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This paper contains thoughts on the journey a man undertakes when he becomes the father to a newborn child, and on the difficulties he faces. Drawing on both psychoanalytic theory and clinical experience the author considers the journey to fatherhood men undertake, exploring the need for them to tolerate change and loneliness as they support and protect the new mother-infant dyad. While infantile anxieties of abandonment may be aroused, the importance of the father's role in the newly established family is emphasised, particularly in relation to the child finding their own identity. Throughout the paper, parallels are drawn between the role of the father and the role of psychoanalyst or psychotherapist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of International Business Studies is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Historically, studies on parenting were mostly based on maternal reports, generating uncertainties about its conclusions. Inverting this logic, in Brazil, the Inventory of Father Involvement (originally developed in the USA to assess men) was improved and adapted for mothers, generating the Inventory of Father and Mother Involvement (IFMI). The IFMI’s content validity was verified, but its internal structure was still unknown. This study aimed to verify evidence of validity based on its internal structure, reliability estimates and the invariance of this structure for fathers and mothers. For this purpose, 1244 fathers and mothers from 22 Brazilian states (with children aged 2 to 10) answered the Sociodemographic Questionnaire and the IFMI. Exploratory (EFA; n = 621), confirmatory (CFA; n = 623) and multigroup confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA) were performed, and reliability estimates were verified. EFA and CFA results indicated the existence of seven factors in a second-order hierarchical structure. Reliability estimates ranged from .635 ≤ ω ≥ .875. MGCFA results indicated the invariance of this structure for fathers and mothers. In addition to the evidence of validity, these results contribute to broadening theoretical understandings about Brazilian parenting, enabling future comparative studies. It is important to further verify additional validity evidence.

Indonesia menjadi negara yang diakui krisis peran ayah, bahkan Indonesia sempat diperbincangkan sebagai negara ketiga yang mengalami fatherless atau ketiadaan peran ayah dalam proses pengasuhan. Salah satu aspek penting dalam proses pengasuhan orang tua terhadap anak adalah komunikasi efektif, terutama antara ayah dan anaknya. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis pola komunikasi fatherhood atau dialog antara ayah dan anak yang termaktub dalam al-Qur’an. Penelitian diarahkan dengan menganalisis proses komunikasi yang direpresentasikan oleh para nabi dan/atau oleh keluarga nabi. Penelitian dilakukan dengan pendekatan kualitatif melalui paradigma interpretasi klasik-kontemporer. Penelitian merupakan jenis penelitian kepustakaan (library research) melalui metode analisis deskriptif. Pengumpulan data dilakukan secara tematis yaitu mengumpulkan ayat-ayat Al-Qur’an dalam berbagai surat yang menggambarkan representasi pola komunikasi fatherhood. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pola komunikasi dialogis antara ayah dan anak bertujuan untuk membangun kesadaran ketauhidan. Proses komunikasi yang terbangun sebagai representasi fatherhood dipengaruhi oleh beberapa kondisi atau suasana komunikasi yang terjalin. Proses komunikasi terjadi juga melalui dua pola baik secara komunikasi langsung maupun tidak langsung. Pola komunikasi terbangun secara persuasif, emansipatif, partisipatif, demokratis, dan empatik. Selain itu, proses komunikasi dialogis dalam proses pengasuhan ayah terhadap anaknya berlangsung secara lembut, penuh kasih kayang, dialogis, interaktif, negosiasi, dan memengaruhi aspek rasional, emosional, motivasional, dan behavioural.

Abstract Background Fathers can be a critical source of breastfeeding support for their partner, but little is known about what fathers would like to learn about breastfeeding. Partner’s support and encouragement enhances mother’s breastfeeding confidence and boost the capacity to address breastfeeding difficulties effectively. The aims of this study were to explore what fathers regard as important to learn around breastfeeding, and their current and preferred sources of information. Methods A structured online survey was conducted, between September 2022 and November 2022, with fathers containing three sections: (1) sociodemographic variables; (2) perceived importance of 26 breastfeeding topics; and (3) sources of breastfeeding information. A convenience sample of expectant and current fathers aged 18 years or older, who were expecting a baby or had a child aged one year or younger, living in Australia, and able to complete survey in English was recruited. Participants were recruited on Facebook advertisement. Results A total of 174 fathers participated in the study, majority (75%) were aged 30–39 years, current dads (74%), and university educated (69%). The breastfeeding topics that fathers perceived as the most important/ important to learn about were how to work with their partner to overcome breastfeeding challenges, how fathers can be involved with their breastfed baby, the types of support fathers can provide to breastfeeding mothers, what to expect in the first week and the benefits of breastfeeding. The most preferred health professional sources of breastfeeding information were midwives, child and family nurses and doctors. Among non-health professional sources of support, mobile app, friends and family were most popular. Conclusion Breastfeeding information to enhance fathers’ knowledge and awareness of common breastfeeding challenges, and fathers’ role in supporting their breastfeeding partner, appear to be (most) important for fathers. Mobile app appears to be among the most preferred non-health professional ways to provide breastfeeding information to fathers.

