| Description |
The purpose of this study was to obtain normative data concerning the beliefs and perceptions of Utah first-time expectant fathers in regards to childbearing and childrearing. These beliefs and perceptions were collected through the use of the instrument the Utah Test for the Childbearing Year: Beliefs and Perceptions about Childbearing (Foster, 1981). This instrument consisted of five scales purporting to sample five domains: (a) Fear of the Childbirth Process, (b) Personal Value of Childbearing and Childbearing, (c) Childbearing Health Locus of Control, (d) Father's Role and Responses, and (e) Social Compliance and Active versus Passive Involvement. The responses were all scored in the negative direction, that is, toward fear, low value, externality, low role, and social compliance with passive involvement. The sample consisted of 253 Utah first-time expectant fathers. The number selected from each county was based on the ratio of births in that county to the desired total sample size of 255 men. The FORTAP analysis showed that expectant fathers scored most strongly in the negative direction on the domain Fear of the Childbirth Process. On the average, 51% of the items were scored toward fear. For Childbearing Health Locus of Control, only 36 of the items reflected high externality. Social compliance with passive involvement was scored direction for 32% of the items in the domain Social Compliance in Childbearing and Childrearing and Active versus Passive Involvement. Personal values and father's role received the least negative responses. In other words, Utah first-time expectant fathers generally valued childbearing and childrearing and felt they should have a participative role in it. Only 24$ of the items received negative responses in the former domain ad 15% in the latter. Individual items in each of these domains were studied to determine specific beliefs and perceptions in which these expectant fathers as a group either expressed strong negative responses or were very divided n there response. There was an inter wining matrix of descriptive data derived from the correlations between domains, health behavior data and demographic data. In other words, a general profile of beliefs, perceptions, health behavior data and demographic data were related to each of the domains. The data obtained from the study were compared with data from a comparable group of 254 Utah first-time mothers collected at the same time by another researcher. In comparing the two groups, it was found that expectant fathers experienced significantly more fears of the childbirth process than did the expectant mothers; there were more externally directed; and they placed less value on the role in the childbearing process. In regards to health behavior and demographic data, the expectant mothers read more books on childbearing or childrearing while the expectant fathers smoked more cigarettes and did more aerobic exercise. The expectant fathers were on the average 2 years older than the expectant mothers. These are the only areas in which expectant fathers and expectant mothers differed significantly. |
