What It Means to Become a Father
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21748477 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Åsa Leanderz (0000-0002-9971-6919, University of Skövde, corresponding author), Maria Henricson (0000-0002-9166-216X, Jönköping University), Frida Lygnegård (0000-0003-2827-9325, Jönköping University), Caroline Bäckström (0000-0003-3347-482X, University of Borås), Margaretha Larsson (0000-0001-7368-953X, University of Skövde) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 19 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 15579883251323251-15579883251323251 |
| Publication date | 2025-03-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | American Journal of Men s Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1557-9883 • E-ISSN: 1557-9891 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/15579883251323251 |
| PMID | 40145892 |
| OpenAlex | W4408891675 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 41 |
For fathers, the transition to parenthood can be experienced as an emotional phase. Fathers often state feeling overlooked and unsupported during their transition to parenthood. This study addressed this issue by exploring what it means to become a father—a qualitative design with a phenomenological hermeneutical approach. Data were collected through open-ended interviews with 19 fathers living in Sweden. The participants were encouraged to reflect on the meaning of becoming a father. Becoming a father means feeling connectedness to their child, their partner, and their friends, as well as creating strategies entailing flexibility, engagement, management, support, and solitude in their new situation. Fathers use digital media for support to create strategies, but it can evoke anxiety. The meaning of becoming a father concludes that they are deeply affected by the new situation. To support fathers during their transition to parenthood, midwives and child healthcare nurses should facilitate reflective conversations with them about their experiences of becoming a father. This study was guided by the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research Checklist
Checklist · Developmental psychology · Feeling · Lived experience · Psychotherapist · Qualitative research · Social connectedness · Sociology · Solitude · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · Family Support in Illness · Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum · Psychology · Social Psychology
Medicine 2.0
The use and value of digital media for information about pregnancy and early motherhood
Mental health and wellbeing during the transition to fatherhood
A phenomenological hermeneutical method for researching lived experience
Men's Psychological Transition to Fatherhood
Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (Coreq)
Support Needs, Barriers, and Facilitators for Fathers With Fear of Childbirth in Sweden
The Ethics of Digital Well-Being
Fathers’ Perspectives on Fatherhood and Paternal Involvement During Pregnancy and Childbirth
What happens to the couple relationship when sharing parental leave? A prospective, longitudinal study
Fathers’ help seeking behavior and attitudes during their transition to parenthood
Naturalistic inquiry
Interpretation Theory
The Dynamics of Eudaimonic Well-Being in the Transition to Parenthood
Having it all - perceived coparenting quality and work-family balance in the context of parental leave
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |