First-time fathers' experiences during their transition to parenthood: A study of Korean fathers

Abstract

Purpose This study was conducted to explore first-time fathers' experiences during their transition to parenthood in South Korea. Methods Data were collected from September 2019 to February 2020 through in-depth interviews that were conducted individually with 12 participants. First-time fathers with children under 2 months of age were recruited. Verbatim transcripts were analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological method. Results Four theme clusters were identified: Preparing to become a father, challenges of becoming a father, motivation to foster familial bonds, and acknowledgement of fatherhood. Conclusion These findings suggest that Korean first-time fathers prepared to practice parenthood through prenatal education, taegyo, and feeling bonds with their new baby. They recognized their identity as fathers and experienced self-growth. These results would be beneficial for health professionals in developing perinatal care programs, and the results provide basic data for studies on fathers and families during the transition to parenthood.

Keywords

• fathers
• parenting
• father-child relations
• qualitative research