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About the Study
About the Study
Researchers in the School of Social Work at Arizona State University are conducting a research study to learn more about father engagement and father-infant bonding. This study explores whether babywearing, carrying an infant in a cloth carrier worn on the body, may help increase fathers’ connection with their infants and confidence in caregiving. Fathers are invited to participate by attending a Fathers Carrying Collective on Tap event and completing a short series of surveys over time.
Who May Participate
Who May Participate
You may be eligible to participate in this study if you:
are 18 years of age or older
are the biological father of an infant
have an infant who is 9 months of age or younger
have at least 50% custody or caregiving responsibility for your infant
are able to read and speak English
Participation in this study is voluntary.
What to Expect
What to Expect
If you choose to participate, you will be asked to take part in three parts of the study.
Attend a Babywearing Event
You will attend a Fathers Carrying Collective on Tap event where you will learn about babywearing, watch a short demonstration on how to safely use a baby carrier, and receive hands-on instruction. This part takes about 20 minutes.
Use the Baby Carrier
You will be asked to babywear your infant for about one hour per day for approximately 10 weeks.
Complete Surveys
You will complete a first survey at the event, brief weekly check-ins about baby carrier use, and a final survey about 10 weeks later. Each full survey takes about 20 minutes. You may skip any question and stop participating at any time.
Compensation
Compensation
Participants will receive compensation for taking part in the study. Compensation includes a new baby carrier, a $25 gift card for completing the first survey, a $50 gift card for completing the final survey, $2 for each weekly check-in survey, and a $5 bonus for completing all weekly surveys.
Risks
Risks
The risks of participating in this study are minimal. Possible discomforts may include mild emotional discomfort when answering survey questions, feeling somewhat uncomfortable learning babywearing in a public setting, or minor physical fatigue while becoming familiar with babywearing. You may skip any question and stop participating at any time.
Possible Benefits
Possible Benefits
There may be no direct benefit to participating in this study. However, some participants may experience increased confidence with babywearing, increased time spent bonding with their infant, and opportunities to connect with other fathers and families. What researchers learn from this study may help improve support for fathers and early parent-infant relationships.
Privacy and Confidentiality
Privacy and Confidentiality
Your responses will be kept confidential. Survey responses will be stored on secure servers. Your name will not be included in reports, publications, or presentations. Study results will be reported only in summary form. De-identified data from this study may be shared with other researchers for future research purposes.
Voluntary Participation
Voluntary Participation
Taking part in this study is completely voluntary. You may choose not to participate, skip any question, or withdraw from the study at any time. There is no penalty if you choose not to participate.
Contact the Research Team
Contact the Research Team
If you have questions about this study, please contact:
Dr. Lela Rankin
Arizona State University
(520) 884-5507 ext. 20611
Dr. Justin Harty
Arizona State University
(602) 543-1877
Participant Rights
Participant Rights
If you have questions about your rights as a research participant, or believe you have been placed at risk, please contact:
Arizona State University Office of Research Integrity and Assurance
(480) 965-6788
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