An evaluation of the impact of expectant fathers' personality traits on fear of childbirth

This study aims to evaluate how the personality traits of expectant fathers affect their levels of fear related to childbirth. The study population includes a total of 398 fathers who participated in childbirth with their partners during the postpartum period at Kocaeli City Hospital and Gölcük Necati Çelik State Hospital between February 20, 2023, and May 20, 2023. The research utilized a personal information form, the Fear of Birth Scale for fathers, and the Five-Factor Personality Inventory. The findings indicate that the fathers scored high in the dimensions of extraversion (28.95±4.75), agreeableness (36.18±4.03), conscientiousness (38.32±3.43), and openness (37.45±4.00), while they scored lower in the dimension of neuroticism (17.87±4.14). These results suggest that the fathers tend to be active in social relationships, cooperative with others, responsible, and open to new experiences. Additionally, they appear to be emotionally stable with good stress management skills. However, it was also found that the fathers experienced a significant fear of the childbirth process. The study findings demonstrate that the personality traits of fathers have significant effects on their fear of childbirth. The trait of conscientiousness shows a strong negative effect on fear of childbirth (r=-0.466, p<0.001), indicating that fathers with higher levels of conscientiousness have lower levels of fear of childbirth. On the other hand, the trait of neuroticism exhibits a strong positive effect on fear of childbirth (r=0.498, p<0.001), suggesting that fathers with higher levels of neuroticism have higher levels of fear of childbirth. Similarly, the trait of openness has a significant positive effect on fear of childbirth (r=0.222, p<0.001), indicating that fathers with higher levels of openness also have higher levels of fear of childbirth. This study reveals that the personality traits of expectant fathers significantly influence their levels of fear related to childbirth. Specifically, fathers with high levels of conscientiousness tend to have lower fear of childbirth, whereas those with high levels of neuroticism and openness tend to have higher fear of childbirth. These findings underscore the importance of tailoring prenatal counseling and support programs according to the personality traits of fathers.