Background: The present study aims to elucidate the association between adverse childhood experiences, parental bonding, fatherhood, and social anxiety symptoms among emerging adults within an Iranian context. Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study utilized self-reported assessments to evaluate fatherhood, parental bonding, anxious thoughts, and childhood trauma. The study was administered to 242 university students exhibiting social anxiety symptoms. Among the participants, 181 (74.8%) were boys and 61 (25.2%) were girls between the ages of 18 and 29. In terms of educational background, 64.9% of them held a bachelor’s degree, and 35.1% held a master’s degree. A majority of them (84.3%) were of middle-class socio-economic status, 6.6% were of low income, and 9.1% were of high income. Results: Analysis via multiple linear regression revealed that individuals with adverse childhood experiences exhibited heightened levels of social anxiety symptoms (R2 = 0.32) compared to their counterparts without such experiences. Furthermore, fatherhood (R2 = 0.28), paternal bonding (R2 = 0.26), and maternal bonding (R2 = 0.26) were all significantly and equally associated with variance in social anxiety symptoms. The findings underscored the substantial correlation between ACEs, fatherhood, and both maternal and paternal bonding with social anxiety symptoms in adulthood. Conclusions: Accordingly, the study emphasizes the importance of thoroughly assessing the multifaceted contributors to social anxiety. Such insights are pivotal for the design and implementation of community-based preventive interventions aimed at reducing the societal burden of social anxiety disorders.

“Yeni Bir Hayat Kurmak Kadınlar Anlatıyor: Babalık, Evlilik ve Boşanma” Mürüvet Esra Yıldırım’ın yüksek lisans döneminde hazırladığı tezinin kitaplaştırılmış halidir. Kitap araştırma-inceleme özelliğini taşımakla birlikte giriş, ana başlıklar ve sonuç yerine kısımlarıyla toplamda dokuz bölümden oluşmaktadır. Yazar, kendisinin de boşanma deneyimi yaşamış bir kadının çocuğu olarak kadınların bu deneyimi nasıl algıladıklarını ve yorumladıklarını, yaşam akışlarının içerisinde nasıl konumlandırdıklarını göstermeyi amaçlamıştır. Buna bağlı olarak yazar, kitap içerisinde 2014-2015 yılları arasında Türkiye’nin Karadeniz, Ege, Marmara ve İç Anadolu bölgelerinden yedi farklı ilde yaşayan yirmi sekiz kadınla yaptığı görüşmelerin değerlendirmesini sunmuştur. Kitap, gerçekleştirilen evlilik ve boşanma deneyimlerinde “kadın olmak” gerekçesiyle ailesel ve toplumsal baskının ne kadar fazla olduğunu bu noktada kadınların evlenmek için öne sürdüğü içsel sebepleri ve verilen evlilik kararlarındaki “babalık” gibi karar mekanizmaların gücünü görmemize yardımcı olmaktadır. Aynı zamanda kitap “dişi kuş” mottosuyla kadınlara yönelik toplumsal beklentilerin neler olduğunu, kadınların evlilikleri süresince yaşadıkları aile içi şiddetin toplum tarafından nasıl göz ardı edildiğini ortaya koymaktadır. Son noktada ise kadınların boşanmaya nasıl karar verdiklerini ve boşanmanın toplum tarafından nasıl karşılandığını gözler önüne sermektedir. Bu bağlamda kitap feminist epistemolojiye yer vermekle birlikte kadının güçlendirilmesi, toplumsal cinsiyet eşitsizliği konusu üzerine çalışan her meslek disiplinine katkı sağlayacak niteliktedir. Kitap sosyal hizmet mesleği bağlamında ele alındığında ise sosyal hizmetin amaçlarından olan değişim ve gelişim noktasında kadının ve erkeğin gelişebilmesi için aile içerisinden başlayarak toplumdaki cinsiyetçi tutum ve davranışlarının değiştirilmesi gerektiğini göstermektedir. Kitap sadece mesleki anlamda katkılarıyla sınırlı olmamakla birlikte gündelik yaşamımızda kadına yönelik algıyı ve toplumsal cinsiyet eşitsizliğini gerçek yaşam öykülerinden görmek isteyen her bireye farkındalık kazandıracaktır.

