The experience of fatherhood, sense of coherence, and subjective paternal well-being: An exploratory study

The present Study analyses distinct sources of subjective paternal well-being in an exploratory manner. The sample consists of 40 German middle-class fathers of firstborn children. Questionnaires were used to assess the data. The fathers were asked to describe their subjective experiences with respect to their role as a father. Several variables were measured: the sense of coherence and the identity as a father during pregnancy both showed a positive impact on fathers' well-being. A further variable, the number of social roles besides the father role, is negatively correlated with paternal well-being, The discussion of the results is set in the context of father research, with special focus oil well-being and personal parental experiences.