Universitas Negeri Padang & Ikatan Konselor Indonesia Editorial Office: Jurusan Bimbingan dan Konseling | Faculty of Education | Universitas Negeri Padang Jl.
Prof.
Dr.
Hamka Air Tawar Barat.
Kota Padang.
Sumatera Barat, 25130.
Indonesia.
yO 62 .
Website: http://pps.
Ao jk@konselor.
org / info@konselor.
Volume 14 Number 1 2025
KONSELOR
ISSN 1412-9760 (Prin.
iCISSN 2541-5948 (Onlin.
Editor: Nilma Zola Publication details, including author guidelines URL: https://counselor.
id/index.
php/konselor/about/submissions A Literature Review on First-Time Fathers: Factors Associated with Their Involvement in Infant Care and Implication for Counseling Practice Lena Susianti HarahapA, & Adriana Soekandar Ginanjar Faculty of Psychology.
Universitas Indonesia.
Depok.
Indonesia Article History Received: Friday.
February 14, 2025 Revised: Sunday.
March 02, 2025 Accepted: Thursday.
March 13, 2025 How to cite this article (APA) Harahap.
, & Ginanjar.
A literature review on first-time fathers: Factors associated with their involvement in infant care and implication for counseling practice.
KONSELOR, 14.
, 13Ae32.
https://doi.
org/10.
24036/02025141110-0-86
The readers can link to article via https://doi.
org/10.
24036/02025141110-0-86
Correspondence regarding this article should be addressed to:
Lena Susianti Harahap.
Faculty of Psychology.
Universitas Indonesia.
Jl.
Lkr.
Kampus Raya Jl.
Prof.
DR.
R Slamet Iman Santoso.
Pondok Cina.
Kecamatan Beji.
Kota Depok.
Jawa Barat 16424.
Indonesia.
Email: harahaplena26@gmail.
SCROLL DOWN TO READ THIS ARTICLE
Universitas Negeri Padang .
s publishe.
makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information .
he AuContentA.
contained in the However, we make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content.
Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors and are not the views of or endorsed by Universitas Negeri Padang.
The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information.
Universitas Negeri Padang shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to, or arising out of the use of the KONSELOR is published by Universitas Negeri Padang comply with the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing at all stages of the publication process.
KONSELOR also may contain links to web sites operated by other parties.
These links are provided purely for educational purpose.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.
0 International License.
Copyright by Harahap.
, & Ginanjar.
The author.
whose names are listed in this manuscript declared that they have NO affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest .
uch as honoraria.
educational grants.
participation in speakersAo bureaus.
membership, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or other equity interest.
and expert testimony or patent-licensing arrangement.
, or non-financial interest .
uch as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, knowledge or belief.
in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.
This statement is signed by all the authors to indicate agreement that the all information in this article is true and correct.
Universitas Negeri Padang.
Indonesia https://doi.
org/10.
24036/02025141110-0-86
ISSN 1412-9760 (Prin.
ISSN 2541-5948 (Electronic.
Original Article Volume 14 Number 1 .
https://doi.
org/10.
24036/02025141110-0-86
A Literature Review on First-Time Fathers:
Factors Associated with Their Involvement in Infant Care and Implication for Counseling Practice Lena Susianti HarahapA, & Adriana Soekandar Ginanjar Faculty of Psychology.
Universitas Indonesia.
Depok.
Indonesia Abstract: A first-time father faces numerous problems when his first child is born, including feelings of powerlessness, anxiety, and frustration.
This depression will have a detrimental impact on both children's development, marital satisfaction, and family well-being.
The stages of writing a narrative literature review based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) phases start from .
selecting a review topic, .
searching the literature, .
collecting, reading, and analysing the literature, .
writing the review, and .
writing the reference list.
This review included 13 research articles that fit the required inclusion criteria, i.
, articles on father participation, first-time father participants, and papers published between 2019 and 2024 retrieved from the Scopus database.
Taylor & Francis Online.
ProQuest.
Sage Journals, and the Sinta platform from the Ministry of Education and Culture.
We do not screen proceedings papers that are not peer-reviewed or published outside of 2019 and 2024.
We excluded news pieces, literature reviews, book reviews, and popular articles from empirical or primary studies.
Findings from this research review identified a range of factors associated with father involvement: .
transition process, .
emotional state, .
self-efficacy, .
depression, .
social support, .
role challenges, and .
demographic characteristic.
This study reveals that seven factors influence father involvement in infant care and have implications for counselling practice, e.
PUSPAGA (Pusat Pembelajaran Keluarga or Family Learning Centr.
The majority of studies examined have concentrated on populations from Western cultures, with little consideration given to non-Western cultures, this study only addressing some Asian .
Chinese.
Thai.
Korean, and Singaporea.
and African Therefore, it is important to understand how different cultures influence father involvement, as the responses of fathers in a particular culture to their parental role cannot be generalised to all fathers from that cultural background.
Key Words: First-time father.
Father involvement.
Infant care.
Counseling practice INTRODUCTION Fatherhood has always been a multifaceted concept.
However, over time, dominant or defining motives have shifted sequentially from an emphasis on moral guidance to a focus on breadwinnership, gender-based role modelling, marital support, and caregiving (Lamb, 2.
The promotion of gender equality has been on the political agenda for decades and is often seen as a frontrunner in encouraging men's active involvement in childcare (Anttonen et al.
, 2012.
Goldscheider et al.
, 2.
Today, as nuclear families are commonplace in Western cultures, the father's role in the family has expanded.
Then, with the increasing number of working women in modern society, the interest of researchers has Corresponding author: Lena Susianti Harahap.
Faculty of Psychology.
Universitas Indonesia.
Jl.
Lkr.
Kampus Raya Jl.
Prof.
DR.
R Slamet Iman Santoso.
Pondok Cina.
Kecamatan Beji.
Kota Depok.
Jawa Barat 16424.
