Cognitive process of fathers' crying for their infants

2024 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K10911
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 58070:Lifelong developmental nursing-related
• Research Institution: Toyama Prefectural University
• Principal Investigator: MURATA MIYOKO 富山県立大学, 看護学部, 准教授 (00627002)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 寺井 孝弘 富山県立大学, 看護学部, 准教授 (20595326) ; 工藤 里香 富山県立大学, 看護学部, 准教授 (80364032) ; 松井 弘美 富山県立大学, 看護学部, 教授 (70515725)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2025-03-31
• Keywords: 父親 / 乳児 / 泣きの認知過程 / 相互作用 / 育児支援

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study examined the cognitive processes (interpretation, thinking, and judgment) and responses of fathers with their first infant aged 5-6 months toward their child's crying, and clarified changes in their feelings toward the child. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine fathers, and the results were qualitatively analyzed over time. The findings revealed that fathers attempted to understand the reasons for their child's crying and sought ways to comfort them, but acknowledged that there were periods when the crying would not cease. However, by around 3-4 months, they were able to interpret the crying, and by around 5 months, they began to accept the child's crying. In this process, the child's development played a role over time, and the relationship with the wife significantly influenced this process.

Free Research Field

生涯発達看護学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

父親は、母親と異なり妊娠という現象は体験できず、子どもの誕生と共に育児を担うことが求められる。そのため母親とは違った泣きの認知がありこのことが苛立ちにつながり、泣きに起因した虐待につながると考える。父親が乳児の泣きに対し何を感じ、考え、対応しているのかその認知過程を解明することで、泣きに起因する虐待の解決策を見出すことにつながると考える。また、父親が日常的な相互作用の中でわが子としての認識を促し育児支援に向けた一助となる。