anxiety depression fatherhood

Paternal perinatal depression and anxiety is a common, though under-recognized mental health condition experienced by men during their transition to fatherhood. An opportunity to screen for paternal mental health issues occurs when parents present for assistance with the care of their baby at early parenting services (EPSs). There are 10 EPSs located across Australia that provide specialist, multidisciplinary interventions to support parents experiencing complex parenting difficulties. Using structured telephone interviews, this qualitative study explored the views of 18 professional staff from nine EPSs regarding screening, referral processes and acceptability of screening fathers for mental health issues...

BACKGROUND: it is well established that fatherhood has a long term positive and protective effect on men's health. However, there is also evidence that the transition to fatherhood can be complex and demanding and can lead to distress, anxiety and increased risk of depression. OBJECTIVE: this study aimed to investigate the prevalence of paternal postnatal depression, and to examine associations with a range of demographic and clinical factors. METHODS: a cross-sectional study design was used to collect primary data from 100 fathers, whose partner gave birth to an infant in the previous 12 months...

BACKGROUND: despite the evidence that fatherhood has a long-term positive and protective effect on men's health, there is also evidence that fatherhood in the perinatal period can be complex and demanding. Due to the potential increase in stressors in the perinatal period, there is reason to hypothesise that it is a time of increased stress for fathers. However, it is not clear how significant a problem stress is for fathers during this stage of life. This is in part, due to the fact that the available research has not been systematically reviewed...

Physiological and affective condition can be modulated by the social environment and parental state in mammals. However, in species in which males assist with rearing offspring, the metabolic and affective effects of pair bonding and fatherhood on males have rarely been explored. In this study we tested the hypothesis that fathers, like mothers, experience energetic costs as well as behavioral and affective changes (e.g., depression, anxiety) associated with parenthood. We tested this hypothesis in the monogamous, biparental California mouse (Peromyscus californicus)...

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of fathers' depression and anxiety in the perinatal period (i.e. from conception to 1 year after birth) is approximately 5-10%, and 5-15%, respectively; their children face increased risk of adverse emotional and behavioural outcomes, independent of maternal mental health. Critically, fathers can be protective against the development of maternal perinatal mental health problems and their effects on child outcomes. Preventing and treating paternal mental health problems and promoting paternal psychological wellbeing may therefore benefit the family as a whole...

More than 10% of fathers experience depression and anxiety during the perinatal period, but paternal perinatal depression (PPND) and anxiety have received less attention than maternal perinatal mental health problems. Few mainstream treatment options are available for men with PPND and anxiety. The aim of this literature review was to summarize the current understanding of PPND and the treatment programs specifically designed for fathers with perinatal depression. Eight electronic databases were searched using a predefined strategy, and reference lists were also hand searched...

There is a growing awareness about the burden of ill-health experienced by men. Research has shown that fatherhood has a protective effect on men's health. However, the transition can be complex and demanding, and may cause distress, anxiety and increased risk of depression. This article discusses paternal postnatal depression, which is a significant public health issue that is not acknowledged widely or well researched. As a result, men are under-screened, under-diagnosed and under-treated for the condition and other postnatal mental health problems, causing detrimental effects on their health and negative effects on the health and wellbeing of mother and child...

BACKGROUND: Despite growing interest in men's perinatal mental health, we still know little about whether becoming a new father is associated with increases in psychological distress. AIMS: To use prospective longitudinal data to investigate whether becoming a first-time expectant (partner pregnant) and/or new father (child <1 year) is associated with increases in depression and anxiety. METHOD: Men were aged 20-24 years at baseline (n = 1162)...

Motherhood has profound effects on physiology, neuronal plasticity, and behavior. We conducted a series of experiments to test the hypothesis that fatherhood, similarly to motherhood, affects brain plasticity (such as cell proliferation and survival) and various behaviors in the highly social prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster). In Experiment 1, adult males were housed with their same-sex cage mate (control), single-housed (isolation), or housed with a receptive female to mate and produce offspring (father) for 6 weeks...

BACKGROUND: In Norway almost all pregnant women attend one routine ultrasound examination. Detection of fetal structural anomalies triggers psychological stress responses in the women affected. Despite the frequent use of ultrasound examination in pregnancy, little attention has been devoted to the psychological response of the expectant father following the detection of fetal anomalies. This is important for later fatherhood and the psychological interaction within the couple. We aimed to describe paternal psychological responses shortly after detection of structural fetal anomalies by ultrasonography, and to compare paternal and maternal responses within the same couple...

INTRODUCTION: Epidemiological evidence for the association between job-related stress and sexual difficulties in men is largely lacking. Little is known about the factors that may mediate or moderate this relationship. AIM: This study analyzes the association between job-related difficulties and men's sexual difficulties. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Job-related difficulties were measured by 10 yes/no questions that addressed a range of adverse workplace situations...

Research concerning the psychosocial aspects of infertility and infertility treatment focuses more often on women than men. The aim of this review was to synthesize the English-language evidence related to the psychological and social aspects of infertility in men and discuss the implications of these reports for clinical care and future research. A structured search identified 73 studies that reported data concerning the desire for fatherhood and the psychological and social aspects of diagnosis, assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment and unsuccessful treatment among men with fertility difficulties...

This article describes a small pilot study which used a structured questionnaire designed to promote communication between health visitors and fathers. A review of literature revealed a lack of research and resources to support men's mental health and wellbeing through the transition to fatherhood. A convenience sample of 20 fathers completed the 'And--how was it for you dad?' questionnaire designed to encourage men to express their thoughts and feelings about becoming a parent. An evaluation questionnaire was also completed by the participants to assess the worth of the 'And - how was it for you dad?' project...

OBJECTIVE: It is recognized that pregnant teenagers have higher levels of psychological symptomatology compared to older pregnant women. However, there are limited data on fathers in the setting of teenage pregnancy. The aim of this study was to compare levels of psychological symptomatology in fathers in the setting of teenage as compared to non-teenage pregnancy. METHOD: A cross-sectional cohort study was undertaken. Data from interviews with consecutive fathers in the setting of teenage (Teenage) and non-teenage (Control) pregnancy were compared during the antenatal period...

OBJECTIVE: To assess factors affecting first-time fathers' transition to parenthood. DESIGN: A longitudinal repeated measures study in which participants were interviewed in mid-pregnancy and completed assessments in late pregnancy, in early postpartum, and at 4 months postpartum. SELLING AND PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred twenty-five first-time fathers were recruited from a major obstetric hospital in Melbourne, Victoria, from 1995 to 1998, via their partners. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Men were seen separately from their spouses, and questionnaires assessing parity history, social support, marital satisfaction, anger, anxiety, and gender role stress were completed at each time...

This study examines the psychological and psychopathological reactions that may appear in a man when his partner aborts. The small amount of literature that exists on the subjects was examined, and several men were, interviewed at the time their partners aborted voluntarely. It turns out that in spite of the man's lack of recognition of any reactions (reinforced by current attitudes and by the scant psychological and medical interest in the subject), there is considerable emotional involvement in the lost parenthood, both for the man and the woman...

The findings in this study of 147 men agreed with earlier research that health status declines over the first 8 months of fatherhood. The study extends previous work in that causes of this decline were tested. Empirical respecified models predicting health perception during pregnancy, early postpartum 1, 4, and 8 months were able to predict from 20 to 60% of the variance. These models were substantively more powerful than the hypothesized theoretical model that was tested, which explained from 12 to 38% of the variance...