Indonesia.
Email: harahaplena26@gmail.
14 iC Harahap.
, & Ginanjar.
been piqued to understand how the role of fathers has evolved to include more than just meeting the material needs of the family but also being involved in childcare (Cabrera et al.
, 2014.
Shorey et al.
Research shows that fathers play an important role in the emotional, language, social, and cognitive development of their children (Cabrera et al.
, 2007.
Cano et al.
, 2019.
Cho et al.
, 2024.
GarcyaLeyn et al.
, 2019.
Hakoyama, 2020.
Karreman et al.
, 2008.
Mallette et al.
, 2021.
McWayne et al.
, 2013.
Pekel-Uludal, 2.
Father involvement benefits both girls and boys in many facets of their lives.
Interactions between daughters and fathers during the formative years of emotional attachment in a child's development, specifically from childhood to adolescence, can strongly indicate how girls will relate intimately and sexually with male companions.
When a father pays greater attention to his daughter's emotional needs, her self-esteem rises.
This increased self-esteem, in turn, influences their ability to be more sexually assertive, such as declining pressure or invitations to have sex they do not want (Katz & van der Kloet, 2.
Fathers also influence daughters' attitudes toward their rights to education, careers, and relationships (Nielsen, 2.
Fathers' engagement in their sons' lives sets the tone for their sons' future parenting.
When a father provides positive parenting to his son, the son will show warm affection psychologically and physically when they become a father.
Furthermore.
Brown et al.
connect parental participation with fewer negative behaviours in boys.
More involved fathers can also help children acquire better language skills.
For example, fatherchild communication significantly predicts children's language development.
At the same time, motherchild communication does not show the same effect (Pancsofar & Vernon-Feagans, 2006.
PekelUludal, 2.
From a cognitive perspective, fathers' involvement in educational activities with their children can encourage better intellectual development in children (Cano et al.
, 2.
Despite this, fathers and children interact differently than mothers do.
Fathers spend more time with their children through motor stimulation and play activities.
These interactions often focus on activities encouraging physical movement, such as playing ball or outdoor activities, which contribute to developing motor skills (Chou et al.
, 2.
Furthermore, fathers' involvement in childcare can increase marital satisfaction and family well-being while impacting themselves (Papp et al.
, 2.
Taking on the role of a parent for the first time is an invaluable life experience that necessitates meticulous preparation, as it presents numerous challenges.
The results of previous research on the experience of becoming a father for the first time show that fathers experience a process that takes place gradually, from adjusting to being a new father to being able to play a role as a parent who is actively involved with children (Myrquez et al.
, 2.
Men who are fathers in the future will transition into parenthood, which is a major developmental task in a couple's life (Genesoni & Tallandini, 2.
However, the transition to fatherhood is not considered equivalent to motherhood (Charles et al.
, 2018.
Ngai & Lam, 2.
Moreover, a father facing the birth of his first child may feel anxiety, frustration, and helplessness as those around him focus more on the mother's role from pregnancy to the early years of the child's life (Vidaurreta et al.
, 2.
Society views motherhood as an essential component of womenAos identity, placing pressure on them to succeed in this role, and failure to do so will result in social repercussions.
For example, the Berger et al.
study found that many women who returned to work after giving birth felt criticised by society, both at work and in their personal lives.
This criticism often occurred regarding how they managed their time, attention, and role as working mothers.
In other East Asian societies where fatherhood and motherhood are gendered (Miao, 2.
, notably Japan (Bornstein, 2.
and South Korea (Park, 2.
, similar concepts of gender roles in childcare arrangements have been defined.
These concepts are derived from Confucian teachings, where childbirth is normal for women who follow traditional gender roles in housework (Liu & Lummaa, 2.
A family traces its lineage through the male line in a patrilineal system, representing the parental authority established in the family, where the father holds power over the children and female family members (Qi, 2.
In Croatian society, the cultural assumption is that fathers' emotions are separate from family life, thus limiting their function as parents and often leading them to only discipline their children (Maskalan, 2.
As a result, many fathers struggle to adjust to their role as parents who can show affection to their children.
Therefore, many fathers prioritise instilling traditional gender-based beliefs in their children rather than developing an emotional connection with them.
KONSELOR .
, 14.
, 13-32
https://doi.
org/10.
24036/02025141110-0-86
Factors Associated with Their Involvement in Infant Care and Implication for Counseling Practice iC15 Despite the barriers that fathers experience in interacting with their children, their involvement affects aspects of children's development, even after excluding the influence of mothers (Allen & Daly.
For example, in terms of social development, father involvement can improve children's socioemotional development.
When fathers and children spend more quality time together, the bond between them becomes stronger (Pollock et al.
, 2.
, thus helping children's psychological adjustment through affection and closeness between father and child (Caldera, 2004.
Rodryguez Ruyz et al.
, 2.
addition, father involvement can encourage children to engage in prosocial behaviours such as sharing, empathy, and cooperation (Pekel-Uludal, 2.
Thus, positive father involvement is associated with fewer emotional problems (Jia et al.
, 2.
Father involvement has increased across cultures, such as in the Indonesian context.
a recent study by Pebryatie et al.
revealed that fathers in West Java Province who have quality relationships with their partners are involved in organising birth and parenting, which can improve family well-being.
Qualitative research by Ageng & Inthiran .
revealed that participants from tribes on the island of Java, first-time fathers actively seek information about their wife's pregnancy to support them physically and emotionally.
they are more interested in health-relevant information than traditional community These findings provide evidence that Indonesia, which is generally known to be highly patriarchal, has been increasingly aware of the positive impact of their involvement in the family.
However, these findings still focus on Java, while Indonesia has several islands inhabited by different ethnicities (Ageng & Inthiran, 2.
Father involvement in some Western countries does not always reflect high levels of involvement in parenting.
in the United States, economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods experience low levels of father involvement with children because they are not prepared to have children in a difficult economic situation (Combs et al.
