Référence
Natalia Varela Pulido, Valérie Gingras, Tamarha Pierce, Réjean Tessier (2026) Make room for daddy: enhancing paternal self-efficacy following preterm birth through Kangaroo CareIntervention. Journal of Neonatal Nursing, Volume 32, Issue 1.
Résumé
Background
The premature birth of a child is a stressful experience for fathers and represents a threat to their parental self-efficacy.
Aim
This longitudinal study aimed to examine the contribution of fathers’ participation in Kangaroo Care (KC) for their preterm infant to the increase of their self-efficacy over time.
Methods
42 fathers of premature infants (up to 33 weeks) were recruited from a Quebec NICU. Paternal self-efficacy was measured using the 'Parenting Sense of Competence Scale' on three occasions: before KC, at NICU discharge, and three months post-discharge.
Results
Path analysis showed that the father-to-mother KC frequency ratio in the NICU predicted greater paternal self-efficacy after hospitalization (controlling for baseline), and its persistence three months post-discharge.
Conclusion
Results highlight the importance of fathers' involvement with their preterm infant through KC to enhance their parental self-efficacy. Mothers and medical staff can facilitate this by encouraging fathers’ active care in the NICU.
