Paternal adaptation and related factors in Iranian fathers

OBJECTIVE: Although fathers are an essential element in family health, they are often overlooked by the healthcare system and are not given enough information on how to care for their infants and spouses. In this regard, understanding the characteristics or predictors of paternal adaptation might help healthcare providers design and implement interventions to foster paternal adaptation. The present study looked into paternal adaptation and related factors in Iranian fathers. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 298 fathers seen at 41 comprehensive healthcare centers in Rasht. The sampling method was stratified and each comprehensive health center was considered as a separate group. We measured paternal adaptation using the standardized paternal adaptation questionnaire (PAQ) with 38 items and five domains. RESULTS: The results indicated that paternal adaptation scores were statistically different based on child age, length of marriage, and history of miscarriage (p<0.05). Father age presented a significant inverse correlation with the adaptation score, with lower paternal adaptation scores observed in older fathers (r=-0.115, p=0.048). CONCLUSIONS: The most significant factors related to paternal adaptation were history of miscarriage, satisfaction with family wellbeing welfare and income level, nationality of the father, maternal age, and satisfaction with married life.