The Effect of an Educational Program Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior on Maternal-Fetal Attachment in Primigravid Women

Background aim: Poor awareness of mothers toward fetal development leads to anxiety and may harm the Maternal-Fetal attachment (MFA). This study investigated the effect of an educational program based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) on MFA in primigravid women. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 106 couples (in two groups of 53) using a convenience sampling method from 4 health centers, which randomly selected in Ahvaz, Iran, between 2016 to 2017. The intervention group participated in six sessions of maternal-fetal attachment training. Both groups were evaluated using two questionnaires before and four weeks after the intervention. Data were analyzed with SPSS-22 software using paired t-test and independent t-test at a significant level of 0.05. Results: Mean score of MFA after intervention in intervention and control groups (63.1±4.3 vs 57.8±4.3) was significantly different (P 0.001). Also, the mean score of knowledge (5.9±3.7 vs 4.1±5.1), attitude (78.3±3.7 vs 71.2±5.1), subjective norm (45.9±1.9 vs 41.5±3.5), perceived behavioral control (56.7±1.9 vs 50.8±3.6), and behavioral intention (12.8±2.7 vs 9.6±1.2) of pregnant mothers were statistically different between the intervention and control groups (P 0.001). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that educational intervention based on TPB can be useful and effective in promoting MFA. So, it appears that this model is an effective strategy for behavior change in the field of attachment.