Personality traits and subjective well-being among fathers of preterm infants in Taiwan: a cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT

Objective

This study examined the association of personality traits and paternal/infant background characteristics with subjective well-being (SWB) among fathers of preterm infants.

Background

While studies of parental care of preterm infants have focused on mothers or both parents, studies focusing specifically on fathers are relatively rare. In this study, we provide new information on the personality traits and paternal/infant background characteristics and their association with SWB among fathers of preterm infants.

Methods

This study used a cross-sectional design. Participants included fathers of preterm infants hospitalised in the neonatal intensive care unit, neonatal intermediate care nursery, or postpartum ward of a medical centre in northern Taiwan within 5 days of birth. The Personality Inventory Scale and Subjective Well-being Scale were administered and background characteristics of fathers and preterm infants were measured.

Results

A total of 104 fathers participated, of whom 73.1% showed a moderate level of SWB. Fathers with higher extraversion and openness exhibited higher SWB, while fathers with higher neuroticism exhibited lower SWB. SWB was also predicted by age, infant weight, family structure, and paternal education level. These factors cumulatively accounted for 48% of the variance in SWB.

Conclusion

Fathers’ SWB was associated with extraversion, openness, neuroticism, age, education, family structure, and infant weight. The personality traits of fathers should be considered when developing plans for family support after following preterm infant birth. In addition to focusing on maternal well-being, programmes to increase paternal well-being would benefit the families of preterm infants.

KEYWORDS:

• Father
• preterm infant
• personality
• subjective well-being
• family support

Acknowledgments

Editorial support in the form of medical writing, table assembly, and the creation of high-resolution images based on the authors’ detailed directions; collating author comments; copyediting; fact checking; and referencing was provided by Editage, Cactus Communications (www.editage.com).

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Ethical consideration

To protect the rights and welfare of research participants, ethical principles for research were considered in this study, and the study plan was submitted to the Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects in Research. The study was initiated after review committee approval (201408009RINA).

Geological information

Taipei, Taiwan

Supplementary Material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed here.

Notes

1. At the NICU at the Taiwan Medical Centre, up to 75% of premature babies (babies born less than 37 weeks gestation) have a minimum birth weight of 360 g. Of utmost importance, the medical staff comprises a group of senior, well-trained, and caring professionals who are regularly and carefully evaluated to ensure quality care of premature babies; they have successfully treated more than 10,000 critically ill newborns. The care taken at the NICU of Taiwan Medical Centre has led to an exceptionally low neonatal mortality rate.

Additional information

Funding

No external or intramural funding was received.