The interrelation of students’ ideas about fatherhood with gender, age and structure of valuable orientations

Introduction. The relevance of the present research is determined by the need to create a system of measures to support and develop the institution of fatherhood, the formation of parental competence, effective models of paternal behaviour among modern youth and insufficient study of this phenomenon from psychological positions. The problem of the research is to resolve the contradiction between the requirement of modern society to form a value-positive attitude towards fatherhood among students’ youth and the need to identify psychological factors in the formation of ideas about fatherhood, parental attitudes, motivation for parenthood, and acceptance of the father’s role at the stage of entering adulthood.The aim of the research is to reveal the interrelation of ideas about fatherhood (“ideal father”, “I am an expectant father”) with gender, age and structure of valuable orientations among modern students.Methodology and research methods. The theoretical and methodological framework of the research is based on cultural-historical theory of development of the psyche and the doctrine of psychological age by L. S. Vygotsky; age-psychological approach to the analysis of mental development in ontogenesis (by L. S. Vygotsky, D. B. Elkonin, L. I. Bozhovich, O. A. Karabanova,E. I. Zakharova, G. V. Burmenskaya, et al.); the doctrine of the indicative activities by P. Y. Galperin. The research methods involve theoretical-methodological literature analysis, questionnaire method, psycho-diagnostic methods, and mathematical and statistical data processing methods.Results. The authors described and compared the content of ideas about fatherhood among young men and young women depending on the structure of valuable orientations at different stages of age development. Three homogeneous clusters were identifi using divisive clustering of an empirical sample:1) orientation towards the values of professional self-realisation (193 respondents, 17.8%); 2) orientation towards gnostic and aesthetic values (274 respondents, 25.2%); 3) orientation towards the values of personal life (619 respondents, 57%). The interrelation of ideas about fatherhood (“ideal father”, “I am an expectant father”) with gender, age, and structure of valuable orientations of modern students is revealed. The image of the ideal father is generally characterised by fragmentary and incomplete representations, and, in some cases, by cognitive distortions.Scientific novelty of the research is to reveal the interrelation of ideas about fatherhood with the structure of valuable orientations of young men and women in adolescence and early adulthood.Practical significance. The obtained results actualise the importance and necessity of psychological and pedagogical support of the process of family self-determination of students, the formation of complete and adequate ideas about fatherhood allowing for the development of its educational potential in the conditions of the educational environment of the university.

The interrelation of students’ ideas about fatherhood with gender, age and structure of valuable orientations

Introduction. The relevance of the present research is determined by the need to create a system of measures to support and develop the institution of fatherhood, the formation of parental competence, effective models of paternal behaviour among modern youth and insufficient study of this phenomenon from psychological positions. The problem of the research is to resolve the contradiction between the requirement of modern society to form a value-positive attitude towards fatherhood among students’ youth and the need to identify psychological factors in the formation of ideas about fatherhood, parental attitudes, motivation for parenthood, and acceptance of the father’s role at the stage of entering adulthood.The aim of the research is to reveal the interrelation of ideas about fatherhood (“ideal father”, “I am an expectant father”) with gender, age and structure of valuable orientations among modern students.Methodology and research methods. The theoretical and methodological framework of the research is based on cultural-historical theory of development of the psyche and the doctrine of psychological age by L. S. Vygotsky; age-psychological approach to the analysis of mental development in ontogenesis (by L. S. Vygotsky, D. B. Elkonin, L. I. Bozhovich, O. A. Karabanova,E. I. Zakharova, G. V. Burmenskaya, et al.); the doctrine of the indicative activities by P. Y. Galperin. The research methods involve theoretical-methodological literature analysis, questionnaire method, psycho-diagnostic methods, and mathematical and statistical data processing methods.Results. The authors described and compared the content of ideas about fatherhood among young men and young women depending on the structure of valuable orientations at different stages of age development. Three homogeneous clusters were identifi using divisive clustering of an empirical sample:1) orientation towards the values of professional self-realisation (193 respondents, 17.8%); 2) orientation towards gnostic and aesthetic values (274 respondents, 25.2%); 3) orientation towards the values of personal life (619 respondents, 57%). The interrelation of ideas about fatherhood (“ideal father”, “I am an expectant father”) with gender, age, and structure of valuable orientations of modern students is revealed. The image of the ideal father is generally characterised by fragmentary and incomplete representations, and, in some cases, by cognitive distortions.Scientific novelty of the research is to reveal the interrelation of ideas about fatherhood with the structure of valuable orientations of young men and women in adolescence and early adulthood.Practical significance. The obtained results actualise the importance and necessity of psychological and pedagogical support of the process of family self-determination of students, the formation of complete and adequate ideas about fatherhood allowing for the development of its educational potential in the conditions of the educational environment of the university.

Men's Confrontation with Pregnancy from Women's Point of View: an Ethno Phenomenological Approach

Introduction: In providing pregnancy services, particular attention is given to the mother and her infant and comparatively less consideration is paid to men’s role. This study aimed to explore how Iranian men are confronted with pregnancy from pregnant women’s point of view. Methods: This study was conducted, using an ethno-phenomenological approach. 25 Pregnant women were recruited via purposeful sampling from health centers, hospitals, and private obstetric clinics in Mashhad, Iran. In-depth semi-structured interviews (n=25), vignettes, (n=13) as well as observation were used for data collection. The data were organized with MAXQDA software version 10 and analyzed, using van Manen descriptive- interpretive phenomenological approach. Results: The main theme which emerged was: "adaptation, skillfulness and self-actualization of man in confrontation with pregnancy". This was derived from two themes: 1) "spouse's emotional engagement" subthemes spouse’s emotional confrontation with pregnancy occurrence, man's sentimentality following being an expectant father, husband`s confrontation with wife's motherhood, man's emotional excitement, seeing the symptoms of fetal survival, husband's gender orientation and 2)"Concentration, vigilance and active efforts of spouse during pregnancy" subthemes managing wife towards successful pregnancy, efforts to acquire paternal skills and pregnancy as an issue to expand spouse's mental horizons. Conclusion: Besides an overwhelming sense of emotion, men tend to be supportive in managing successful pregnancy. As an opportunity window pregnancy seems to develop thinking, vision and horizons of life among men and increases their responsibility. By promoting male participation in pregnancy, important steps could be taken to improve maternal and infant health using spouses` support approach.

Remarks on Receiving the C. Anderson Aldrich Award

I have described several coincidental changes in behavior, neuroanatomy, and neurophysiology. All reflect in some way the rapid development of cybernetic systems that permit greater control over external stimulation by suppression of extremes of reaction. The result is more organization and focus of behavior. In Figure 9, left, there is the baby the pregnant mother and expectant father dream they are going to have when their baby is born; at right is the baby they will actually get and will have to put up with until they get past the 6-week nodal point when many aspects of behavior begin to improve. Not until 3 or 4 months will they have the baby they expected at birth (Fig. 9, left). With our knowledge of the maturational transformation of normal babies in the first 4 months, we can guarantee parents that if they can survive this period the outcome will be good. They will not fail as parents nor will the baby fail to fulfill their expectations.