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Impact of Paternal Depression on Child Neurodevelopmental Outcomes and Disorders

Sahar Ashraf1,2, Kaushal Shah3,4, Ramu Vadukapuram5

  • 1Northpointe Psychiatry, Lewisville, Texas.

The Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders
|February 10, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Paternal depression, before, during, and after pregnancy, is linked to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in children. Early intervention is crucial for mitigating these risks.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Health
  • Child Development
  • Mental Health

Background:

  • Paternal depression during the perinatal period shares similarities with maternal perinatal depression.
  • Early paternal depression can significantly impact a child's emotional, behavioral, and developmental trajectory.
  • Genetic and environmental factors stemming from paternal depression-related behaviors may contribute to neurodevelopmental issues.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between paternal depression (prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal) and neurodevelopmental disorders in children.
  • To synthesize current research on the impact of fathers' mental health on offspring neurodevelopment.

Main Methods:

  • A systematic review of English-language literature was performed.
  • Databases searched included PubMed, PubMed Central, MEDLINE, Web of Science, BIOSIS Previews, and SciELO.
  • The PICOS (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes, and Study design) tool guided the reporting of 26 included articles.

Main Results:

  • Paternal depression during the perinatal period has substantial effects on children's development.
  • Adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in offspring are associated with paternal depression.
  • The review identified a negative influence of paternal depression on child neurodevelopment.

Conclusions:

  • Paternal depression is a significant risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders in children.
  • Addressing paternal mental health is essential for promoting positive child neurodevelopment.
  • Further research is warranted to fully understand the mechanisms linking paternal depression to offspring neurodevelopmental outcomes.

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