INVESTIGATING THE EFFECT OF TRAINING FATHERS ON SPOUSAL SUPPORT BASED ON THE THEORY OF PLANNED BEHAVIOR ON THE PERCEIVED SUPPORT BY MOTHERS OF PREMATURE NEONATES HOSPITALIZED IN NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT

Background & Aims:The emphasis of scientific resources on the importance of emotional and psychological support from fathers for mothers of premature infants hospitalized in the intensive care unit, along with the lack of an educational package designed to empower fathers in supporting mothers based on health promotion models and theories, led to this study, with the aim of determining the effect of spousal support training for fathers based on the Planned Behavior Theory on the perceived support of mothers with premature infants hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Materials & Methods:This semi-experimental study was an educational intervention conducted in 2023 on 96 fathers whose infants were hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit due to prematurity.Sampling was done using a convenience method, and allocation of samples was performed through random selection.For the intervention group, two face-to-face counseling sessions were held, and a researcher-made pamphlet and educational package were provided to the fathers.The control group received only the standard educational pamphlets available in the hospital.Demographic information questionnaires, a specific spousal support questionnaire during the postpartum period, and a researcher-made scale measuring spousal support based on the Planned Behavior Theory were completed before, immediately after, and one month after the intervention.Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22. Results: According to paired t-test results, there was no significant difference in scores for attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, intention, behavior, and perceived support from mothers before and after training in the control group (P>0.05).In contrast, in the intervention group, scores immediately after training and one month later were significantly higher compared to before training (P<0.05).Regarding the comparison of dependent variables between the intervention and control groups, this study's results indicated that the mean differences in scores for attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, intention, behavior from fathers, and perceived support from mothers in the intervention group compared to the control group were significant (P<0.05).Based on repeated measures ANOVA results, in the intervention group, scores for attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, intention, behavior from fathers, and perceived support from mothers at three time points (before, immediately after, and one month after) showed significant differences (P<0.001),whereas this difference was not significant in the control group. Conclusion:The findings of this study indicated that training spousal support for fathers based on the Planned Behavior Theory significantly affects mothers' perceived support as well as fathers' attitudes, subjective norms, intentions, and behaviors regarding their premature infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit.Given these results, it is recommended to educate and empower fathers of hospitalized premature infants regarding their support for mothers.