An interventional study of Haptonomy in Fear of Childbirth and Prenatal Attachment, sponsored by Nigde Omer Halisdemir University. Recruiting at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Open to participants aged 19 Years to 35 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-02-03.
Sponsored by Nigde Omer Halisdemir University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Health services research
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.
Aim: This study was designed to evaluate the effect of haptonomy practice for primiparous pregnant women and their partners on prenatal attachment and fear of childbirth.
Methods: This randomized controlled experimental study will include primiparous pregnant women and their partners (36 couples in the experimental group and 36 couples in the control group) who apply to the childbirth education class of a public hospital in Turkey and are between 24-26 weeks of gestation.
The experimental group will receive haptonomy education in the childbirth class. Afterwards, a video-based haptonomy program will be delivered via e-mail or WhatsApp. Couples will be asked to perform haptonomy exercises once a week for 40 minutes over five weeks. No intervention will be applied to the control group.
Data will be collected before the intervention and at the end of the fifth week using the Personal Information Form, Prenatal Attachment Inventory (PAI), Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire Version A (W-DEQ A), Paternal-Fetal Attachment Scale (PFAS), and Fathers' Fear of Childbirth Scale (FFOC).
Data analysis will include frequency and percentage distributions, chi-square test, t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, repeated measures analysis, two-way ANOVA, Friedman test, and Cohen's d test.
Nigde Omer Halisdemir University is the lead sponsor of 89 studies on the registry; 30 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
At least a primary school graduate
Exclusion Criteria:
Be at least 26 weeks pregnant
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
Standard of care Group The control group will not receive any treatment
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.
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.
Time frame: 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.
Time frame: 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.
Time frame: 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.
Time frame: Baseline
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.
Time frame: Week 5
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.
Time frame: Week 5
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.
Time frame: Week 5
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.
Time frame: Week 5
Plan to share: No
Eligibility is decided by the study team. Share this record with your doctor or contact the team directly.
Contact study teamGet an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.
Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.
Nigde Omer Halisdemir University