The correlation between fathers' participation in infant care and their perception of fatherhood role

This cross-sectional and descriptive research has been done with the aim of to determine the relationship between fathers' who have babies 4-12 months participation in infant care and their perception of fatherhood roles. Besides qualitative and quantitative methods were used together in this research.The research sampling was composed of 260 fathers who have 4-12 months healthy babies who lived in the neighbourhoods of two health centers (number 2 and 11). In the study, "Socio-demographic Questionnaire Form" (Appendix 4), "Questionnaire Form of Fathers' Participation in Infant Care" (Appendix 5) "Perception Scale of Fatherhood Role" (Appendix 6), and in order to determine the factors affecting the fathers' participation in infant care, Individual in-depth Interview Form (BDG) (Appendix 7) were applied to the fathers.In the study, the number and percentage, in binary-groups the Independent Samples T-Test, in comparison of more than two groups the One-Way ANOVA Variance Analyze and in determination of which group causes the statistical significance the Least Difference Test were used. In order to determine the relationship between the fathers' participation in infant care and their fatherhood perception the correlation analysis was performed. In the analysis of BDG data, the Content Analysis method was used.According to the research data, the level of fathers' participation in infant care was just above the average (mean=3.01). The fathers showed the least participation in infants' physical care (mean=2.49), and the highest participation in game activities (mean=3.93). The scores of fathers, which they received from the Perception Scale of Fatherhood Role, were also above average (mean=3.71), and suggested that they had positive fatherhood perceptions. The region of health centers which fathers lived, their education levels, occupations, origins, education and work situations of their wives, the number of children and the time spared with the infants were found to be statistically significant variables on fathers' participation in infant care and their fatherhood role perceptions (p<0.05). It has been determined that there was a positive (r=0.732) and strong (p=0.01) relationship between fathers' fatherhood role perception and their participation in infant care.As a result of the content analysis of the data obtained from BDG; it has been detected that the fathers described those as ''good fathers'' who were interested with the child and "bad fathers" who were indifferent; most of them did not take someone as a role model; they participated in infant care mostly when their wives were busy and when they asked for their help, and they did not pay attention on environmental reactions to their participation to child care and they had difficulty the most in changing infants' diaperKeywords: Fatherhood role, fatherhood perception, infant care, maternal health, nursing