Perinatal mental health: Fathers - the (mostly) forgotten parent
Olivia Wong1, Tram Nguyen2,3, Naomi Thomas2
1Centre for Women's Mental Health, Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Australia. oli@hotmail.com.
Insights
Paternal mental health during the perinatal period significantly impacts infant development. More research is needed on fathers
Area of Science:
- Perinatal mental health
- Infant development
- Paternal psychology
Background:
- Parental mental health is a key factor in infant and child development.
- Limited research exists on paternal mental health during the perinatal period.
- Understanding fathers' mental well-being is crucial for family health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review existing clinical research on paternal perinatal mental health.
- To explore the impact of paternal mental health on infant development.
- To identify gaps in current research and suggest future directions.
Main Methods:
- Conducted an electronic literature search using MEDLINE and PubMed.
- Utilized key texts for cross-referencing and identifying additional relevant articles.
Main Results:
- Men face increased mental health risks during the transition to fatherhood and the perinatal period.
- Paternal mental health influences infant emotional and behavioral development.
- Research on fathers with mental illness and their family impact is limited.
Conclusions:
- A shift towards a family-centered approach is needed, focusing on parent-infant relationships.
- Further research on fathering roles and paternal perinatal mental illness is essential.
- Investigating risk factors, family system impacts, and interventions is crucial.
Introduction:
The importance of parental mental health as a determinant of infant and child outcomes is increasingly acknowledged. Yet, there is limited information regarding paternal mental health during the perinatal period. The aim of this review is to summarize existing clinical research regarding paternal mental health in the perinatal period in various contexts, and its possible impact on infant development.
Method:
An electronic literature search was conducted using MEDLINE and PubMed databases. Key texts were used to cross-check for any further articles of interest.
Results:
Men are at increased risk of mental health problems during the transition to fatherhood, as well as during the perinatal period. Paternal mental health during the perinatal period has been shown to impact on their child's emotional and behavioral development. However, research addressing the needs of fathers with mental illness and the impact of their illness on their infant and family has been limited.
Conclusions:
A paradigm shift is required, from a focus on women following childbirth and women with pre-existing psychiatric disorders, to a broader family perspective with the focus firmly on parent-infant relationships. This paradigm shift needs to involve greater research into the fathering role and paternal mental illness during the perinatal period, including further studies into risk factors, impact on the family system, and the most appropriate form of intervention and service provision.
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