Fathers’ parenting self-efficacy during the transition to parenthood

"Published online: 09 Jun 2016"Background: Little is known about the development of fathers’ parenting self-efficacy during the transition to parenthood. Objectives: To analyse (1) fathers’ parenting self-efficacy developmental path and (2) the effects of anxious and depressive symptoms and coparenting support on fathers’ parenting self-efficacy developmental path, from the first trimester of pregnancy to 6 months postpartum. Methods: Eighty-six fathers recruited at the first trimester of pregnancy completed self-report measures of anxious and depressive symptoms, coparenting support and parenting self-efficacy at the first and third trimesters of pregnancy, and at 1 and 6 months postpartum. Growth curve models were performed. Results: An increase in fathers’ parenting self-efficacy was found from the first trimester of pregnancy to 6 months postpartum. The main effects of anxious symptoms and interaction effects of anxious symptoms and time were found on fathers’ parenting self-efficacy. Fathers with higher anxious symptoms revealed lower levels of parenting self-efficacy at the first trimester of pregnancy and a lower increase of parenting self-efficacy from this time to 6 months postpartum. The main effects of coparenting support were found in fathers’ parenting self-efficacy. At the first trimester of pregnancy, fathers who perceived more coparenting support revealed higher levels of parenting self-efficacy. Conclusion: The present study may contribute to the literature by describing fathers’ parenting self-efficacy developmental path and the effects of anxious symptoms and coparenting support on fathers’ parenting self-efficacy developmental path during the transition to parenthood.PTDC/SAU/SAP/116738/201

Paternal Adjustment and Paternal Attitudes Questionnaire: Antenatal and postnatal portuguese versions

The Paternal Adjustment and Paternal Attitudes Questionnaire (PAPA) was designed to assess paternal adjustment and paternal attitudes during the transition to parenthood. This study aimed to examine the psychometric characteristics of the Portuguese versions of the PAPA-Antenatal (PAPA-AN) and -Postnatal (PAPA-PN) versions. A nonclinical sample of 128 fathers was recruited in the obstetrics outpatient unit, and they completed both versions of the PAPA and selfreport measures of depressive and anxiety symptoms during pregnancy and the postpartum period, respectively. Good internal consistency for both PAPA-AN and PAPA-PN was found. A three-factor model was found for both versions of the instrument. Longitudinal confirmatory factor analysis revealed a good model fit. The PAPA-AN and PAPA-PN subscales revealed good internal consistency. Significant associations were found between PAPA (PAPA-AN and PAPA-PN) and depressive and anxiety symptoms, suggesting good criterion validity. Both versions also showed good clinical validity, with optimal cutoffs found. The present study suggested that the Portuguese versions of the PAPA are reliable multidimensional self-report measures of paternal adjustment and paternal attitudes that could be used to identify fathers with adjustment problems and negative attitudes during the transition to parenthood.The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research was supported by FEDER Funds through the Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade–COMPETE and by National Funds through FCT–Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia under the project PTDC/SAU/SAP/116738/2010. This research was also supported by FEDER funding from the Operational Programme Factors of Competitiveness–COMPETE and by national funding from the FCT–Foundation for Science and Technology (Portuguese Ministry of Education and Science) within the project “Health, Governance and Accountability in Embryo Research: Couples’ Decisions About the Fates of Embryos” (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-014453), and a PhD grant (SFRH/BD/75807/2011), cofunded by the POPH (Programa Operacional de Potencial Humano) Programme

Sleep during the third trimester of pregnancy: the role of depression and anxiety

Depression has been associated with sleep disturbances in pregnancy; however, no previous research has controlled the possible confounding effect of anxiety on this association. This study aims to analyze the effect of depression on sleep during the third trimester of pregnancy controlling for anxiety. The sample was composed by 143 depressed (n = 77) and non-depressed (n = 66) pregnant women who completed measures of depression, anxiety, and sleep. Differences between groups in sleep controlling for anxiety were found. Depressed pregnant women present higher number of nocturnal awakenings and spent more hours trying falling asleep during the night and the entire 24 h period. Present findings point out the effect of depression on sleep in late pregnancy, after controlling for anxiety.This research was supported by FEDER Funds through the Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade - COMPETE and by National Funds through FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia under the project: PTDC/SAU/SAP/116738/2010

Ansiedade dos estudantes diante da expectativa do exame vestibular

Este estudio investigó la ansiedad de los estudiantes en las escuelas privadas en un estado de Brasil en el examen de ingreso. La muestra fuese compuesta de 124 estudiantes de la escuela secundaria participantes del PISM (Proceso de Admisión Común), siendo 66 mujeres e 58 hombres, 69 alumnos del 1er año de escuela secundaria y 55 del 3er año. Los estudiantes respondieron a un cuestionario socio-demográfico y al Inventario de Ansiedad Rasgo-Estado (IDATE), en sus propias aulas. Hubo una diferencia significativa en relación con el género (p=0,036) que se encontró un mayor nivel de ansiedad estado en el 1er año de las mujeres en comparación con los hombres del 1er año (p = 0,004). El mismo resultado se encontró con respecto a la ansiedad-rasgo: las mujeres de 1er año son más ansiosas que los hombres del 1er año (p=0,000).O presente estudo investigou a ansiedade dos jovens estudantes de escolas particulares de um estado do Brasil em relação ao exame vestibular. A amostra foi composta por 124 estudantes do ensino médio participantes do vestibular seriado PISM (Processo de Ingresso Seletivo Misto), sendo 66 do gênero feminino e 58 do gênero masculino, 69 alunos do 1º ano do ensino médio e 55 do 3º ano. Os estudantes responderam a um questionário sócio-demográfico e ao Inventário de Ansiedade Traço-Estado (IDATE) na suas próprias salas de aula. Foi observada uma diferença significativa quanto ao gênero (p=0,036) sendo que foi encontrado um maior nível de ansiedade-estado nas mulheres do 1º ano comparativamente aos rapazes do 1ºano (p=0,004). O mesmo resultado foi encontrado com relação à ansiedade-traço: moças do 1º ano são mais ansiosas do que rapazes do 1º ano (p=0,000).This study investigated the anxiety of private schools students at the expectation of attending colleges' entrance examination in one Brazilian state. The sample consisted of 124 high school students participating in the PISM series of examination (Joint Selective Admission Process). They were 66 females and 58 males, 69 students from the 1st year and 55 from the 3rd year. Students answered a sociodemographic questionnaire and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory in their respective classrooms. A significant difference regarding gender (p=0.036) was found, women from the 1st year presented higher levels of state-anxiety compared to men from the 1st year (p=0.004). The same result was found with respect to the trait-anxiety, women from the 1st year were more anxious than men from the 1st year (p=0.000)