Effect of Haptonomy on Prenatal Attachment and Fear of Childbirth in Primiparous Couples

NCT07263750 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: OHU-DKH-SD-01
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 144
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study was planned to evaluate the effect of haptonomy practice for primiparous pregnant women and their partners on prenatal attachment and fear of childbirth.

Conditions

Fear of Childbirth; Prenatal Attachment

Keywords

fear of childbirth; pregnant; father; prenatal attachment; haptonomia

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Prenatal Attachment Inventory (PAI)

  The PAI is a validated, explain thoughts, feelings, and situations experienced by woman during pregnancy and to determine the level of attachment to infant in prenatal period. Each item is of a four-point Likert type, with a score between 1 and 4. A minimum score of 21 and a maximum score of 84 can be obtained from the scale. Increase in the score obtained by pregnant indicates that level of attachment also increases.

  Baseline

• Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire version A (W-DEQ-A)

  The W-DEQ-A is a validated,to determine the level of birth fear experienced by pregnant women.Answers in the scale are numbered from 0 to 5 and are in a six-point Likert type. The minimum score that can be obtained from the scale is 0, and the maximum score is 165.

  Baseline

• Paternal-Fetal Attachment Scale (PFAS)

  PFAS is a validated scale used to determine the level of paternal-fetal attachment. The responses are rated on a four-point Likert scale ranging from 1 to 4. The minimum possible total score is 23, and the maximum is 92.

  Baseline

• Fathers' Fear of Childbirth Scale (FFOC)

  The FFOC is a validated instrument used to determine fathers' level of fear related to childbirth. The responses are rated on a five-point Likert scale ranging from 1 to 5. The minimum possible total score is 17, and the maximum is 85.

  Baseline

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Prenatal Attachment Inventory (PAI)

  Week 5

• Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire version A (W-DEQ-A)

  Week 5

• Paternal-Fetal Attachment Scale (PFAS)

  Week 5

• Fathers' Fear of Childbirth Scale (FFOC)

  Week 5

Study Arms (2)

experimental group

EXPERIMENTAL

Haptonomy training will be provided to the experimental group within the childbirth class. Afterwards, the video-based haptonomy program will be sent via e-mail or WhatsApp. Couples will be asked to practice haptonomy exercises for five weeks, one 40-minute session per week.

Behavioral: Haptonomy

control group

NO INTERVENTION

Standard of care Group The control group will not receive any treatment

Interventions

Haptonomy BEHAVIORAL

Since there are no studies in the literature evaluating the effect of planned video modelling haptonomy on prenatal bonding and fear of childbirth in expectant mothers and fathers, it is believed that the results obtained from this study will contribute significantly to the literature by guiding and shedding light on future studies.

Also known as: Haptonomy, as a field dealing with emotional contact through touch, describe the relationship between parents and the unborn baby.

experimental group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 19 Years - 35 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• At least a primary school graduate
• Between the 24th and 26th weeks of pregnancy
• According to calculations made by ultrasound based on the last menstrual period or, for pregnant women who do not know their last menstrual period, between the 24th and 26th weeks of pregnancy
• Primiparous
• No history of abortion/curettage
• Planned/desired pregnancy
• Desired baby gender
• Living with spouse
• Attended pregnancy classes
• Able to use technology such as computers and mobile phones to watch videos
• No barriers to understanding questions and responding
• No previous training on fear of childbirth or prenatal bonding
• Not having previously received education on haptonomy or practised haptonomy
• Not undergoing infertility treatment
• Being between the ages of 19 and 35

You may not qualify if:

• Be at least 26 weeks pregnant
• Live separately from spouse
• Have an unplanned/unwanted pregnancy
• Not want the baby to be of a specific gender
• Not use technology
• Be a high-risk pregnancy
• Have previously received training on fear of childbirth and prenatal bonding
• Having previously received training in haptonomy and practised haptonomy
• Deciding to discontinue haptonomy practice after the study began and/or giving birth prematurely before completing the practice sessions

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Nigde Omer Halisdemir University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Sivas Cumhuriyet University

Merkez, Sivas, 58000, Turkey (Türkiye)

RECRUITING

Related Publications (1)

• Ozbek H, Pinar SE. The effect of haptonomy applied to pregnant women on perceived stress, fear of childbirth, and prenatal attachment: randomized controlled experimental study. Curr Psychol. 2022 Jul 16:1-10. doi: 10.1007/s12144-022-03388-1. Online ahead of print.

  PMID: 35874964 RESULT

Study Officials

• Nilüfer Tugut, Prof. Dr.

  Cumhuriyet University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Nilüfer Tuğut, Prof. Dr.

CONTACT

+0905327754828; nlfrtugut@gmail.com

sibel dilmen, lectuer

CONTACT

+905532628295; dilmensibel51@gmail.com

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NON RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Lecturer

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 31, 2025
• First Posted: December 4, 2025
• Study Start: March 26, 2025
• Primary Completion: March 27, 2026
• Study Completion: April 1, 2026
• Last Updated: February 3, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)