The focus of this paper is on father absence in the South African context, a growing concern with significant implications for family well-being, relationships, morality, and children's development. Father absence poses a considerable social challenge for many communities across South Africa, necessitating efforts to address and restore family cohesion. Research indicates that men often struggle to confront their identity crisis, which in turn hinders effective fatherhood and exacerbates the issue of father absence. Addressing this challenge is crucial for promoting healthier family dynamics and societal well-being

Rationale Aims Methods Results Conclusion There is growing evidence that fathers play an important role in the breastfeeding process and that fathers need education about breastfeeding. In our age of rapidly developing technology, the use of new teaching techniques in the education of fathers will provide more effective results.In this study, the effect of breastfeeding education given with digital storytelling method on fathers' breastfeeding self‐efficacy was examined.The study is a pretest–posttest randomized controlled trial. The study was conducted with the husbands of 80 pregnant women admitted to the childbirth preparation class of a state hospital. The study included a control group and an intervention of educational videos using a digital storytelling technique. Fathers were recruited from hospital antenatal classes and randomized to one of the two groups. Personal Information Form and Paternal Breastfeeding Self‐Efficacy Scale‐Short Form were used for data collection. Each father completed data collection forms at the beginning of the study and at 3 months postpartum. The η2 effect size was calculated for significant differences in the independent and dependent groups t test methods used in the analysis.There was a significant difference between the posttest scores of the fathers in the intervention and control groups (p < 0.05). When the effect sizes were analysed, it was found that the increase in the intervention group (t = −24.342) was higher than the control group (t = −8.385).In the current study, the effect of using digital storytelling method in breastfeeding education on fathers' breastfeeding self‐efficacy was found to be significantly higher than routine education. It is recommended that this new method be used in education and counselling and that studies be conducted to examine its effect on breastfeeding behaviour and fathers' breastfeeding support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fathers can be a critical source of breastfeeding support for their partner, but little is known about what fathers would like to learn about breastfeeding. Partner's support and encouragement enhances mother's breastfeeding confidence and boost the capacity to address breastfeeding difficulties effectively. The aims of this study were to explore what fathers regard as important to learn around breastfeeding, and their current and preferred sources of information. Methods: A structured online survey was conducted, between September 2022 and November 2022, with fathers containing three sections: (1) sociodemographic variables; (2) perceived importance of 26 breastfeeding topics; and (3) sources of breastfeeding information. A convenience sample of expectant and current fathers aged 18 years or older, who were expecting a baby or had a child aged one year or younger, living in Australia, and able to complete survey in English was recruited. Participants were recruited on Facebook advertisement. Results: A total of 174 fathers participated in the study, majority (75%) were aged 30–39 years, current dads (74%), and university educated (69%). The breastfeeding topics that fathers perceived as the most important/ important to learn about were how to work with their partner to overcome breastfeeding challenges, how fathers can be involved with their breastfed baby, the types of support fathers can provide to breastfeeding mothers, what to expect in the first week and the benefits of breastfeeding. The most preferred health professional sources of breastfeeding information were midwives, child and family nurses and doctors. Among non-health professional sources of support, mobile app, friends and family were most popular. Conclusion: Breastfeeding information to enhance fathers' knowledge and awareness of common breastfeeding challenges, and fathers' role in supporting their breastfeeding partner, appear to be (most) important for fathers. Mobile app appears to be among the most preferred non-health professional ways to provide breastfeeding information to fathers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While studies on masculinities in anthropology are on the rise, approaches to paternities continue to be scarce, and references to indigenous paternities are even scarcer. In this sense, this text is a first approach to the ways of parenting among the Mbya Guaraní. The analysis of parental care cannot be separated from the masculinities of the group. Based on ethnographic field data collected in Misiones (Argentina), we seek to understand the specificities of parenting. We conclude that fatherhood is a personal gratification for Guaraní men, that the forms of fatherhood are multiple, but that the care they offer is not equal to that of mothers or other women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the complicated process of post-deployment homecoming in military families in Denmark. Based on qualitative interviews with spouses and children of formerly deployed soldiers, the article analyses some of the main challenges related to homecoming and military-to-family transitions in military families. It illuminates how deployment affects family practices and social relations by especially focusing on gender equality, fatherhood, and masculinity. Based on interviews with spouses and children, the