Trajectories of Paternal Postpartum Depression

• In Event: Fathering and Father-Child Relationships

Abstract

Background: New fathers are nearly twice as likely to experience depression than men in the general population. There is increasing literature evidencing a detrimental effect of paternal postpartum depression (PPD) on child development and family functioning, as PPD impacts parenting behaviours and parent-child interactions. Yet, there is a dearth of research that examines risk and protective factors related to differing trajectories of depression. Analysis of trajectories is advantageous as it does not assume that all fathers will experience the same course of depression and allows for unique predictors of each trajectory to be evaluated to inform prevention and intervention strategies. Method: The current study recruited 160 fathers in the third trimester. Each participant completed a larger baseline survey followed by a depressive symptom questionnaire at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months postpartum. Group-based semiparametric modelling was used to identify trajectories of paternal PPD; multinomial logistic regression was used to evaluate prenatal predictors of each trajectory. Results: A four trajectory solution was considered the best fitting model and most clinically informative. Higher insomnia symptoms, higher anxiety, and experiencing pregnancy complications predicted group membership in the “moderate-increasing symptoms” trajectory group, while lower insomnia symptoms, lower anxiety, and experiencing an unremarkable pregnancy were protective factors predicting group membership in the “no or minimal symptoms” group. Preliminary analysis of the “clinical-increasing symptoms” group suggested that higher anxiety and maternal anxiety significant predicted group membership when controlling for Type I error (p < .01). Discussion: The current study is the first to describe trajectories of PPD in Canadian men. The findings provide unique targets for intervention to prevent the known negative impacts of paternal PPD on child developmental. For instance, parents experiencing pregnancy complications are at high-risk for paternal PPD and screening measures should be implemented to address the increased risk. Comorbid mental health concerns, such as insomnia and anxiety, further increase risk for PPD. As such, it is crucial that prenatal screening procedures extend to new and expectant father in addition to mothers to identify at-risk fathers early. Further, intervention strategies that approach mental health from a transdiagnostic approach may be particularly useful in targeting PPD in the context of insomnia and/or anxiety. Overall, the current study provides important targets for prevention and intervention strategies for paternal PPD that will ultimately support child developmental outcomes and positive family functioning.

Authors

• Emily E Cameron, University of Manitoba
  Presenting Author

• Lianne M Tomfohr-Madsen, The University of Calgary
  Non-Presenting Author