, 2.
Neporovy .
found that men who become fathers for the first time face significant challenges, such as difficulties in adjusting to their role to engage with their children due to society's expectations of more involved fathers, so they divide their time between family and work, which can make fathers feel burdened.
The data imply that while Western culture values egalitarianism, there are specific groups where fathers have difficulty implementing parental Given the important role of fathers in childcare, governments in some countries support fathers' involvement by issuing several policies.
in Finland, granting fathers leave to help their wives care for babies (Eerola et al.
, 2019.
Noh, 2.
In addition, there are programmes from professionals who provide assistance to increase fathers' knowledge about the importance of their involvement with children and practical ways of doing parenting (Copeland et al.
, 2.
In Indonesia, the government also proposed a policy for maternal and child welfare by providing 40 days of maternity leave for fathers and mothers and 7 days for husbands whose wives have miscarried (DPRRI, 2.
The latest validation of this policy is to provide 2-3 days leave to accompany the wife in labour and 3 days leave if the wife has a miscarriage.
In addition to the leave policy in Indonesia, the Family Learning Centre (PUSPAGA) program is a service that can be accessed anywhere and anytime by all Indonesian families to improve the quality of childcare (KPAI, 2.
The existence of maternity leave or childcare programmes such as PUSPAGA can increase father involvement in childcare, making it easier for fathers to establish emotional relationships with children (Fuertes et al.
, 2016.
Simpson et al.
, 2.
On the other hand, the infant years are crucial, as children are in a period of rapid development and growth.
Parents or carers are fully responsible for the care and attention provided to support children's growth and development (Fitzgerald et al.
, 2.
The work outlined indicates that a father's involvement in his child's life, especially during infancy, is crucial.
Becoming a parent for the first time entails a transitional phase, marking a pivotal moment for the parents and an initiation for the child's development.
The active parental role and appropriate interactions with the child are essential to support the child's well-being, family harmony, and the father's personal development.
This literature review aims to shed light on the experiences of new fathers in adapting to parenthood.
In addition, the researcher also reviewed previous studies to answer the following questions: What factors influence fathers' involvement in infant care and the implications for counselling practice? Universitas Negeri Padang.
Indonesia https://doi.
org/10.
24036/02025141110-0-86
16 iC Harahap.
, & Ginanjar.
METHOD
Procedures The type of study conducted in this research is a narrative literature review.
The decision to use a narrative literature review was based on the nature and scope of this study.
Narrative reviews are well suited to synthesising diverse findings from multiple studies, especially when the research question is exploratory, as in this study.
When choosing studies and putting together data, systematic or scoping reviews are more rigid.
Narrative reviews, on the other hand, give you more freedom to interpret and combine different points of view, theoretical frameworks, and previous findings (Baumeister & Leary.
According to Hart .
, a literature review is a critical, impartial, and thorough summary and analysis of pertinent research and non-research literature on a studied topic.
The purpose is to furnish readers with current information on a topic and to act as a foundation for other objectives, including justification for future research in the field.
A Comprehensive Literature Review Synthesises Information on a Specific Topic from Multiple Sources.
Literature Reviews are composed with Clarity and Exhibit Minimum Personal Bias.
The authors adapted the steps in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Metaanalysis (PRISMA), by improving the 2009 version (Page et al.
, 2.
The updated PRISMA 2020 guidelines aim to improve the accessibility, selection, evaluation, and synthesis of studies used in metaanalyses and systematic literature reviews (Page et al.
, 2.
Figure 1.
Flowchart illustrating the process of literature data collection (Page et al.
Materials We selected articles that met the criteria for review.
The study focused on fathers who were new parents, married, living with their wives and children, and had children with normal development.
Articles should discuss father involvement in the early stages of a child's life or infancy.
The requested articles came from international journals and national journals published in the last five years, specifically from 2019 to 2024.
Articles written in English or Indonesian are scientific and peerreviewed.
Furthermore, research can use qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methodologies.
KONSELOR .
, 14.
, 13-32
https://doi.
org/10.
24036/02025141110-0-86
Factors Associated with Their Involvement in Infant Care and Implication for Counseling Practice iC17 Researchers searched for articles using the Scopus database.
Taylor & Francis Online.
ProQuest.
Sage Journals, and the Sinta platform from the Ministry of Education and Culture.
Article searches used keywords or phrases including "First Time Father" OR "Pertama Kali Menjadi Ayah", "Father Involvement" OR "Keterlibatan Ayah" AND "Baby" OR "Bayi".
Data Analysis We identified a total of 133 articles after searching through the five databases illustrated in Figure 1.
Next, we used Mendeley software to eliminate three duplicate articles.
We extracted and analysed the remaining 60 articles to identify those that were relevant to the research topic, as indicated by their titles and abstracts.
A total of 29 articles were reviewed, resulting in 13 articles remaining after the exclusion of 16 that did not fulfil the research criteria or specifically address first-time fatherhood.
Both internal and external factors influence the study's examination of the challenges and drivers that shape fathers' involvement in infant care.
In addition, almost all articles highlighted the importance of professional support, such as psychologists or family counsellors, through various intervention programs designed to help fathers adapt to the role of parenthood.
We conducted a thematic synthesis of the extracted data, which resulted in the identification of 13 final articles.
The main ideas emphasised in systematic reviews (Thomas & Harden, 2.
suggest that thematic synthesis is a proven method that maintains a clear and open relationship between the conclusions and the main study content.
RESULTS
The literature search of 133 articles yielded 13 that met the inclusion criteria for review.
Table 1 presents the review results.
The 13 articles varied greatly in scope, method, and type of research.
There were six articles containing qualitative research, four cross-sectional studies, two longitudinal studies, and one article combining quantitative experimental and qualitative research with thematic analysis.