article outlines three masculinity positions available to Danish homecoming veterans: gender equality masculinities, militarized masculinities, and troubled masculinities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alfonso XII’s phylogeny has been the subject of extensive debate and speculation. Beyond the question of his biological progenitor, it is worth exploring who actively embodied and enacted the socio-cultural practices of fatherhood in the life of the King of Spain. This paper examines the paternal relationship that developed between the Marquis of Alcañices and Alfonso de Borbón. This bond emerged during a period marked by a redefinition of family roles and the father-son dynamic, while also being characterized by camaraderie and friendship. This dynamic lent the intimate and emotional aspects of such male relationships a prominent cultural significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Men who have a history of childhood maltreatment may be at risk of experiencing significant challenges during the transition to parenthood, which might be explained by the presence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Using a nonclinical community sample of 230 expecting fathers, the aims of the current study were as follows (1) to investigate, during the prenatal period, associations between childhood maltreatment and perceived parental competence as well as between childhood maltreatment and intimate partner violence, and (2) to evaluate whether PTSD symptoms contributed to explaining these associations. A structural equation model showed that the severity of childhood maltreatment predicted more severe PTSD symptoms, which in turn predicted higher levels of intimate partner violence as well as a lower perceived parental competence. No direct associations between childhood maltreatment and both perceived parental competence and intimate partner violence were observed. Implications for interventions and future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the dynamics of father-children relationships in conflict management during and after the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill (Anti-ELAB) movement in Hong Kong. In-depth interviews with 17 fathers and 21 activists revealed how authoritarian approaches to fatherhood influence family conflict outcomes against the backdrop of social upheaval during and after the 2019 protests in Hong Kong. A conceptual framework of intimacy and face (mianzi or lian) enriches the discussion of fatherhood roles, father-children conflict management, and how participation in social movements affects their relationships. The construct of fatherhood is variable, changing, and relational, and it involves intimacy and face for father-son/daughter relationships to remain healthy during political conflicts. Hong Kong presents a unique case of evolving fatherhood, parent-child relationships, and family dynamics where the link between gender and social movement participation is extended beyond political-economic processes. This article contributes to the literature on the intergenerational dialogue between fathers and their activist children outside a Western context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the factors contributing to sensitive parenting is crucial to optimize infant social and emotional functioning. Research has supported the association between parents' personality and parenting quality, but findings are inconsistent when examining various global personality measures. Further, it is likely that the interaction between parent‐level (e.g., personality) and infant‐level characteristics (e.g., temperament) are more strongly associated with caregiving quality. Most studies examining predictors of parenting quality have only included mothers, compared to fathers. The current study examined the interaction between parental personality and infant temperament and associations with parental sensitivity and intrusiveness with mothers and fathers. The participants included families (n = 102) when the infants were 4, 6, and 8 months old. Using parent report measures and a face‐to‐face play task, significant main effects of maternal behavioral inhibition on parenting behaviors were observed for mothers. A Behavioral Activation X Infant Negative Reactivity interaction predicted both maternal sensitivity and intrusiveness, whereas a Behavioral Inhibition X Infant Surgency predicted paternal intrusiveness. In summary, the results revealed support for the goodness‐of‐fit perspective between parents' personality and infant temperament. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ciencias Psicológicas is the property of Universidad Catolica del Uruguay Damaso Antonio Larranaga and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Ciencias Psicológicas is the property of Universidad Catolica del Uruguay Damaso Antonio Larranaga and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Papers: Revista de Sociologia is the property of Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Transition to parenthood is a transformative phase where firsttime parents may feel the expectation of having to "learn" and "perform" a new social role. In this scenario, parenting apps are part of a broader media ecology new parents can rely on, as pedagogical agents providing informal education and support. This paper offers a critical-pedagogical analysis of a fathering app, investigating the type of parenting knowledge proposed and the broader overarching discourses it reflects. Findings show a double tendency. At a surface level, the app serves the practical purposes of offering new fathers solace and guidance; at a latent level, fatherhood is discursively "intensified", following intensive parenting trends, and "othered" as a different experience from motherhood, whereas the role of the father is constructed as both ancillary and controlling, reinforcing, besides