BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Involvement of fathers, as important members of every family, in the care of premature infants is a major challenge. Therefore, it is essential to understand the feelings of fathers towards infant care. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of kangaroo care on tension in fathers of premature infants hospitalized in a neonatal intensive care unit.

METHODS: This quasi-experimental study was carried out in 2015 on 25 pairs of fathers and premature infants, hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Shahid Sadoughi Hospital of Yazd, Iran. Kangaroo care was applied for 60 min every day over two weeks after feeding the infants and changing their diaper. After wearing a hospital gown, fathers sat on a chair in a comfortable position (angle of 45-60°). Then, the nurse placed the infant under the father's gown in a vertical position on the father's chest (chest-to-chest placement). The fathers completed the parental stress scale before and after the intervention.

FINDINGS: The mean total score of tension in fathers was 122.64±11.00 before the intervention and 90.72±13.04 after the intervention (p<0.001). According to the findings, there was a significant difference between the mean scores of all subscales before and after the intervention (p<0.001).

CONCLUSION: The results of the present study showed that kangaroo care could be effective in reducing tension in fathers of premature infants, hospitalized in neonatal intensive care units.