Paternal Childbirth Fear, Psychological Distress, State Anxiety
Conditions
Keywords
mandala art therapy, childbirth fear, obstetric waiting room
Brief summary
This randomized controlled trial is designed to evaluate the effectiveness of mandala art therapy in reducing childbirth fear and state anxiety among fathers whose partners are nulliparous pregnant women and who are waiting in the obstetric ward waiting area during labor. Eligible participants will be randomly allocated to either the intervention or the control group. Fathers assigned to the intervention group will participate in a single 20-25-minute mandala art therapy session, whereas those in the control group will receive standard care without any additional intervention. Childbirth fear and state anxiety will be assessed using the Fathers' Birth Fear Scale and the State subscale of the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, respectively, at baseline and immediately following the intervention. The findings of this study are expected to provide evidence regarding the effectiveness of mandala art therapy as a non-pharmacological intervention for alleviating childbirth-related fear and anxiety among expectant fathers.
Detailed description
This study is a randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the effectiveness of mandala art therapy in reducing childbirth fear and state anxiety among expectant fathers whose partners are nulliparous pregnant women and who are waiting in the obstetric ward waiting area during labor. Eligible participants will be randomly allocated to either the intervention or the control group using a simple randomization procedure. Participants assigned to the intervention group will receive a single, individually administered mandala art therapy session lasting approximately 20-25 minutes. During the session, participants will be encouraged to select their preferred mandala patterns and colors, thereby facilitating individual expression and engagement in the therapeutic process. Participants in the control group will receive routine care without any additional intervention and will undergo the same assessment procedures as the intervention group. Data will be collected at two time points: immediately before the intervention (baseline) and immediately after the intervention. The primary outcome of the study is childbirth fear, while the secondary outcome is state anxiety.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALMandala Art Therapy
Participants will engage in a mandala coloring activity lasting approximately 20-25 minutes. The intervention is designed as a relaxation-based expressive art therapy. Participants will select mandala patterns and colors freely. No guidance or psychological counseling is provided during the activity.
Sponsors
Inonu University
The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Caregiver)
Masking description
Blinding of participants and investigators is not feasible due to the nature of the intervention (mandala art therapy). Participants are aware of the activity they receive, and the intervention provider is also aware of group allocation. Outcome assessment is performed using standardized self-report scales.
Intervention model description
Participants will be randomly allocated to two parallel groups: an intervention group receiving mandala art therapy and a control group receiving no intervention. Outcome assessments will be performed at baseline, prior to the intervention, and repeated immediately following the intervention.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
MALE
Age
18 Years to 40 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Fathers whose partners are nulliparous pregnant women Fathers aged 18 years and older Fathers whose partners are admitted for planned vaginal delivery Fathers present in the obstetric waiting area during the study period Fathers who are able to read and understand Turkish Fathers who voluntarily agree to participate in the study
Exclusion criteria
* Presence of obstetric emergency or unplanned change in delivery method (e.g., emergency cesarean section) History of diagnosed psychiatric disorders requiring treatment (e.g., anxiety disorders) Inability to understand or complete study questionnaires Absence from the waiting area during the intervention period
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Childbirth Fear | Baseline and immediately after intervention (approximately 30-45 minutes post-intervention) | Childbirth fear will be assessed using the Fathers' Birth Fear Scale (BDKÖ). The scale measures fathers' fear related to childbirth process and hospital-related concerns. Higher scores indicate higher levels of childbirth fear. Assessments will be performed before and after the mandala art therapy intervention. |
Contacts
CONTACTESRA GÜNEY, Associate Professor
CONTACTMelike Tan, midwife
STUDY_DIRECTOREsra GÜNEY, Associate Professor
İnönü University Faculty of Health Sciences
STUDY_DIRECTORMelike Tan, midwife
İnönü University Faculty of Health Sciences
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORZeynep Bal, PhD
Turgut Özal University Faculty of Health Sciences
Outcome results
None listed