trying to question, traditional family scripts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Theology & Morality / Teologia I Moralmosc is the property of Uniwersytetu im. Adama Mickiewicza (IH UAM) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Erciyes Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi is the property of Erciyes University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The legal standing of fathers has always differed from those of mothers in custody-related adjudication. A shift from the long-standing pater familias thinking to more mother-oriented approaches in the field has characterised the past century in family law, but contemporary developments have challenged the status quo and continue to shape legal fatherhood in new ways. The purpose of this article is to identify the legal trends that inform the approach of the European Court of Human Rights to fatherhood, the development of these trends, and what this can tell us of the future of legal fatherhood in European human rights jurisprudence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Members of the Czech Parliament submitted the Amendment to the Civil Code and the Criminal Code that considers surrogacy as a specific form of human trafficking addressing the prohibited commercialization of the human body. The amendment aims to protect women, whose social status is often exploited, and children, who are reduced to commodities. The proposed changes seek to prevent the abuse of international surrogacy and reproductive tourism and, as a result, prohibit surrogacy even in an altruistic form between close relatives. Current Czech legislation tolerates surrogacy. Many social and ethical questions associated with this phenomenon deserve a societywide discussion. Foreign legislation oscillates from clearly regulated conditions for surrogacy, through regulations that tolerate surrogacy without further regulation, to the prohibition of this specific phenomenon. This paper discusses the legislative regulation of surrogate motherhood in the Czech Republic (CR), as it compares with foreign regulation, and focuses on parameters used to compare different legal systems. Detailed national legislation, but especially uniform international rules can contribute to the protection from potential abuse caused by surrogacy. While altruistic surrogacy can be morally acceptable, commercial surrogacy, especially in an international context, can lead to the aforementioned abuses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to scientifically examine the link between father's involvement or absence and disruptive behavior in adolescents. The role of fathers is crucial in shaping an adolescent's personality. Fathers are not only providers but also play a protective role, helping shield their children from psychological and cultural challenges. A total (N=500) sample of ages 12-19 years (M=16.9540, SD=1.8694) from Buner Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan was recruited. Result indicates positive correlation of father's absence with extremism and violence (R= .606) and negative correlation of father's involvement with extremism and violence (R= -.603). The 't' statistics also verified the results and proved that father's not living adolescents have high risk level for extremism and violence as compared to father's involved adolescents (N=500, t (498) = -3.328, p < .000***). Findings from this study will contribute to provide an in-depth knowledge in the family research area and will support government authorities in making policies for controlling crimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various programmes have been implemented in prisons to strengthen parental involvement and parent–child relationships during imprisonment. In-depth insights into such programmes are limited. This qualitative study compared the experiences of two groups of imprisoned fathers in the Netherlands: fathers who participated in a family approach programme (N = 10) and fathers in a comparison group (N = 29). Based on a thematic analysis, four key differences were identified between the family approach group and the comparison group. Fathers in the family approach group: (1) described more positive engagement activities in direct father–child interactions, (2) reflected more positively on their fathering role during imprisonment, (3) structurally included participation in the family approach programme in their narratives of how imprisonment affected father–child relationship quality, and (4) more often expressed feelings of uncertainty and caution when discussing family life after imprisonment. The findings of this study are informative for the mechanisms behind prison-based parenting and family relationship programmes and illustrate the potential of these programmes to alleviate the unintended negative impact of imprisonment on parental involvement and family relationships. Based on these findings, recommendations for further research and practice are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Fotocinema is the property of Revista Fotocinema and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: The present study aims to elucidate the association between adverse childhood experiences, parental bonding, fatherhood, and social anxiety symptoms among emerging adults within an Iranian context. Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study utilized self-reported assessments to evaluate fatherhood, parental bonding, anxious thoughts, and childhood trauma. The study was administered to 242 university students exhibiting social anxiety symptoms. Among the participants, 181 (74.8%) were boys and 61 (25.2%) were girls between the ages of 18 and 29. In terms of educational background, 64.9% of them held a bachelor's degree, and 35.1% held a master's degree. A majority of them (84.3%) were of middle-class socio-economic status, 6.6% were of low income, and 9.1% were of high income. Results: Analysis via multiple linear regression revealed that individuals with adverse childhood experiences exhibited heightened levels of social anxiety symptoms (R2 = 0.32) compared to their counterparts without such experiences. Furthermore, fatherhood (R2 = 0.28), paternal bonding (R2 = 0.26), and maternal bonding (R2 = 0.26) were all significantly and equally associated with variance in social anxiety symptoms. The findings underscored the substantial correlation between ACEs, fatherhood, and both maternal and paternal bonding with social anxiety symptoms in adulthood. Conclusions: Accordingly, the study emphasizes the importance of thoroughly assessing the multifaceted contributors to social anxiety. Such insights are pivotal for the design and implementation of community-based preventive interventions aimed at reducing the societal burden of social anxiety disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Horyzonty Wychowania is the property of Jesuit University Ignatianum in Krakow and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: In South Africa, uptake of HIV services remains lower amongst men compared to women, resulting in poorer clinical outcomes. Several factors contribute to this situation, including stigma, confidentiality concerns, inconvenient clinic operating hours, fear of an HIV-positive test result, and long-waiting times. Additionally, women living with HIV are frequently identified whilst accessing other routine services, particularly antenatal and well-baby care. Novel approaches and strategies are needed to increase men's routine utilization of health services. For many men, fatherhood is an important part of being a man. Maternal, neonatal and child health services (MNCH) present an opportunity to improve male engagement with routine health services and subsequent uptake of integrated HIV care. However, men's involvement in MNCH services remains low. This study explored the concept of fatherhood and factors influencing men's involvement in MNCH services. Methods: This was an exploratory, qualitative study. Three focus group discussions (FGDs), involving 33 male participants, were conducted with men living in communities across Johannesburg. Men were recruited by male peer counsellors, employed by Anova Health Institute under the men's health programme. Data was collected between May and July 2021. Authors had no access to information that identify individual participants during or after data collection. Data were transcribed inductively and analyzed thematically using NVivo software. Results: The study found that male participants were eager to be involved in MNCH services. They valued fatherhood and were making concerted efforts to be involved fathers. However, multiple factors influenced men's involvement in MNCH services. Barriers included sociocultural norms, employment commitments, boredom and disengagement while waiting for services, negative staff attitudes and long waiting times. Participants identified multiple facilitators that would encourage their attendance at MNCH services including positive staff attitudes, quick service, active engagement, positive affirmations by health care workers and the visibility of male health workers' in MNCH spaces. Conclusions: The study highlights that men strongly desire to be involved fathers and included in MNCH services. HIV programmes should support this and harness it to actively engage men in HIV services. However, to encourage greater male involvement in MNCH, socio-economic and healthcare system related factors need to be addressed when designing strategies that create more inclusive, family-orientated, male-friendly, and integrated MNCH services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: 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. Aim: 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. Methods: 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. Results: 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. Conclusion: 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Australia, there is insufficient exploration and understanding of how we can strengthen the critical role played by Indigenous fathers. This paper argues that for Indigenous fathers to feel supported in childrearing, greater attention must be given to their social and cultural determinants of health and well‐being. To gain insights into the challenges experienced by Indigenous fathers and the support they require in fatherhood, we primarily apply thematic analysis to data from the Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children (LSIC). The findings reveal that most fathers identify a social or cultural health and well‐being determinant challenging their fatherhood journey. We examine these results and suggest why and how appropriately focussing on the social and cultural determinants of health and well‐being will enhance and support Indigenous men in fatherhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Romantic love unites a man and woman as a couple. The birth of a child confirms the righteousness of this union and prolongs it into eternity – so the myth goes. Simultaneously, the demand for a well-planed and economically optimized parenthood is increasing. How do (potential) non-monogamous parents deal with these multiple demands? Based on an intersectional multi-level-analysis of 13 interviews, the article describes three gender-specific modes of subjectivation: A strong self-identification with the ideal of the autonomous subject, deconstructing fatherhood while reproducing motherhood and poly-parenthood as a project of social planning. The article shows which narratives of personal development occur empirically in relation to relationship management and parenthood, and how these narratives are either reconciled or weighed against each other. It becomes clear