The first paper examines the influence of anxious adult attachment and testosterone production during a stressful parenting protocol on quality of antenatal bonding, and whether testosterone levels moderate the influence of anxious adult attachment style on antenatal bonding, in a sample of expectant parents exposed to significant psychosocial stressors. This study advances understanding of the biological and psychological factors that influence antenatal bonding, and suggests ways in which these associations may be different for fathers and mothers. Findings inform the development of father specific interventions that social workers can implement to support father-infant bonding.

The second paper explores whether the transition to fatherhood may be a particularly generative time for developing capacity for emotional responsibility. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with expectant fathers in a prenatal care setting, and men's accounts indicated growing recognition of the need to deemphasize personal priorities to meet the physical and emotional needs of their partner and child. Respondents demonstrated interest in discussing these issues, suggesting that the perinatal period presents an important opportunity to offer supportive services that can enhance men's capacity for emotional responsibility.

The third paper examines pregnant women's perspectives on father involvement in prenatal care. Interviews midway through pregnancy addressed fathers' participation to date in prenatal care, and mothers' experiences of and preferences for father participation. Data analysis was informed by principles of grounded theory. Findings suggest that most fathers attend at least some prenatal care appointments and most expectant mothers want fathers to be involved alongside them in prenatal care, to some degree. However, as evidenced by the account of a mother who had separated from an abusive partner, father involvement is not always advisable. Findings of this study can be used to inform perinatal services that are supportive of father involvement when appropriate, and centered on the needs and preferences of pregnant women.

The perinatal period provides an important opportunity to engage fathers. It is a time when many men are available and receptive, present in healthcare services alongside their partner and open to considering behavior changes in preparation for parenthood. This symposium makes an important contribution to the knowledge base on men's transition to parenthood, and informs social work efforts to engage fathers in services that are relevant, timely, and respectful of the needs of mothers as well as fathers.