Couvade syndrome among Polish expectant fathers

The body as a reflection of relations with others

BACKGROUND

Corporeality is an important element of the self structure. Tattoos have been associated with self-esteem, identity diffusion, and aggression.PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE: Convicted modified (n = 78; 78.8%) and non-modified men (n = 21; 21.2%) completed the following research tools: the Aggression Severity Scale from the Inventory of Personality Organization (IPO), the Group Identification Scale, the Identity Fusion Scale, a measure of identity fusion, and an agency scale.

RESULTS

Body modifications were a weak predictor (5%) of aggression intensity among male prisoners. About 20% of the study participants, regardless of having a body modification, presented aggression characterized by severe personality pathology.

CONCLUSIONS

Nowadays, body modifications should not be treated as an indicator of severe psychopathology and more aggressive relations with others, including among convicted men. In prisoners who presented high levels of aggression, identity diffusion was observed and treated as a form of adaptation, characteristic for borderline personality integration.

Does Antenatal Education Affect Level Of Empathy And Attachment Of Fathers?

OBJECTIVE

The study aimed to determine the effects of antenatal education on the paternal bonding and empathic tendency levels of men who would become fathers for the first time.

BACKGROUND

There are a limited number of studies in the literature that have investigated the effects of antenatal education programmes on fathers.

METHODS

This prospective, controlled quasi-experimental study was conducted in a hospital in Istanbul. The men in the antenatal educational group (EG) and their wives participated in training in antenatal classes. The men in the control group (CG) came for routine prenatal follow-up examinations with their wives. The Empathic Tendency and Paternal Postnatal Attachment Scales were used to collect the data.

RESULTS

The Empathic Tendency Scale was applied before the education (1) - after the education (2) and at the 6th postpartum week (3), whilst the Paternal Postnatal Attachment Scale was used at the 6th postpartum month (4). EG had higher emphatic tendency levels in the 2nd and 3rd measurements and higher paternal bonding levels in the 4th measurement in comparison to CG (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Antenatal education increased the emphatic tendency of the fathers and the effects of this education continued in the postpartum period and affected paternal bonding positively.

Couvade Syndrome Among Jordanian Expectant Fathers

Studies of different cultures have reported that expectant fathers experience physiological and psychological changes during their partner's pregnancy. These symptoms are classed as Couvade Syndrome (sympathetic pregnancy) symptoms. The main aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Couvade Syndrome among Jordanian expectant fathers. A descriptive quantitative research design that utilized the Men's Health During Partners' Pregnancy (MHDPP) questionnaire was employed to collect data from three Maternal and Child Health Care Centers in public hospitals. A total of 449 participants completed the questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the characteristics of the sample and the main variables. Chi-square tests were conducted to find the relationship between the pregnancy trimester and the specific Couvade Syndrome symptom. Jordanian expectant fathers experienced high rates of Couvade Syndrome (59.1%). The prevalence of Couvade Syndrome among the participants is considered to be the highest reported rate when compared to the results of previous studies. This rate may be due to the tendency among men in Jordan to have a strong desire for children soon after marriage and to have a strong commitment to family life. With a better understanding of the expectant father's response to pregnancy, health-care providers would be better able to provide them with the necessary support and education. This could contribute to the health and well-being of expectant fathers and their families.

Delusion of pregnancy: a systematic review of 84 cases in the literature

Case reports of delusion of pregnancy have emanated from all over the world, yet the rarity of this phenomenology has precluded systematic large scale descriptive or cohort studies. This systematic review was conducted to assess the demographic characteristics, clinical profile, treatment outcome and aetiological factors from the published case reports of delusion of pregnancy. Electronic databases including PubMed, PsychInfo and Google Scholar were used to identify case reports relating to delusion of pregnancy published in peer-reviewed English language journals. All such cases were systematically evaluated by investigators, and information was extracted using a structured proforma. A total 40 articles were reviewed which included 84 cases. Demographic characteristics revealed that about half of the patients were aged 20-40 years. The most common diagnoses were schizophrenia (35.7%), bipolar disorders (16.7%) and depression (9.5%). Single foetus was reported by 79.8% of the patients, and 45.2% perceived foetal movements. Good treatment response was noted in 64.3 % of the cases. The prominent aetiological factors that were implicated included psychosocial factors, coenaesthopathological processes, socio-cultural factors and hyperprolactinaemia. Delusion of pregnancy is a heterogeneous symptom which emerges during the course of various neuropsychiatric disorders. A range of aetiopathological mechanisms have been implicated in the causation of this disorder.