Based on the results of the 13 articles reviewed, becoming a father and caring for a baby for the first time is a gradual and complex process in carrying out a new role and developing and maintaining involvement with the baby.
Therefore, a variety of internal and external factors can influence a father's involvement with his baby.
Internal factors relate to the process of transitioning between emotional conditions, self-confidence as a parent, and depression.
Furthermore, external factors refer to social support, the father's role challenges, and individual demographics related to father involvement.
Transition Procces Research from various papers shows that early father involvement influences later father involvement in a child's life.
Qualitative research shows that when couples decide to have a child, they need to do a lot of planning in advance for prenatal and educational costs to meet the needs of the baby and mother in the future.
this is a form of involvement by carrying out parental responsibilities that are also borne by the father (Noh, 2021.
Vidaurreta et al.
, 2.
Parental involvement during pregnancy is associated with aspirations to form a relationship with the baby (Noh, 2.
The findings of this study highlight that fathers anticipate the transformation that will accompany the arrival of a child, but this is a gradual process.
The shift to fatherhood is a gradual process that culminates in the formation of a new Copeland et al.
found that men change their identities after becoming fathers, seeing themselves as carers and guardians for their babies and partners.
Fathers seek to establish their role in their children's lives without the physical bond that mothers have through pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding (Berman & Long, 2.
Qualitative research by Noh .
and Vidaurreta et al.
found that fathers gradually shift from psychological and financial stability to having children.
They communicate with the foetus and accompany their partners to the doctor during pregnancy.
After childbirth, they often feel neglected, as people's attention is focused on the mother.
Early parenting can lead to burnout due to inexperience, as the partner's focus shifts to the baby, making them feel neglected.
Fathers adjust to the new dynamic and reflect on their parents' experiences as they consider their child's future.
Throughout the change, fathers value the baby and remember the value of family, which motivates them to be role models for Universitas Negeri Padang.
Indonesia https://doi.
org/10.
24036/02025141110-0-86
18 iC Harahap.
, & Ginanjar.
their children (Noh, 2021.
Vidaurreta et al.
, 2.
Fatherhood has many facets.
therefore, every father has a different experience.
Emotional state The father's emotional state is critical, as emotions can facilitate or undermine sensitive and responsive parenting behaviours.
Lee et al.
propose a relationship between fathers' emotional state and their involvement with their babies.
For example, fathers feel happy about the pregnancy and birth of their babies.
On the other hand, the findings revealed systemic barriers experienced by lowincome fathers, such as being marginalised for being of the black race and feeling disappointed when they were not present with their wives at the birth of their children.
However, the fathers overcame these negative emotions by changing their mindset to become responsible fathers and focusing on the needs of their children.
A finding from Aytuglu & Brown .
is that fathers who feel pleasure in parenting or are positive mediate the relationship between attachment representations and parenting sensitivity.
When fathers can represent their attachment, they enjoy parenting more and are more sensitive to their infant's needs.
Sensitive parenting representations are also associated with emotional adjustment and commitment to fatherhood (Cabrera et al.
, 2.
In other words, fathers' early attachment experiences .
ow they were cared for as children by their carer.
do not necessarily determine how they care for their children.
however, how they behave as fathers can be a mediator in passing on parenting patterns to the next generation.
Self-efficacy Fathers' self-efficacy in parenting affects their level of involvement.
Shorey et al.
found that fathers who were involved in newborn care increased their self-efficacy as parents over time.
Research by Connor & Stolz .
showed that parental self-efficacy did not mediate the relationship between fathers' perceived developmental knowledge and their engagement.
This study emphasises that fathers' understanding of child development cannot increase their involvement if they are less confident in its implementation.
Bandura .
emphasised that high self-efficacy is very important because it can motivate individuals to achieve success.
As a result, according to Connor & Stolz .
, fathers must not only have adequate understanding of child development but also foster self-confidence through active involvement in parenting, playing, and stimulating child growth.
Depression Depression experienced by fathers can interfere with their parenting role and is associated with fewer positive father-child interactions.
Fathers who experience psychopathological symptoms such as stress, anxiety, and depression will negatively impact parenting engagement and childrenAos emotional and behavioural functioning.
In addition, psychopathological symptoms experienced by fathers lead to reduced sensitivity to children's needs.
The context of the research by Cimino & Cerniglia .
revealed that fathers who had traumatic experiences showed less friendly behaviour when interacting with their children while they were feeding them.
The findings of the Vidaurreta et al.
study demonstrated that fathers experiencing depression during the first week of a child's birth negatively impacted their engagement.
Thus, their low engagement was associated with a lack of parenting skills, and fatigue often leads to depression in fathers, which is compounded by the mother's focus on the baby.
These factors also decreased parenting satisfaction, especially in new fathers.
Furthermore, the factors that cause depression make fathers less confident in carrying out their responsibilities as parents.
Social support Research results from Kaner et al.
show that when fathers receive social support in shaping their family's well-being, this can influence them to take an active role in parenting, which improves the quality of their relationship with their partner.
First-time fathers tend to have emotional conflicts with their partners and are prone to depression.
These fathers need a safe space to express their emotions and receive validation.
By having comfortable and meaningful discussions .
that are a form of KONSELOR .
, 14.
, 13-32 https://doi.
org/10.
24036/02025141110-0-86
Factors Associated with Their Involvement in Infant Care and Implication for Counseling Practice iC19 professional support, fathers become more aware of their role and encourage parenting engagement.
The complex circumstances fathers face impact their need for help with parenting.
Based on qualitative research findings from Copeland et al.
, it was revealed that Black fathers experience discrimination in terms of gaining access to health care and other resources.
Receiving support or assistance related to childcare can increase fathers' involvement in the family life of their partners and children.
it is important to understand what fathers need to prepare for their role as Fathers' support needs change over time, depending on the transition stage to fatherhood and the child's development.
The findings of this study indicate that fathers need emotional support in the form of expressions of trust, empathy, and love, as well as attention directed at them as they carry out their roles.
