Investigation of the relationship between mothers’ perceived husband support and paternal–infant attachment in Turkey

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted in a descriptive cross-sectional design to investigate the impact of spousal support provided to expectant mothers during pregnancy on paternal bonding. DESIGN AND METHODS: Both longitudinal and cross-sectional analyses are presented in this article. An information form, the Perceived Spousal Support Among Women in the Early Postpartum Period Scale (PSSSEPPP), and the Paternal–Infant Attachment Scale (PIAS) were used to collect data. FINDINGS: The mean PSSSEPPP score of mothers was 57.93 ± 13.86, and fathers’ second-and fourth-month PIAS scores were 63.32 ± 13.76 and 66.73 ± 13.66, respectively. There was a statistically positive correlation between PSSSEPPP and PIAS. A directional and significant relationship was found (r = 0.714, p = .001). CONCLUSION: Supporting expectant mothers during pregnancy and in the early postpartum period has positively affected paternal–infant attachment.