Fathers' lived experiences of fatherhood during the child's first 1000 days: a qualitative systematic review protocol.

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this review will be to synthesize the best available evidence on fathers' lived experiences of fatherhood during the child's first 1000 days of life.

Introduction: Involved and caring fatherhood is crucial for the healthy cognitive, physical, social, and emotional development of children; however, fatherhood is a challenging process for most men. It is characterized by profound changes that require the development of a new identity and the assumption of new roles within the family. Understanding adult fathers' lived experiences during this stage of life can provide valuable knowledge to families, health care professionals, and policymakers.

Inclusion criteria: This review will include studies on the experiences of fatherhood during the child's first 1000 days of life. It will include heterosexual biological fathers of healthy infants, who are 18 years or over, and belong to an intact family.

Methods: This review will be conducted in accordance with the JBI methodology for systematic reviews of qualitative evidence. The search strategy will aim to locate both published and unpublished qualitative studies published in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Ten databases or gray literature sources will be searched, with no date limitations. Study selection, critical appraisal, and data extraction will be performed by 2 independent reviewers. Any disagreements that arise between the reviewers will be resolved through discussion or with an additional reviewer. Data will be presented in narrative format, and data synthesis will follow the JBI meta-aggregation approach. A ConQual Summary of Findings will be presented.

Review registration: PROSPERO (CRD42023487167).