Fathers also need interventions, knowledge about child development, and counselling that strengthens their awareness of how to parent.
these are all examples of the types of instrumental support that fathers need.
In the context of instrumental support, the role of the family is to guide parenting.
Social support describes the surrounding environment, namely parents, which includes various professionals, organisations, and health services (Copeland et al.
, 2023.
Kaner et al.
, 2.
Role challenges The study by Gervais et al.
shows that fathers experience transformations in their lives after the birth of their children, as well as challenges in forming and adapting to their paternal identities.
The dualities faced by fathers enhance our understanding of how conceptions of paternal responsibility align with menAos expectations of the parenting role, as well as the family and social circumstances in which this role is realised.
FathersAo experiences nurturing and maintaining relationships with their children illustrate the intricacies of reconciling personal expectations, ambitions, and societal narratives about the parenting role.
The difficulties in this alignment present an apparent duality that fathers must This struggle broadly describes their aspirations to care for their children and the everyday realities and customs that hinder their fulfilment.
These findings align with previous studies (Kings et al.
, 2017.
Neporovy, 2.
, which suggest that cultural norms can limit fathersAo roles to those of breadwinners, leading to a lack of positive role models for fathersAo involvement in childcare.
These findings also underscore the paucity of role models and understanding of how active father involvement negatively impacts parenting skills.
Demographic characteristics Yeh et al.
identified demographic characteristics that influence fathersAo involvement in daily caregiving tasks in Taiwan.
Thailand, and the United States.
Education level and income substantially influence fathersAo participation.
Higher levels of education and income of fathers are associated with greater involvement in childcare.
The number of children influences fathersAo participation, with first-time fathers often showing reluctance in childcare responsibilities.
FathersAo involvement in all three countries is similar, especially in their increased participation in play activities.
Fathers in the United States showed higher levels of participation than the other two countries in this study, a phenomenon related to the more egalitarian culture that exists in the United States compared to Asia.
In addition, countries with paternity leave policies significantly influence fathersAo participation in The decision to utilise paternity leave incentives is multifaceted, influenced by factors such as family characteristics, employment conditions, and income, which may influence fathersAo choices regarding leave.
The proportion of fathers who take leave is influenced by their employment and economic conditions, which allow them to stop working and assist their mothers in their professional Conversely, income and employment conditions that limit leave prevent fathers from taking parental leave (Eerola et al.
, 2.
Universitas Negeri Padang.
Indonesia https://doi.
org/10.
24036/02025141110-0-86
20 iC Harahap.
, & Ginanjar.
Table 1.
Summary of articles included in the literature review Title and The Shadow of The Past: How Paternal Traumatic Experiences Shape Early Parent-Child Interactions And OffspringAos Emotional Development (Cimino & Cerniglia, 2.
Research Type Quantitative Purpose Sample Location Factors Influencing Paternal Involvement During Infancy:
A Prospective Longitudinal Study (Shorey et al.
First-Time Fathers' Experiences During Their Transition To Parenthood: A Study Of Korean Fathers (Noh.
Examining the effects of on their psychopathology, the quality of and children's emotional and .
verage with child Helsinki Traumatized fathers are at risk for psychopathology, which is characterized by high levels of sadness, anxiety, and insensitivity in interactions that affect how they handle conflict Children with traumatized fathers score higher on maladaptive behaviour subscales, such as withdrawal, anxiety, internalizing problems, and difficulty regulating emotions compared to children with nontraumatized fathers.
Fathers with a history of trauma hurt the quality of child-feeding interactions .
, severe food refusa.
because they are insensitive and unresponsive compared to non-traumatized Longitudinal The study is analysing the factors that impact father engagement in childcare six months after giving birth in Singapore, parenting selfefficacy, social closeness, and .
ge range 2252 years first-time Singapore .
Parenting self-efficacy influenced father involvement at 6 months postpartum and remained stable over time.
Marital satisfaction, father closeness, and social support did not significantly influence father involvement.
Father involvement during the birth of the baby was significantly associated with father involvement at 6 months postpartum for new or firsttime fathers.
Fathers' postnatal depression significantly influenced father involvement at 6 months .
Wives' employment significantly influenced father involvement at 6 months postpartum.
Fathers' accompanying their wives to antenatal classes did not significantly influence father involvement in Qualitative Gain an indepth description of experiences of fathers who are first-time .
ge range 2941 year.
Korea There are four things that characterise the experiences of first-time fathers during the transition: being prepared, being challenged, being motivated to bond, and realising fatherhood.
KONSELOR .
, 14.
, 13-32
https://doi.
org/10.
24036/02025141110-0-86
Results Factors Associated with Their Involvement in Infant Care and Implication for Counseling Practice iC21 Title and Low-Income Fathers Are Emotionally Resilient: A Qualitative Exploration Of Paternal Emotions Across Early Parenting (Lee et al.
, 2.
Research Type Qualitative .
hematic Purpose Sample Location Child Development Knowledge and Father Engagement:
The Mediating Role of Parenting Selfefficacy (Connor & Stolz, 2.
Exploring the experiences of low-income, racially diverse fathers in the United States during the postnatal, and .
ge range 2343 years first-time US Midwestern Thematic analysis showed that proximal and distal events activated specific emotions.
Pregnancy emotions: Positive emotions help expectant fathers prepare and bond before giving birth.
Upon having a child, men may feel frustrated by financial issues.
Postnatal care involves the birth, the childAos development, and the delivery of the good Fathers struggle with work fatigue and interpersonal issues as well as their inability to support their wives during Fathers rejoice when their children grow up and show devotion.
Fathers struggle with work, child behaviour, and maternal Fathers often find useful ways to deal with negative emotions.
Quantitative Investigating the role of .
elf-perceived and objectiv.
as potential predictors of .
erbal nurturing, and physical pla.
with infants, in parenting selfefficacy (PSE).
ge range 1654 year.
