Poster #155 - The Relationship of Paternal Mental Health to Sensitivity and Intrusiveness in Early Childhood

• In Event: 1-115 - Poster Session 03
  In Poster Session: PS 03 Section - Parenting & Parent-Child Relationships

Integrative Statement

Research examining parental mental health and parenting have largely focused on mothers, however there is a small yet substantive body of research indicating a relationship between paternal mental health and parenting behaviors (Wilson & Durbin, 2010). Ramachandani et al. (2005) have found that paternal depression during the first few months of a child’s life is associated with behavior problems in the pre-school years, even when controlling for later paternal depression, suggesting that the first few months of a child’s life offer a unique timeframe during which time a father’s mental health may have lasting effects on a child’s behavior. Despite findings such as these, the effects of paternal mental health on children’s development are under-studied (Kane & Garber, 2004) and may be overlooked for the impact they have on the early development of their child (Cabrera, Tamis-LeMonda, Bradley, Hofferth, & Lamb, 2000). Indeed, research on the role of paternal anxiety in relationship to parental sensitivity and intrusiveness is almost non-existent. Research of maternal anxiety indicates there is a relationship between anxiety and parenting sensitivity (Nicol-Harper et al., 2007), which suggests that it is worth further investigation into whether similar effects are experienced with fathers. Better understanding of the effects of parent mental health on parenting can inform treatment plans and reduce adverse effects on both child and parent.
In the present investigation, we explore the role of father’s mental health at the prenatal and early postnatal periods in relation to the sensitivity and intrusiveness of paternal interactions with their 14 month old child. To do this, we leverage a longitudinal prospective study of over 300 families who were cohabitating first-time parents across the US, the UK, and the Netherlands. Participants were recruited prenatally from hospitals, prenatal classes, and an OB/GYN practice, and data collection took place prenatally when moms were in their third trimester, and when children were 4-, 14-, and 24-months of age. Fathers completed the following questionnaires at each time point; the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression (Radloff, 1977) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger et al., 1983). At the 4 and 14 month time points, fathers were recorded playing with their child for five minutes and the interaction was later coded for sensitivity and non-intrusiveness using the Ainsworth’s Observation Scales for Sensitivity vs. Insensitivity & Cooperation vs. Interference (Ainsworth, Bell, Stayton, 1974).
Correlational analyses reveal that higher levels of father’s self-reported depression symptoms at the prenatal period were associated lower ratings of sensitivity and non-intrusiveness in the 14 month parent-child free play activity (r= -.124, p=.019, N=359). Additionally, father’s ratings of depression (r= -.135, p=.011, N=-351) and anxiety symptoms (r= -.115, p=.031, N=352) when their child was 4 months old were also related to lower levels of sensitivity and non-intrusiveness in the 14 month activity. Interestingly, an increase in reported anxiety levels from the pre to post-natal period were associated with higher intrusiveness ratings in the 4 month parent-child activity (r= -.118, p=.026, N=358) and lower sensitivity ratings in the 14 month parent-child activity (r= -.121, p=.029, N=330).

Group Authors

The NewFAMS Study Team

Authors

• Lara Kyriakou, New York University
  Presenting Author

• Andrew Ribner, New York University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Mi-lan Woudstra, Leiden University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Marjolein Branger, Leiden University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Clancy Blair, New York University
  Non-Presenting Author