Factors Affecting Paternal Identity in Father of Neonate

Abstract

This study is a descriptive research study attempted to identify the factors influencing paternal identity in the fathers of neonate. The subjects of this study were a total of 138 fathers of neonate who entered the newborn baby room in an obstetrics and gynecology (often abbreviated to OB/GYN) ward of a university hospital and two OB/GYN clinics in Gyeonggi province. The data were collected from September 5, 2016 to October 20, 2016. As a research tools, the paternal identity was measured using a scale with modified items to be adaptable to the fathers by Kyung-Mi Yang and Sang-Rae Kim (2010) using the maternal identity scale which was developed by translation of by Hyo-Jeong Go (1996) based on the Semantic Differential Scale of Osgood, Suci & Tannenbaum (1957), while the paternal attachment was measured using a scale developed by Ji-Young Kim(1994), the marital satisfaction was measured using a scale modified by Kyu-Lyun Choi (1998) of MSS (Marital Satisfaction Scale) developed by Roach, Feaizer and Bowden (1981). Data were analyzed using SPSS/WIN 21.0 Win program including frequency and percentage, mean and standard deviation, independent sample t-test, one-way ANOVA, Scheffe test, Pearson's correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression. The results of this study were as follows. 1. The average score of paternal attachment in the subjects was 111.44±12.32 point, the marital satisfaction was 50.75±6.60 point, and the average score of paternal identity was 58.83±10.89 point. 2. As a result of analysis of the difference in the paternal identity according to the general characteristics of the subjects, it was found that, in case of planned pregnancy (t=3.084, p=.002), when the baby’s birth order is the second or higher (F=-2.346, p=.021), and the subjects whose original fatherhood type had displayed ‘as having more love for the child and expressing the love better’ showed significantly higher level of paternal identity than the subjects whose original fatherhood type had displayed ‘less love and less expressions’(F=4.105, p=.019). 3. As a result of analyzing a correlation between the paternal identity and the paternal attachment, and the marital satisfaction, the paternal identity has significant positive correlation with the paternal attachment and the marital satisfaction. Also, the higher the paternal attachment (r=.405, p<.001) was and the higher the marital satisfaction was (r=.520, p<.001), the higher the paternal identity was. 4. As a result of regression analysis was conducted by using paternal attachment and marital satisfaction as well as monthly income, planned pregnancy, birth order, and original paternity type that had shown statistically significant differences in univariate analysis, the paternal attachment (t=2.379, p=.019) and the marital satisfaction (t=3.790, p<.001) were identify factors influencing paternal identity. The regression model was significant (F=8.791, p<.001), and the explanatory power of paternal identity by these variables was 31.4%. The results of this study suggest that various nursing interventions should be applied to the neonates’ fathers in order to enhance the paternal identity through reducing the conflicts between the couple and increasing the satisfaction of married life.

본 연구는 신생아 아버지를 대상으로 부성정체성에 영향을 미치는 요인을 규명하기 위해 시도된 서술적 조사연구이다. 연구대상은 경기도 소재 1개의 대학병원 산부인과 병동과 2개의 산부인과 전문병원에서 출생 후 신생아실에 입실한 신생아 아버지 138명을 대상으로 하였으며, 연구기간은 2016년 9월 5일부터 10월 20일까지였다. 연구도구로 부성정체성은 Osgood, Suci와 Tannenbaum(1957)이 개발한 어의구별척도(Semantic Differential Scale)를 근거로 고효정(1996)이 번안한 모성정체성 척도를 양경미와 김순례(2010)가 아버지에게 측정 가능하도록 문항을 수정한 척도를 사용하였고, 부성애착은 김지영(1994)이 개발한 척도를, 결혼만족도는 Roach, Feaizer와 Bowden(1981)에 의해 개발된 MSS(Marital Satisfaction Scale)를 최규련(1998)이 수정한 척도를 사용하였다. 자료는 SPSS 21.0 Win 통계 프로그램을 이용하여 빈도와 백분율, 평균과 표준편차, Independent sample t-test, one-way ANOVA, Scheffe test, Pearson's correlation coefficient, Multiple linear regression을 사용하여 분석하였다. 본 연구결과는 다음과 같다. 1. 대상자의 부성애착은 평균 111.44±12.32점, 결혼만족도는 평균 50.75±6.60점, 부성정체성은 평균 58.83±10.89점으로 나타났다. 2. 대상자의 일반적 특성에 따른 부성정체성의 차이를 분석한 결과, 계획된 임신을 한 대상자(t=3.084, p=.002), 아기순위가 둘째아이 이상의 대상자(F=-2.346, p=.021), 원부성유형이 자식에 대한 ‘사랑이 많으며 잘 표현하는 유형’의 대상자가 ‘사랑도 표현도 부족한 유형’의 대상자에 비해 부성정체성이 유의하게 높은 것으로 나타났다(F=4.105, p=.019). 3. 부성정체성과 주요 탐색요인인 부성애착, 결혼만족도 간의 상관관계를 분석한 결과, 부성정체성은 부성애착, 결혼만족도와 유의한 양의 상관관계가 있으며, 부성애착이 높을수록(r=.405, p<.001), 결혼만족도가 높을수록(r=.520, p<.001) 부성정체성이 높은 것으로 나타났다. 4. 부성정체성에 영향을 미치는 요인을 확인하기 위해 부성애착, 결혼만족도와 단변량 분석에서 통계적으로 유의한 차이를 보였던 월수입, 계획임신, 아기순위, 원부성유형을 독립변수로 함께 투입하여 회귀분석을 실시한 결과, 부성애착(t=2.379, p=.019), 결혼만족도(t=3.790, p<.001)가 부성정체성과 관련된 유의한 변수로서 설명되었고, 독립변수들이 포함된 회귀모델은 유의하였으며(F=8.791, p<.001), 이들 변수에 의한 부성정체성의 설명력은 31.4% 이었다. 본 연구결과를 통해 아버지가 되어가는 과정에서 결혼생활의 만족도를 높이기 위해 부부 간의 정서적 지지와 격려의 중요성에 대한 이해를 돕고, 부부 갈등과 스트레스를 감소시킬 수 있는 부부교육 프로그램의 개발과 더불어 부성애착을 증진시킬 수 있는 다양한 간호중재의 적용은 부성정체성을 강화하는데 긍정적인 영향을 미칠 것으로 기대된다.