Father trials: video feedback to promote positive parenting for expectant fathers

INTERVENTION: This is a randomized controlled trial (RCT) with a between‐subject design in a critical phase of parenthood: the transition to having the first baby. It focuses on the 50% of parents who have been neglected in parenting research and ‐ until recently ‐ in family policies: fathers. ln most western countries fathers have increased their participation in parenting over the past decades. And even though in most families the participation of fathers in child‐rearing is modest, the parental role of fathers is highly relevant for child development. This study will test the effects of a prenatal version of the Video Feedback lntervention to promote Positive Parenting (VlPP) on fathers' hormonal levels, on their processing of infant signals, and on their parenting behavior, including the quantity (involvement) and quality (sensitivity) of father‐child interaction. The proposed study tests whether exposure to and interaction with the unborn infant increase the father's involvement during pregnancy and after birth. A special focus is on a dimension of parenting that has received considerable attention in animal research but, despite its evolutionary importance, not in studies on humans: the role of the parent as protector. The RCT includes an experimental group and a control group (randomised using a random number generator) and will be conducted during pregnancy (i.e. gestational age 20‐30 weeks). The interventions start 1‐2 weeks after the pretest. The first posttest is administered 1‐2 weeks after the intervention, and a follow‐up 5‐ 6 months later (i.e. infant is 8 weeks old). A total of 140 (2 x 70) fathers having their first baby were planned to be included. Due to a number of factors (recruitment turned out to be difficult CONDITION: Prenatal and postnatal parenting ; Not Applicable PRIMARY OUTCOME: Parental sensitivity measured through observation before the intervention using a life‐like baby doll, and after the intervention during 10 min of interaction with the own infant at age 2 months SECONDARY OUTCOME: ; 1. Hormonal levels measured from saliva and hair samples at pretest, at prenatal posttest 1 week after the intervention, and at 2 months after the birth of the baby; 2. Brain structure, connectivity, and reactivity measured using (f)MRI at pretest, at prenatal posttest 1 week after the intervention, and at 2 months after the birth of the baby; INCLUSION CRITERIA: 1. First‐time expectant fathers 2. Sufficiently fluent in Dutch 3. Living with their partner who had an uncomplicated pregnancy of a singleton and was between 18 and 31 weeks pregnant at the time of inclusion