Fathers' Mental Health May Predict Poor Child Development
Researchers said the findings should be a call to better support fathers as they transition into parenthood.
'Becoming a parent is a significant life transition for men, whether it be the experience of having a baby for the first time, or welcoming additional children into one's family. It can be a time of great joy and happiness, as well as one of increased stress and emotional ups and downs, as families adapt to significant changes,' said Delyse Hutchinson, MClinPsych, PhD, associate professor at the SEED Lifespan Research Centre in the School of Psychology at Deakin University in Burwood, Australia, and lead author of the study.
The Findings
The researchers conducted the systematic review and meta-analysis by searching several databases for studies published up to November 2024.
Data from 9572 studies in 21 countries were included. Hutchinson and her team pulled information on depression, anxiety, and stress of fathers. Data of their offsprings' global, social-emotional, adaptive, cognitive, language, physical, and motor development from infancy through adolescence was also analyzed.
During pregnancy and after birth, 8% of men experienced clinical depression, 11% experienced anxiety, and 6%-9% experienced elevated stress. Hutchinson said rates may be higher due to underreporting.
Paternal perinatal mental distress was associated with poorer (correlation coefficient [r], −0.12; 95% CI, −0.22 to −0.01), social-emotional (r, 0.09; 95% CI, 0.07-0.11), cognitive (r, −0.07; 95% CI, −0.13 to −0.01), language (r, −0.15; 95% CI, −0.25 to −0.05), and physical development (r, 0.04; 95% CI, 0.00-0.08) in offspring.
While previous studies have focused on the effects of mental stress among those who are pregnant, in the past decade more focus has gone toward the role of fathers in shaping the development of children, Hutchinson said.
A 2024 study found that a subgroup of fathers were more susceptible to psychological distress during pregnancy and postpartum. Another found that children of fathers who had postpartum depression were more likely to experience adverse childhood experiences.
'Children of fathers who experience distress in the perinatal period are at greater risk of poor mental health themselves, as well as behavioral and social difficulties. Unfortunately, these challenges among children often persist into adulthood — a trajectory which, once established, is difficult to change,' said Karen Wynter, MD, senior research fellow of Perinatal Mental Health in the Department of Psychiatry at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia.
In an editorial accompanying the paper, Craig Garfield, MD, of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, and coauthors wrote, 'The timing of this review is excellent, as fathers spend more time than ever on childcare and are increasingly recognized as important contributors to family health and well-being.'
Hutchinson said the results underscore the need for increased emotional support for fathers, such as mental health screening before, during, and after a child's birth.
'Fathers want to be involved in parenting their infants. Society no longer regards them as only 'breadwinners' or 'supporters.' They are nurturing, caring parents who, like mothers, may experience emotional difficulties in the transition to parenthood, and there should be no shame or judgment if they seek help,' Wynter said.
This study was funded by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). Hutchinson, Samantha J. Teague, and Craig A.Olsson were supported by NHMRC Research Fellowships (APP1197488, APP2025839, and APP1021480). Spry is supported by an Alfred Deakin Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at Deakin University, Australia. Wynter reported coconvening the Australian Fatherhood Research Symposium with Macdonald, one of the study authors.
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