Prenatal and postnatal parenting Not Applicable
Conditions
Interventions
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 neg
Sponsors
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
European Research Council
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
Male
Inclusion criteria
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
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: 1. No endocrine or cardiovascular disease 2. No current drugs or alcohol abuse 3. No medication potentially interfering with the endocrine system of neural activity 4. No birth defects in the families of either parent 5. Not having partners that used alcohol, tobacco, or illicit drugs during the pregnancy or had a body mass index (BMI) over 30 kg/m² before pregnancy
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| 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
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| 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 | — |
Countries
Netherlands
Contacts
Public ContactMarian Bakermans-Kranenburg
Outcome results
None listed