Paternal mental health influences child development

Paternal mental health influences child development

Experts at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago acknowledge the need to screen new fathers for mental distress and recognize the increasing research that underscores the importance of fathers in child development. Their invited commentary, published in Jama Pediatrics, accompanies a systematic review that found that paternal depression, anxiety, and stress in the perinatal period are associated with poorer child development in social, emotional, cognitive, and language domains.

The birth of a child can be very stressful for both parents. In the United States, new mothers have been routinely screened for postpartum depression since 2010. We need to apply the same strategy to new fathers as more and more studies like this show that the development of paternal mental health impacts child development and the well-being of an entire family. “

Craig Garfield, MD, Mapp, senior author, pediatrician and founder of the Family & Child Health Innovations Program (FCHIP) at Lurie Children's and professor of pediatrics and medical social sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

In the United States, 14 percent of fathers experience postpartum depression, approaching rates of maternal postpartum depression. However, men tend to minimize symptoms of mental stress, so this percentage may be underestimated.

“As clinicians, we need to rethink how we approach new fathers,” said Dr. Garfield. "We need to engage them throughout pregnancy and the perinatal period and normalize the feelings of sadness or anxiety or fear that are common in this lifelong event. Clinicians should discuss warning signs of depression with fathers to recognize when either parent may need help."

To better understand men's experiences and needs as they enter fatherhood, Dr. Garfield in developing and launching a unique public health tool for fathers, the PRAMS (Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System) for VADs called Prams (Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring). The father stroller program, which began in Georgia, will be operational in eight states by the end of 2025, with efforts continuing to establish the system in additional states.

“Prams for Vads helps us focus government resources on the most pressing issues facing new fathers,” said Dr. Garfield. “It also helps us further appreciate fathers’ impact on children’s health and well-being so we can better support them in establishing healthy behaviors.”

The results of Dr. Garfield's previous research, using data from fathers' strollers, found that fathers can make a big difference in whether a child is breastfed and slept safely.

Dr. Garfield recently took part in a three-day "Mapping the Future of Fatherhood in Australia", a culmination of his two months as Thinker in Residence at Deakin University in Australia, where the authors of the current Jama Pediatrics paper are based. His blog recounts this experience and the discussions about how fathers' health and well-being can impact the best outcomes for children.

In addition to Dr. Garfield, Lurie Children’s commentary authors are Clarissa Simon, PhD, MPH, and John James Parker, MD. All are members of the Lurie Children’s Family & Child Health Innovations Program, which produces an annual Father’s Day report that can be found here.

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