Repository logo
 
Publication

Effects of a soft baby carrier on fathers’ behavior and hormones: A randomized controlled trial

dc.contributor.authorVerhees, Martine W. F. T.
dc.contributor.authorLotz, Anna M.
dc.contributor.authorde Moor, Marleen H. M.
dc.contributor.authorvan IJzendoorn, Marinus H.
dc.contributor.authorFidder, Annabeth A. E. J.
dc.contributor.authorBuisman, Renate S. M.
dc.contributor.authorBakermans-Kranenburg, Marian J.
dc.date.accessioned2024-04-16T23:53:12Z
dc.date.available2024-04-16T23:53:12Z
dc.date.issued2023
dc.description.abstractIncreased father–infant physical contact may promote early paternal caregiving. This randomized controlled trial, preregistered on https://osf.io/qwe3a , tested the effects of a soft baby carrier intervention on fathers’ parenting behavior and hormonal levels. Eighty first-time fathers of 2- to 4-month-old infants were randomly assigned to a baby carrier intervention group (n = 41 fathers) or a control group receiving an infant seat (n = 39 fathers). Fathers were instructed to use the baby carrier or seat for 3 weeks. Fathers’ sensitive parenting behavior, involvement, salivary oxytocin and cortisol basal levels and reactivity to interacting with the infant were assessed at pre-test (on average 2 weeks before the intervention) and at post-test (on average 1 week after the intervention period ended). The results showed that the intervention did not enhance fathers’ sensitive parenting or involvement. Involvement operationalized as hours spent with the infant decreased over time for fathers in the carrier condition compared to fathers in the control condition. The baby carrier intervention had no effect on fathers’ basal oxytocin or cortisol levels, nor did it affect fathers’ oxytocin or cortisol reactivity to interacting with their infant. Our findings indicate that 3 weeks of using a baby carrier does not have immediate beneficial effects on fathers’ parenting behavior or hormonal functioning as assessed here. Future research may examine whether infant carrying has beneficial effects on the longer term or in different groups of fathers, and how fathers’ infant carrying affects their infants.pt_PT
dc.description.versioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionpt_PT
dc.identifier.citationVerhees, M. W. F. T., Lotz, A. M., de Moor, M. H. M., Fidder, A. A. E. J., Buisman, R. S. M., van IJzendoorn, M. H., & Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J. (2023). Effects of a Soft Baby Carrier on Fathers’ Behavior and Hormones: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Child and Family Studies. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-023-02678-xpt_PT
dc.identifier.doi10.1007/s10826-023-02678-xpt_PT
dc.identifier.issn15732843
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10400.12/9725
dc.language.isoengpt_PT
dc.peerreviewedyespt_PT
dc.publisherSpringer New Yorkpt_PT
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/pt_PT
dc.subjectFatherspt_PT
dc.subjectHormonespt_PT
dc.subjectInvolvementpt_PT
dc.subjectSensitivitypt_PT
dc.subjectSoft baby carrierpt_PT
dc.titleEffects of a soft baby carrier on fathers’ behavior and hormones: A randomized controlled trialpt_PT
dc.typejournal article
dspace.entity.typePublication
oaire.citation.conferencePlaceUnited Statespt_PT
oaire.citation.titleJournal of Child and Family Studiespt_PT
rcaap.rightsopenAccesspt_PT
rcaap.typearticlept_PT

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Journal of Child and Family Studies.pdf
Size:
1.1 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.61 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description: