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Cited by 819Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and PostpartumChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentFamily Dynamics and Relationships

Paternal depression in the postnatal period and child development: a prospective population study

Ramchandani, Paul, Stein, Alan, Evans, Jonathan, O'Connor, Thomas G·2005·The Lancet
DOI 10.1016/s0140-6736(05)66778-5
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Abstract

Background Depression is common and frequently affects mothers and fathers of young children. Postnatal depression in mothers affects the quality of maternal care, and can lead to disturbances in their children's social, behavioural, cognitive, and physical development. However, the effect of depression in fathers during the early years of a child's life has received little attention.Methods As part of a large, population-based study of childhood, we assessed the presence of depressive symptoms in mothers (n=13,351) and fathers (n=12,884) 8 weeks after the birth of their child with the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale (EPDS). Fathers were reassessed at 21 months. We identified any subsequent development of behavioural and emotional problems in their children (n=10,024) at age 3.5 years with maternal reports on the Rutter revised preschool scales.Findings Information was available for 8431 fathers, 11,833 mothers, and 10,024 children. Depression in fathers during the postnatal period was associated with adverse emotional and behavioural outcomes in children aged 3.5 years (adjusted odds ratio 2.09, 95% CI 1.42-3.08), and an increased risk of conduct problems in boys (2.66, 1.67-4.25). These effects remained even after controlling for maternal postnatal depression and later paternal depression.Interpretation Our findings indicate that paternal depression has a specific and persisting detrimental effect on their children's early behavioural and emotional development.

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  • Fathers' depression has been associated with problem behavior in children and subsequent depression in the children themselves.

    “and fathers’ depression has been associated with problem behavior in children (Ramchandani, Stein, Evans, & O’Connor, 2005) and subsequent depression in the children themselves (Gutierrez‐Galve et al., 2018).”

    From Birth of a Father: Fathering in the First 1,000 Days (2019) · cites this paper as Ramchandani et al., 2005

  • Postnatal paternal depression is linked to internalizing symptoms.

    “as well as internalizing symptoms (Ramchandani et al. 2005) which are highly comorbid (Cummings et al. 2014).”

    From The effects of paternal depression on child and adolescent outcomes: A systematic review (2016) · cites this paper as Ramchandani et al. 2005

  • Offspring vary in their susceptibility to paternal depression, and there is no clear gender-specific pattern of risk for girls versus boys.

    “The research suggests that offspring differ in their susceptibility to paternal depression, with no clear pattern with regard to gender specific risk factors between girls or boys (Hanington et al. 2010;Reeb et al. 2010;Ramchandani et al. 2005).”

    From The effects of paternal depression on child and adolescent outcomes: A systematic review (2016) · cites this paper as Ramchandani et al. 2005

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Authors
Ramchandani, P., Stein, A., Evans, J., & O'Connor, T. G.
Affiliations
  • Warneford Hospital (GB)
  • University of Bristol (GB)
Corresponding author
Ramchandani, Paul
ORCID
Venue
The Lancet
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2005-06
Volume
365
Issue
9478
Pages
2201-2205
ISSN
  • 0099-5355 (ISSN-L)
  • 0140-6736
DOI
10.1016/s0140-6736(05)66778-5
OpenAlex
W2163378129
Cited by
819
References
35
Citations by year
2026: 24 · 2025: 24 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 35 · 2022: 37 · 2021: 50 · 2020: 52 · 2019: 33 · 2018: 55 · 2017: 44 · 2016: 53 · 2015: 57 · 2014: 41 · 2013: 40 · 2012: 53
FWCI
27.85
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • The Lancet (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Explore Bristol Research (publishedVersion)
  • Bristol Research (University of Bristol) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Wellcome Trust
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
  • Social Sciences › Demography › Family Dynamics and Relationships
Keywords
paternal depression, postpartum depression, child development, child behavior problems, child emotional problems, conduct problems, early childhood, father-child relationship, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale
MeSH terms
Child Behavior Disorders, Child Development, Child, Preschool, Depressive Disorder, Father-Child Relations, Fathers, Female, Humans, Infant Care, Infant, Newborn, Male, Prospective Studies

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