South Eastern State Fathers' self-perceived knowledge predicted PSE, their involvement in parenting, and the verbal stimulation of their infants.
However, it did not predict physical play with their infants.
In addition.
PSE did not predict fathersAo verbal stimulation or parenting, nor did it mediate fathersAo selfperceived knowledge with their Towards A Formulation Of The Fatherhood Constellation:
Representing Absence (Berman & Long, 2.
Qualitative .
ontent Understanding constellation of new fathers or how they view during the transition to 7 fathers .
ge range 2337 year.
South African Fathers represent themselves as helpful figures and in a position to protect mothers and babies, but this does not mean that women see fathers as people who only help take care of them.
Although men are not like mothers who can give birth and breastfeed their children, they try hard to be involved in order to find their place in the child's life.
Pleasure in Parenting as a Mediator Between FathersAo Longitudinal Testing the mediating role of pleasure in parenting on Fathers .
verage Southeastern United States Enjoyment in caregiving serves as a mediator in the relationship between fathersAo attachment representations and parenting sensitivity.
The Universitas Negeri Padang.
Indonesia https://doi.
org/10.
24036/02025141110-0-86
Results 22 iC Harahap.
, & Ginanjar.
Title and Attachment Representations and Paternal Sensitivity (Aytuglu & Brown, 2.
Research Type Purpose Sample Location FathersAo Leave Take-Up in Finland:
Motivations and Barriers in a Complex Nordic Leave Scheme (Eerola et al.
, 2.
Quantitative Expanding of the and barriers fathers to take parental leave in Finland, the first country to .
verage Finland The current Finnish national leave scheme presents a complex decision-making process when it comes to paternity leave incentives.
Father's occupation, partner's education, family income, and father's desire to stop working and facilitate mother's return to work or study are the main characteristics and motivations for 80% of fathers to take Family economic situation and father's employment are the main barriers to taking leave.
An Exploratory Cross-Cultural Study: FathersAo Early Involvement With Infants (Yeh et al.
Quantitative Examining factors of involvement in caregiving, as well as fathers' accessibility to their infants weekdays and .
from the US, 36 from Taiwan.
Thailan.
and ages from 2556 years.
first-time United States.
Taiwan.
And Thailand Father participation was most affected by the number of children living in the home, the country .
pecifically the United State.
, and the interaction between the father's education and income.
This was true for both weekdays and weekends.
In the US, these things were more common among dads.
The Transition To Fatherhood Ae Evaluation Of An Online Intervention For New Fathers (Kaner et al.
Mixedmethods (Quantitative Qualitative.
Investigating the attendance experiences of fathers, and their effects on well-being and marital quality.
ntervent ion group on group 60, and age .
Israel The results showed that 47% of fathers who participated in the online group intervention reported that the intervention reduced loneliness and depression and helped them adjust to their new role as fathers, thereby improving their parenting involvement and marital Conceptions and Experiences of Paternal Involvement among Quebec Qualitative .
hematic This study perceptions of their position .
verage Quebec Many issues are experienced as dualities: the complexity of creating a fatherly role without a role model, being present with their children while being s and KONSELOR .
, 14.
, 13-32 https://doi.
org/10.
24036/02025141110-0-86
Results more fathers are able to integrate or discuss their relationships with their former caregivers, the more likely they are to provide enjoyable parenting and be more sensitive to their childrenAos Factors Associated with Their Involvement in Infant Care and Implication for Counseling Practice iC23 Title and Fathers: A Dual Parental Experience (Gervais et al.
Research Type Purpose Sample Location Placing Myself In A New Normalized Life:
The Process Of Becoming A First-Time Father.
Grounded Theory Study (Vidaurreta et , 2.
Perceptions of Urban Father Support in Early Parenthood: A Critical Incident Analysis (Copeland et al.
Qualitative (Grounded Explores the process of a man becoming a father for the first time and challenges he .
ge range 2037 year.
Spain Qualitative .
ontent To determine the social support needs of urban AfricanAmerican fathers during Fathers .
ge range 2245 year.
New Orleans as fathers and engaging with their children.
How do fathers see their role? .
How have developed and with their Universitas Negeri Padang.
Indonesia https://doi.
org/10.
24036/02025141110-0-86
Results a provider, recognizing themselves as fathers despite the lack of recognition from their families or social circles, and wanting to engage with their children but not being able to.
FathersAo experiences developing and maintaining engagement with their children demonstrate the complexity of reconciling their expectations and aspirations and the social messages they receive about Four new stages have emerged that represent the journey of first-time These stages are starting the journey, gathering in uncertainty, facing reality, and recognizing fatherhood.
Achieving a new normal is the final stage, at which fathers feel they are in the right place in their fatherhood journey.
The researcher conducted an analysis of the research data utilizing House's Social Support Theory, focusing on four categories of social support: instrumental, informational, emotional, and The researcher established primary categories and subcategories derived from the findings of the CIT Categories identified include: .
support for fathers in infant care.
information dissemination regarding infant .
assistance from healthcare professionals.
relationship management.
parental roles.
Categories identified as unhelpful included the following: .
receiving ineffective assistance.
receiving unreliable or unsolicited help.
providing poor advice.
experiencing conflicting relationships.
encountering conflicts with .
having unsatisfactory interactions with healthcare professionals.
lacking support from family or organisations.
24 iC Harahap.
, & Ginanjar.
DISCUSSION
This literature review examines the factors associated with father involvement during the transition to parenthood.
The review suggests that this transition significantly influences identity development and positive adaptation to the paternal role.
Well-prepared fathers who know their responsibilities are more likely to be involved in their children's lives and reflect on their infant's They tend to commit to a positive lifestyle, carefully considering their words and actions, which, in turn, fosters active interactions with their infants and encourages attendance at regular prenatal check-ups.
