Publication year
2010
Citation Title
Online fathering: The experience of first-time fatherhood in combat-deployed troops.
Journal Name
Nursing Research
Journal Volume
59
Issue Number
1
Page Numbers
11-17
DOI
10.1097/NNR.0b013e3181c3ba1d
Summary
Deployed Service members often miss important life events, including the birth of their first child. This study interviewed 17 male Service member whose first child was born during their most recent combat deployment. Each participant was asked an open-ended question about their experience of becoming a first-time father during deployment. Results revealed that these fathers experienced fear and anxiety due to the disruption of their protector and provider role, but also highlighted the importance of communication with their spouses.
Key Findings
Two main themes were extracted from the interviews: disruption of protector and provider role and restoration of the protector and provider role.
The disruption of protector and provider role theme was divided into four sub-themes: worry about a traumatic and lonely childbirth, lost opportunity, guilt about being an absent father, and fear of death and disability.
The restoration of the protector and provider role theme emphasized the role of communication in offsetting the influence of deployment.
Implications for Program Leaders
Offer support groups for male Service members whose children were born during deployment
Development workshops for military families about how to cope with stress associated with deployment and childbirth
Disseminate information about good communication skills for Service members and their spouses, especially for new parents
Implications for Policy Makers
Recommend education of professionals working with military families on common fear and anxiety of Service members whose children were born during their deployment
Promote reintegration programs that focus on assisting new fathers in adjusting to their new role
Continue to support marriage education programs that promote positive communication skills during deployment
Methods
Participants were recruited at a post-deployment debriefing. Service members who returned from a combat deployment within one month and whose first child was born during the deployment period were eligible for the study.
Each participant received an open-ended interview about their experience of becoming a first-time father during deployment.
The interviews were transcribed and analyzed to extract main themes.
Participants
Participants were 17 male Service members; the average age of the sample was 23 years (SD = 2.3, age range = 19-26 years).
Most participants were White (59%), followed by Black (23%), Latino (12%), and other (6%).
The military branches that the participants served in were not reported.
Limitations
The interviews were conducted two to six month after the children were born; therefore, the findings may be subject to memory bias.
The military branches of the Service members were not reported, so caution must be taken to generalize the results to different military branches.
Only one open-ended question was asked during the interview, so the lack of structured questioning may make it difficult to interpret the data.
Avenues for Future Research
Increase the sample size to better represent the military population
Examine military spouses' experiences of giving birth alone with their husbands deployed
Investigate any potential differences between Service members whose first child was born during deployment versus those whose second or third child was born during deployment
Focus
Multiple Branches
Target Population
Population Focus
Abstract
More than 90% of fathers in the United States attend the births of their children. Each year, thousands of fathers are absent during this important life transition because of military deployment in combat regions; however, it is unknown how this population experiences new fatherhood. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience of first-time fatherhood from the unique perspective of military men deployed to combat regions during birth. A phenomenological approach was used. Seventeen men who were stationed in Okinawa, Japan, and had returned recently from a combat deployment participated. Unstructured, in-depth interviews were conducted 2 to 6
months after the births. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed using Colaizzi’s method. Disruption of the protector and provider role was a main theme that encompassed four theme clusters: (a) worry-a traumatic and lonely childbirth; (b) lost opportunity;(c) guilt-an absent father; and (d) fear of death and dismemberment-who will be the father? Although their absence interfered with their ability to fulfill the fatherhood role as they perceived it, this was offset by the theme cluster Communication: The ties that bind, highlighting the role of online communication with their partner (e.g., e-mail, instant messaging, Facebook, blogs, and chat rooms) in
restoring balance to the protector and provider role. Insight is provided into the needs of first-time fathers who are combat-deployed during the births of their babies. Understanding these experiences assists nurses in identifying better ways to prepare and to support men in an involved fatherhood role, despite the limitations of a stressful combat environment and geographic separation. This information can set the stage for a healthy reunion, which may take place at military bases and within communities across the globe,
and thus is of benefit to all nurses working with military families.
months after the births. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed using Colaizzi’s method. Disruption of the protector and provider role was a main theme that encompassed four theme clusters: (a) worry-a traumatic and lonely childbirth; (b) lost opportunity;(c) guilt-an absent father; and (d) fear of death and dismemberment-who will be the father? Although their absence interfered with their ability to fulfill the fatherhood role as they perceived it, this was offset by the theme cluster Communication: The ties that bind, highlighting the role of online communication with their partner (e.g., e-mail, instant messaging, Facebook, blogs, and chat rooms) in
restoring balance to the protector and provider role. Insight is provided into the needs of first-time fathers who are combat-deployed during the births of their babies. Understanding these experiences assists nurses in identifying better ways to prepare and to support men in an involved fatherhood role, despite the limitations of a stressful combat environment and geographic separation. This information can set the stage for a healthy reunion, which may take place at military bases and within communities across the globe,
and thus is of benefit to all nurses working with military families.
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