Arab Muslim Fathers’ Experiences During the Transition to Parenthood in a Gulf Country

Overview: Few studies have been conducted about Arab Muslim husbands’ experiences during the couples’ transition to parenthood. This qualitative study will report the findings of men’s perceived roles, involvement, and experience during their wives’ pregnancy and delivery. Participants’ recommendations about parental leave policies and health services will be provided.Proposal text: This presentation will follow the typical research structure format as noted below. The end of the presentation will focus on the limitations and social work implications. Participants will gain an understanding of the lived experience of a diverse group of Arab Muslim fathers who reside in a Gulf Country.

Background/Purpose
It is vital to understand that fathers have an impact upon their wives and children, but to a great extent, this area remains understudied in the Arab world. Fathers are valuable to society and can make lifelong differences for mothers (Xue, et al., 2018). Although it has been determined that fatherhood begins at pregnancy (Levine & Pitt, 1995), little is known about expectant Arab fathers’ experiences and their role in pregnancy, and delivery, during the couple’s transition to parenthood (Abushaikha & Massah, 2013; Badawi, 2015). Some scholars have noted that traditionally Arab fathers have not been very involved in maternal health services during their partners’ pregnancy or been present at labor and delivery because it has been seen as the female relatives’ domain and role to support and guide the woman through this time (Abushaikha & Massah, 2013; Badawi, Qandil, Al-Hamdan, & Mahallawi, 2016). However, a qualitative study about the transition to parenthood in Jordan found that some young fathers believe that ‘contemporary’ fathers’ roles have changed. Fathers reported wanting to contribute differently than their fathers did and “share the experience of bringing up the baby” (Mrayan & Cornish, 2015, p. 4). More research in this area is warranted. Therefore, the purpose of this exploratory study is to describe and generate knowledge about the lived experience of first-time Arab fathers during the transition to parenthood. The main research question is “What are first-time fathers’ (in a de-identified Gulf Country) perceived roles, involvement, and experience in pregnancy, labor, and delivery during the transition to parenthood.” Additional key constructs include fathers’ access to and perceptions of maternal health services.

Methodology
This sample is a subset of a larger nationally-funded study. Ten Arab Muslim first-time fathers who are residents of a Gulf country agreed to participate in a qualitative research study approved by the University Research Ethics Board. The participants were asked to reflect on the pregnancy and childbearing period. A male interviewer conducted in-depth interviews. The diverse sample included participants from across North Africa and the Middle East.

Findings/Recommendations
Preliminary content analysis findings revealed that religious identity shaped many fathers’ views of their role. All the men characterized their levels of involvement in their wives’ pregnancy as medium to high. Some participants specifically stated that they grew closer together as a couple during pregnancy. Not all fathers attended the labor and delivery because certain hospitals do not allow fathers. Participants who attended the birth stated that they went to support their partner. Most men shared that the role of fathers is changing in the Arab world, and fathers are more involved. Participants provided recommendations about parental leave policies. They also described their experiences with health care services, and some offered suggestions.