that the idea of polyamory as a means for personal development is widespread and is partly accompanied by an ideal of individual independence of an autonomous subject which does not go well with parenthood. Deconstructing fatherhood while reproducing motherhood turns out to systematically reinforce traditional gendered modes of subjectivation. It also became evident that there is an underlying idea of community development in which children become a part of a comprehensive project of joint self-improvement [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research indicates that close father-child relationships contribute to the well-being of adolescents. However, most studies on closeness have been conducted in the northern hemisphere on adult relationships of White, middle-class population groups. The aim of this study, therefore, was to explore constructions of father-child closeness in a different setting. Informed by social constructionism, an exploratory-descriptive research design was used to investigate constructions of closeness and father-daughter closeness in 15 family units (n = 45) consisting of adolescent daughters, fathers, and mothers living in low-income, rural communities in South Africa. Individual interviews were conducted with each participant and thematic analysis was used to analyse the resultant data. Three overarching themes and six subthemes were identified. Our findings show that the participants associated father-daughter closeness with daughters' comfortability to share personal information with fathers. However, most of the daughters in this study did not feel comfortable to do so. We identified the maintenance of traditional notions of fathers as authority figures, as well as fathers resorting to authoritarian behaviours when faced with adolescents exhibiting risky behaviour in adverse socio-economic environments, as two factors that created distance between fathers and daughters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elective co-parenting families, meaning two (or more parents) who are not in a romantic relationship having a child together, are becoming more common amongst cisgender, heterosexual parents. The study of elective co-parenting families offers researchers a unique opportunity to decouple co-parenting relationships from romantic relationships, but little research to date has explored their experiences. This study explored two research questions: why do individuals decide to enter into elective co-parenting arrangements? And how do they manage their co-parenting arrangement and their relationship with their co-parent? Interview data from 10 elective co-parents (5 mothers and 5 fathers) were analyzed according to the principles of reflexive thematic analysis. Sociological theorisations of family practices, family display and family thinking were utilized to make sense of the data. The results centred around two organizing themes ('Reproducing the traditional family' and 'Modernising the traditional family'), and participants experienced a tension between these two ideas. Participants aimed to manage their co-parenting relationship with shared values and friendship, but defining their relationship was complex and gendered parenting patterns were ubiquitous. Findings add nuance to theorisations of family life and demonstrate that traditional parenthood ideologies remain pervasive, as parents aim to imagine and pursue parenthood on their own terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parental emotion‐related socialization behaviors (ERSBs) are developmental and multiply determined. However, longitudinal studies on the development patterns of ERSBs and their antecedents, especially for Chinese fathers, are scarce. This study examined the longitudinal trajectories of Chinese fathers' ERSBs during early adolescence and whether they are influenced by the father (depressive symptoms and emotion dysregulation) and adolescent factors (depressive symptoms and emotional intelligence). We used 4‐year, self‐reported, survey‐based data from Chinese early adolescents (46.70% girls, Mage at Wave 1 = 10.26 years, SD = 0.33) and their fathers (Mage at Wave 1 = 40.36 years, SD = 4.22), and data analyses were conducted using unconditional and conditional latent growth model (N = 1061 at Wave 1). The results revealed an increase in the father's supportive and non‐supportive ERSBs over 4 years. Furthermore, father's depression symptoms, emotion dysregulation, and adolescent's depression symptoms can predict paternal supportive ERSBs' trajectories, while only the father's depression symptoms and emotion dysregulation can predict the change in non‐supportive ERSBs. The findings give a holistic picture of the developmental trajectories of paternal ERSBs during early adolescence, and highlight the importance of accounting for differences in father and adolescent factors in understanding changes in parental ERSBs during this critical developmental period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conceptualization of fathers as an essential begetter survives within and through their relationship in family through ages. However, within and behind this word, a social-construct, the journey of fathers remains non-located in researches on parenting in India. Thus, this study aims to develop an indigenous conceptualization of fatherhood in the cultural realm of India from father's and child's perspective. Carried out in eight two-child families in Delhi, the study is done through semi-structured interviews with fathers and Draw and tell method with their elder child (7–11 years). Thematic analysis of both father's and children's narratives helped create seven themes within each. The themes from father's narratives include multiple shades of "father", 'being a father': a world within, learnings about 'being a father', father as enablers of child's 'becoming', picturing 'ideal' fathers, cultural