Health and Psychological Predictors of Antibiotic Use in Infancy and Fathers’ Role

Previous research has shown that antibiotic use during the first year is associated with infants’ difficult behavior, maternal low sensitivity, and infant insecure-ambivalent attachment. However, these results may depend on the extent and type of parental involvement, paternal stress related to infa...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Marina Fuertes, Rita Almeida, Francisco Dionisio
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/15/5/66
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849711805342941184
author Marina Fuertes
Rita Almeida
Francisco Dionisio
author_facet Marina Fuertes
Rita Almeida
Francisco Dionisio
author_sort Marina Fuertes
collection DOAJ
description Previous research has shown that antibiotic use during the first year is associated with infants’ difficult behavior, maternal low sensitivity, and infant insecure-ambivalent attachment. However, these results may depend on the extent and type of parental involvement, paternal stress related to infant care, or the infant’s exposure to infections. To explore this question, we analyzed the relationship between these factors and examined potential predictors of antibiotic use among demographic, health, and psychological variables. This study included 62 Portuguese infants and their fathers as participants. Demographic and health information was collected at birth, 3, 9, and 12 months. Father–infant interactive behavior was observed in free play at 3 months and infant attachment in Strange Situation at 12 months. Parental Stress and Parents’ Responsibility Scales were used at 9 and 12 months, respectively. Infants who received antibiotics in the first year were less cooperative, more difficult, and less passive in free-play interactions and were more likely to attend a center-based daycare than others. In this study, the predictors of antibiotic use are infant difficultness and daycare type.
format Article
id doaj-art-e81c7a3e99484bc88cb4fd5fd8b06db9
institution DOAJ
issn 2174-8144
2254-9625
language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education
spelling doaj-art-e81c7a3e99484bc88cb4fd5fd8b06db92025-08-20T03:14:31ZengMDPI AGEuropean Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education2174-81442254-96252025-04-011556610.3390/ejihpe15050066Health and Psychological Predictors of Antibiotic Use in Infancy and Fathers’ RoleMarina Fuertes0Rita Almeida1Francisco Dionisio2Center for Psychology of University of Porto (CPUP), 4200-135 Porto, PortugalResearch Center for Psychological Science (CICPSI), Faculty of Psychology, University of Lisbon, 1649-013 Lisbon, PortugalcE3c—Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, 1749-016 Lisbon, PortugalPrevious research has shown that antibiotic use during the first year is associated with infants’ difficult behavior, maternal low sensitivity, and infant insecure-ambivalent attachment. However, these results may depend on the extent and type of parental involvement, paternal stress related to infant care, or the infant’s exposure to infections. To explore this question, we analyzed the relationship between these factors and examined potential predictors of antibiotic use among demographic, health, and psychological variables. This study included 62 Portuguese infants and their fathers as participants. Demographic and health information was collected at birth, 3, 9, and 12 months. Father–infant interactive behavior was observed in free play at 3 months and infant attachment in Strange Situation at 12 months. Parental Stress and Parents’ Responsibility Scales were used at 9 and 12 months, respectively. Infants who received antibiotics in the first year were less cooperative, more difficult, and less passive in free-play interactions and were more likely to attend a center-based daycare than others. In this study, the predictors of antibiotic use are infant difficultness and daycare type.https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/15/5/66antibioticsfather–infant interactionsdaycare attendancepaternal stress and health care involvementfather–infant attachment
spellingShingle Marina Fuertes
Rita Almeida
Francisco Dionisio
Health and Psychological Predictors of Antibiotic Use in Infancy and Fathers’ Role
European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education
antibiotics
father–infant interactions
daycare attendance
paternal stress and health care involvement
father–infant attachment
title Health and Psychological Predictors of Antibiotic Use in Infancy and Fathers’ Role
title_full Health and Psychological Predictors of Antibiotic Use in Infancy and Fathers’ Role
title_fullStr Health and Psychological Predictors of Antibiotic Use in Infancy and Fathers’ Role
title_full_unstemmed Health and Psychological Predictors of Antibiotic Use in Infancy and Fathers’ Role
title_short Health and Psychological Predictors of Antibiotic Use in Infancy and Fathers’ Role
title_sort health and psychological predictors of antibiotic use in infancy and fathers role
topic antibiotics
father–infant interactions
daycare attendance
paternal stress and health care involvement
father–infant attachment
url https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/15/5/66
work_keys_str_mv AT marinafuertes healthandpsychologicalpredictorsofantibioticuseininfancyandfathersrole
AT ritaalmeida healthandpsychologicalpredictorsofantibioticuseininfancyandfathersrole
AT franciscodionisio healthandpsychologicalpredictorsofantibioticuseininfancyandfathersrole