Although challenges exist, such as emotional regulation and adjusting to new routines after a child's birth, continued paternal involvement helps fathers build self-confidence in parenting, ultimately strengthening their sense of identity in their new role.
This study is grounded in the theory of Meleis .
, which posits that the transition process is a structured progression leading to an effective These findings highlight the importance of support from family service providers in facilitating a successful transition.
For instance, recognition as a parent can enhance self-confidence and assist in integrating this new identity (Barimani et al.
, 2.
Research indicates that fathers accompanying their partners during labour experience profound gratitude for acknowledging the importance of supporting their partners and their newborns as part of their parental responsibilities (Howarth et al.
, 2.
Additionally, previous studies suggest that direct infant care can reduce stress and strengthen the father-child bond (Shorey et al.
, 2.
Consequently, fathers who are more engaged early on tend to accept their responsibilities more readily (Ngai & Lam, 2.
These findings emphasise the critical role of early father involvement in ensuring a smooth and positive transition to parenthood.
This study revealed that, emotionally, fathers feel happy, touched, and excited to be part of the birth of their babies.
They also tend to spread the good news to others as a form of gratitude.
Fathers' positive attitudes contribute to the pleasure of parenting because they are more patient, responsive, and A qualitative study by Lemay et al.
found that touching their babies immediately after delivery fosters a sense of responsibility for the family's needs.
Fox & Bruce .
found that good parenting experiences increase fathers' sensitivity.
In addition, fathers who reflect on their emotional attachment tend to have a more sensitive and positive parenting style (Aytuglu & Brown, 2.
Other studies have also shown that parents' emotional commitment and their past attachment experiences with their parents influence fathers' parenting patterns (Cabrera et al.
, 2.
Becoming a first-time father can be an emotional challenge influenced by proximal .
and distal .
factors (Lee et al.
, 2.
Other studies have found that low-income fathers experience challenges and negative feelings in early parenting, similar to middle-income fathers (Kerr et al.
, 2.
However, proximal factors such as economic hardship and distal factors such as discrimination make low-income fathers' involvement in their children's lives more challenging and often lead to negative feelings about parenting.
Although Black fathers in this study felt uncomfortable, mistreated, isolated, and anxious because of these challenges, they still managed their emotions and mindsets to stay focused on their children.
Perceived self-efficacy influences parenting success, as individuals are more likely to engage in successful actions.
Higher self-efficacy leads to increased effort, which brings behavioural success (Bandura, 1.
A review of the literature on first-time fathers showed that parental self-efficacy promotes father involvement beyond 6 months postpartum as self-efficacy increases (Shorey et al.
Singley et al.
found that fathers' positive engagement, which mostly involved feeding and changing the baby's diaper, was positively associated with domain-specific levels of parenting selfefficacy, which assessed fathers' perceived parenting ability.
Another study by Trahan .
showed that fathers' self-efficacy was significantly associated with parental involvement from birth to 18 Previous research suggests that there is a reciprocal relationship between parenting self-efficacy and father involvement, which develops early in life (Tremblay & Pierce, 2.
Fathers' confidence and engagement during childhood are built on self-efficacy and expectations set in the first three months of life.
A father can build parenting confidence at other stages of life.
However, research has shown that fathers' self-efficacy and involvement increase over time from the first few months after birth (Trahan.
KONSELOR .
, 14.
, 13-32 https://doi.
org/10.
24036/02025141110-0-86
Factors Associated with Their Involvement in Infant Care and Implication for Counseling Practice iC25 A growing body of evidence suggests that fathers influence their children's social and emotional Cimino & Cerniglia .
research shows that past trauma affects parental actions and child development outcomes.
Traumatised fathers experienced increased stress, anxiety and sadness.
This study confirms (Wernand et al.
, 2.
findings, which show how trauma can damage parents' mental health.
Children with traumatised fathers are more likely to exhibit maladaptive behaviours.
Parental trauma can exacerbate a child's emotional problems, as shown by Last & Klein .
research which showed that fathers' mental health affects children's emotional development.
In addition to trauma causing depression in fathers, they also experience depression due to early birth, which can affect parenting (Shorey et al.
, 2.
Gross & Marcussen, 2.
highlighted that low parenting efficacy is associated with postnatal depression.
Social support factors influence father involvement.
Previous research suggests that transitioning fathers experience role-related confusion and difficulty adapting due to a lack of skills (Chin et al.
, 2011.
Habib, 2.
Implementing individualised interventions to address difficulties can improve their adjustment to parenthood, and this is a form of social support.
Kaner et al.
highlighted that those fathers engaging in online interventions influenced the level of active involvement in parenting.
Copeland et al.
qualitative research highlighted two key themes: fathers receiving appropriate or inadequate support can come from family, friends, and the healthcare system.
Previous research shows that men need knowledge about parenting and childcare (Baldwin et al.
, 2018.
Dayton et al.
, 2016.
Johansson et al.
, 2016.
Smith et al.
, 2.
However, service providers or intervention programmes rarely provide adequate information.
Fathers who want to improve their parenting skills need essential information support.
On the other hand, family members influence the effectiveness of the help Family models of parenting roles assist men in fulfilling their responsibilities (LeahyAaWarren et al.
, 2023.
Smith et al.
, 2.
Gervais et al.
explain that the challenges faced in carrying out fatherhood influence their perceptions of involvement.
This study uncovered two main themes: conceptions of the role of fathers and the challenges they face, such as the desire to be involved and the lack of role models to emulate.
(Barclay & Lupton, 1.
indicated that the absence of positive paternal role models is a complex issue for fathers who are about to become parents.
On the other hand, the fathers interviewed exhibited characteristics that Matta & KnudsonAaMartin .
argue make it easier for dads to engage with their These traits include adopting an egalitarian gender ideology, recognising women's contributions, and feeling emotionally connected to their children.
on the other hand, the fathers' experiences highlighted that recognition is rarely talked about, and as Ives .
points out, they often struggle to verbalise it.