mountings and 'cultures' of fatherhood. The themes obtained from children's narratives include father as a playtime partner, inspiring figure, mainstay, shield, involved, not-so-involved. Viewed holistically, this study holds implications for parenting practices and policy makers in positive direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased father–infant physical contact may promote early paternal caregiving. This randomized controlled trial, preregistered on https://osf.io/qwe3a, tested the effects of a soft baby carrier intervention on fathers' parenting behavior and hormonal levels. Eighty first-time fathers of 2- to 4-month-old infants were randomly assigned to a baby carrier intervention group (n = 41 fathers) or a control group receiving an infant seat (n = 39 fathers). Fathers were instructed to use the baby carrier or seat for 3 weeks. Fathers' sensitive parenting behavior, involvement, salivary oxytocin and cortisol basal levels and reactivity to interacting with the infant were assessed at pre-test (on average 2 weeks before the intervention) and at post-test (on average 1 week after the intervention period ended). The results showed that the intervention did not enhance fathers' sensitive parenting or involvement. Involvement operationalized as hours spent with the infant decreased over time for fathers in the carrier condition compared to fathers in the control condition. The baby carrier intervention had no effect on fathers' basal oxytocin or cortisol levels, nor did it affect fathers' oxytocin or cortisol reactivity to interacting with their infant. Our findings indicate that 3 weeks of using a baby carrier does not have immediate beneficial effects on fathers' parenting behavior or hormonal functioning as assessed here. Future research may examine whether infant carrying has beneficial effects on the longer term or in different groups of fathers, and how fathers' infant carrying affects their infants. Highlights: We tested for the first time the effects of a soft baby carrier intervention on fathers' parenting behavior and hormones. The baby carrier intervention did not promote fathers' sensitivity or involvement. The intervention had no effects on fathers' basal hormonal levels or hormonal reactivity to interacting with their infant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the historical context of South Africa, fathers are largely considered the breadwinner, an ideology linked to financial affordability. The breadwinner title may be a masculine boost for some but denotes a sense of disempowerment for those without financial muscle. This is especially true for young black South African fathers who are still confronting socio-historical challenges including continued high levels of unemployment. This qualitative study sought to explore how young black fathers perceive and understand fatherhood based on their individual experiences and given their socio-historical and cultural challenges. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and focus groups. Eight participants were selected through non-probability purposive sampling. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data with the foundation of a family systems theoretical framework. Findings indicated that the perception of fatherhood is constructed through (a) financial insecurity, (b) (un)expectancy and psychological distress, (c) shared responsibility, (d) cultural dynamics and (e) a renewed sense of self meaning. The study has added value in ensuring that the voices of young black fathers are captured through their lived experiences. The findings suggest that much investment is still required to understand the different angles and dynamics of young black fathers in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study assessed multiple changes over 1 year for fatherhood program participants and explored variations in challenges at program start, retention, and improvements in outcomes based on geographic setting, race, and sequencing of services. In a sample of 630 racially diverse fathers, we found enhanced economic vulnerability of urban fathers and Black/other minority fathers, and greater individual and work-related challenges for White fathers at program start. Results from growth modeling indicated fathers reported sustained growth over 1 year in nearly all measures assessed including relationship skills and functioning, hope for ensuring a positive future, father involvement and parent-child relationship quality, child academic adjustment, and commitments and ability to meet financial obligations. Evidence of enhanced benefit of programs in multiple areas over time for rural and White participants, compared with Black/other minority and urban fathers is presented. Results also indicate receiving case management first enhances fathers' attendance and retention in program classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Using data on 17 countries in Europe and North America, we compare the career trajectories of mothers and fathers and of women and men without children across cohorts, and at different points of their life cycle. There is wide variation across countries in employment and earnings gaps at age 30. At age 50, however, the employment gap between mothers and non‐mothers has closed in most countries. We also observe convergence in employment gaps between mothers and fathers by age 50, but these gaps do not fully close. Motherhood gaps in earnings also close by age 50 between mothers and non‐mothers, particularly among the highly educated. But there is strong persistence in earnings gaps between mothers and fathers even among highly educated parents. The main reasons for the remaining gaps at later stages in the life cycle are part‐time work among women and fatherhood premia as fathers' earnings outperform non‐fathers' over their life cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]