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Postpartum depression doesn’t just affect mothers. Fathers can also experience similar rates of depression after the birth of their children, although research and awareness of this issue is still in its infancy.
A new psychology study of low-income fathers from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds suggests those who are more involved in their child’s first year of life have better mental health outcomes overall.
In particular, fathers who were more confident in their parenting skills, spent more time with their newborns, and provided more materials, such as diapers, toys, clothing, and food, reported lower depressive symptoms. after a year.
This was true even after controlling for various demographics, such as age, ethnicity, level of education, employment status, and whether parents lived together or were married to each other.
“Generally speaking, I think fathers are important in the family,” psychologist Olajide Bamishigbin Jr. of California State University in Long Beach told PsyPost.
“However, in our field, historically, they have been under-studied, especially fathers of racial / ethnic minorities.”
According to the authors, their research is the first to assess how parenthood is linked to depressive symptoms over time in this historically neglected group, and while the results may not hold for other socio-economic or cultural spheres, the sample size is relatively large and helps diversify the field.
The results are broadly consistent with other publications on the subject, suggesting that when fathers are more involved in their children’s education, the child and both parents benefit.
The study in this case was based on 881 fathers from five regions of the United States, who were interviewed for the first time one month after the birth of their child and again at six months and one year.
At each stage, these new fathers were asked to complete a scale for postpartum depression, while revealing how confident they felt as parents, how often they provided material support, and for how long. passed with their babies, alone and with others.
The results suggest that paternal involvement is an important predictor of a father’s mental health during the transition to parenthood, even though a significant number of respondents were not married and did not live with their mother. baby.
“In general, I think there are two big things to remember. First, involvement with your child is not only better for the child, but it is also better for the father. So dads get involved early and often with your kids! Bamishigbin told PsyPost.
“Second, I think it’s important for everyone to understand that paternal depression is a serious problem that needs special attention. It affects fathers, which impacts the whole family. It is therefore important that we take it seriously.
More research is needed to understand why these correlations exist, but the authors have offered some explanations. Previous studies have shown that greater self-confidence in a father’s parenting abilities is associated with greater satisfaction, which, in turn, has been associated with fewer depressive symptoms.
The cultural and gendered idea of a father as a “provider” may also explain why fathers feel better about themselves when they can give their children the essentials they need to grow and thrive.
“Fathers who feel competent as parents may therefore be more satisfied with their role and, therefore, have fewer depressive symptoms,” suggest the authors.
If this is true, it is vital for their health and that of their babies to ensure that fathers are prepared to become parents.
Parenting classes and programs for fathers already exist, the authors admit, but these opportunities are often not culturally sensitive or accessible to people of diverse racial, ethnic, or socio-economic backgrounds.
The study can only show us correlations and further research will need to unravel the complex links between trust as a parent, time spent with children, and mental health. It could be, for example, that fathers who are less depressed in general are simply more likely to feel confident as a parent.
Participants were not screened for a history of depression or their mental health during pregnancy, meaning some fathers may already be depressed before their child is born, resulting in less involvement in pregnancy. their child’s life.
Interestingly, however, studies have shown that weaker depressive symptoms are associated with changes in hormones like oxytocin, and this hormone increases in fathers when they positively interact with their children.
Current research hasn’t actually looked at the quality of a father’s relationship with his baby, but those who spend more time with their children may be protected from future depressive symptoms through changes in their hormones. or their neuronal functioning.
If this is true, it is essential that public health policies find a way for fathers to spend more time with their children, especially because it can also have an impact on their children and even on the mental health of the family. mother of their baby.
In fact, research on fathers in countries with paid parental leave shows that they spend much more time with their children, even after the leave ends.
“This study suggests that these factors associated with depression in fatherhood can be addressed by increasing parenting skills, improving or improving the means for fathers to spend time with their children, as well as allowing fathers to provide material support to their children, ”the authors conclude.
“Future researchers should consider designing and testing interventions to assess the impact of paid paternal leave and increased parental self-efficacy skills on paternal depression in ethnically diverse populations.
The study was published in Frontiers in Psychiatry.
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