Support from family and friends who emphasise the importance of fatherhood suggests that social norms still influence father involvement.
They tend to see their primary role as the breadwinner, while the role in childcare is seen as merely complementary.
These lingering norms make it more difficult for them to see themselves as parents involved in their children's lives.
On the other hand, there is a demographic influence on fathers' involvement in childcare tasks.
involvement can occur with accessibility that allows them to be present in childcare activities.
The demographic factors determining father involvement in childcare activities are employment, leave, education, income, number of children, age, and ethnicity.
Findings from Yeh et al.
showed that fathers from Asian and Western countries have similar patterns of infant care, namely participating more in terms of accompanying.
Regarding the task of involvement.
Goldberg et al.
emphasise that fathers often engage in play and physical activities with their children.
The demographic variables that had the most significant impact on father involvement were the interaction between the father's education and income, the number of children in the household, and the country, especially the United States, on weekdays and weekends.
This study indicates that fathers in the United States are more involved than fathers in Taiwan and Thailand, especially on weekends (Yeh et al.
, 2.
This study is similar to the findings of SavageAaMcGlynn .
, who found that many fathers in North America share childcare roles and responsibilities.
Other factors that need to be considered are job characteristics, such as weekly working hours and the length of weekends.
Unlike America, many Asian countries have long working hours (Yamashita et al.
, 2.
Another consideration is paternity leave, which affects paternal involvement, as factors such as adequate employment, income, and support for working mothers influence the decision to take parental leave.
Asia, traditional gender norms and values dictate that fathers are the breadwinners and should support Universitas Negeri Padang.
Indonesia https://doi.
org/10.
24036/02025141110-0-86
26 iC Harahap.
, & Ginanjar.
their families financially (Yeung, 2.
These findings underscore the more complex characteristics of social context and its impact on father involvement across different cultures and countries.
The implications of this review emphasise the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to promoting father involvement.
For practitioners, this includes providing services that help fathers gain information about successful parenting and developing prenatal programmes to enhance their According to research on fathers in the family, father involvement benefits children, strengthens family ties, and improves general well-being.
To boost father participation in the family, we need to build a more inclusive and supportive approach.
In the field of developmental psychology, this understanding is fundamental because it provides insight into how fathersAo roles influence various aspects of child development, both emotionally and cognitively.
Therefore, interventions or programmes should be tailored to the needs of fathers to enhance their parenting skills while expanding their understanding of the importance of their involvement in child development.
Implication for Counseling Practice Based on a review of the literature, fathers' involvement in infant care impacts both infant development and family well-being.
This study found that fathers feel neglected and experience confusion, anxiety, and depression early in their first children's lives.
Low self-efficacy and lack of knowledge are the main causes of these problems (Shorey et al.
, 2.
Therefore, counsellors need to provide support that can increase their confidence and knowledge about their role as new parents or fathers so that they can be involved in taking care of the baby.
Counselling programmes can be designed to help fathers adjust to their new role through effective coping techniques, such as (Kaner et al.
, 2.
online discussions where fathers discuss their feelings about how they feel about their role as a parent through special sessions for fathers by providing information about their role in the family and reflecting on the progress made during the session.
The outcome of this online intervention programme for fathers was to increase fathers' participation in parenting and marital relationships, as well as their well-being.
Counsellors are therefore critical in strengthening fathersAo involvement in parenting, improving fathersAo emotional well-being, and supporting healthier child development.
Study Limitations This literature review study is limited to the Scopus.
Taylor & Francis Online.
ProQuest.
Sage Journals, and the Sinta platform from the Ministry of Education and Culture databases.
Therefore, relying only on certain databases may result in selection bias, especially in other relevant studies using less common databases.
The potential for bias in selecting this data may arise, so we recommend that future researchers conduct more comprehensive research by combining research from other, less common sources.
Another limitation of this study is a scarcity of literature covering a wide range of sample demographics, particularly in varied cultural contexts, as most studies continue to be conducted in Western countries.
This study demonstrates that further research is needed to understand how father engagement works and what obstacles exist, as fathers' experiences and perceptions about their role may alter depending on the situation.
Future research is intended to broaden the breadth of data by including more diverse literature and to examine how each father can be more involved in parenting by focusing on the processes or phases that can boost their participation.
CONCLUSION
This study provides an up-to-date overview of fathers' early involvement experiences with their Father involvement is influenced by various factors, including the transition process, emotional state, self-efficacy, depression, social support, challenges related to the fathering role, and demographic This study highlights that father involvement in infant care is multidimensional and forms a sustainable basis for fathering role development through commitment and support.
Internal factors, such as the transition process, emotional state, self-efficacy, and depression, significantly influence involvement in parenting, which often depends on the individual's ability to adjust.
KONSELOR .
, 14.
, 13-32
https://doi.
org/10.
24036/02025141110-0-86
Factors Associated with Their Involvement in Infant Care and Implication for Counseling Practice iC27 Meanwhile, external factors, such as social support and demographic characteristics, play a role in facilitating and maintaining father involvement.
Challenges faced in carrying out the father's role also influence their perception of their responsibilities as parents, especially in the context of social and evolving norms.
Counsellors may consider implementing intervention programmes specifically designed to meet the needs of fathers in adjusting to the role of a new parent.
However, other issues may make it difficult for them to seek help.
Therefore, counsellors need to be aware of the barriers that fathers have in attending counselling sessions.
This will enable counsellors to create programmes that are accessible to fathers and appropriate to their needs.
Based on a review of 13 articles analysed, it was found that fathers' involvement in infant care is essential in strengthening their role after undergoing a transition process influenced by various factors.
This study demonstrates that a single factor cannot explain father involvement, but rather a combination of interacting elements.
However, it is essential to note that the indicators identified in this study may not cover all aspects or factors that influence fathers' involvement in childcare.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
None
REFERENCES