Attitude, Subjective Norm, Perceived Behavioral Control and Intention of Fathers to Encourage Breastfeeding

Abstract

Background: Breastfeeding is necessary and useful for babies, as well as for mothers, society and the nation. Fathers are also a factor that is important for successful breastfeeding. Objective: The purpose of this descriptive correlational research study was to explore attitudes, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control and intention of fathers to encourage breastfeeding. Methods: The subjects were selected following the inclusion criteria and consisted of 102 expectant fathers who brought their 37–40 weeks pregnant wives to the antenatal care unit at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai or Chiang Mai Health Promotion Hospitals from December 2013 to January 2014. The assessment tool measured four aspects: attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control and intention of fathers to encourage breastfeeding of Harwood based on the theory of planned behavior and was translated into Thai language by Preeyakamon Lerttrakannon, Kannika Kantaruksa and Nantaporn Sansiriphun. Descriptive statistics and Spearman's product moment correlation were used to analyze the data. Results: Fathers’ attitudes toward encourage breastfeeding had a high positive correlation with fathers, intention to encourage breastfeeding (r = 0.748, p < 0.01). Fathers’ subjective norm and fathers’ perceived behavioral control to encourage breastfeeding had moderate positive correlation with fathers’ intention to encourage breastfeeding (r = 0.326, r = 0.438, p < 0.01 respectively). Conclusion: These findings suggest that fathers’ intention to encourage breastfeeding and the relative factors should be assessed to enhance father's encouragement of appropriate breastfeeding.