Cited by 116Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentMaternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and PostpartumFamily Dynamics and Relationships

Paternal depressive symptoms and child behavioral or emotional problems in the United States

Weitzman, Michael, Rosenthal, David G., Liu, Ying-Hua·2011·Pediatrics

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The negative effects of maternal mental health problems on child health are well documented. In contrast, there is a profound paucity of information about paternal mental health's association with child health. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of paternal mental health problems and depressive symptoms and children's emotional or behavioral problems. METHODS: We analyzed Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data, which included a representative sample of US children (N = 21 993) aged 5 to 17 years and their mothers and fathers. The main outcome measure was child emotional or behavioral problems assessed by using the Columbia Impairment Scale. RESULTS: Paternal depressive symptoms, as assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire–2, and mental health problems, more generally, assessed by using the Short-Form 12 Scale, were independently associated with increased rates of child emotional or behavioral problems even after controlling for numerous potential confounders including maternal depressive symptoms and other mental health problems. The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for emotional or behavioral problems among children of fathers with depressive symptoms was 1.72 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.33–2.23) and the aOR associated with abnormal paternal scores on the mental component scale of the Short-Form 12 was 1.33 (95% CI: 1.10–1.62) for those within 1 SD below average and 1.48 (95% CI: 1.20–1.84) for those >1 SD below average. CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to use a representative US sample to demonstrate that living with fathers with depressive symptoms and other mental health problems is independently associated with increased rates of emotional or behavioral problems of children.

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Crossref · 10.1542/peds.2010-3034

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  • Postnatal paternal depression is strongly associated with increased risk of emotional and behavioural problems in school-aged children.

    “Research on postnatal depression and child development is more abundant and results indicate a strong association, with increased risk of emotional and behavioural problems in school-aged children (Weitzman et al. 2011).”

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Authors
Weitzman, M., Rosenthal, D. G., & Liu, Y.-H.
Affiliations
  • New York University (US)
  • Departments of Pediatrics and
Venue
Pediatrics
Published
2011-12-01
Volume
128
Issue
6
Pages
1126-1134
ISSN
  • 0031-4005 (ISSN-L)
  • 1098-4275
OpenAlex
W2160769192
Cited by
116
References
45
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 5
FWCI
7.23
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • PEDIATRICS (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
  • Social Sciences › Demography › Family Dynamics and Relationships
Keywords
paternal depressive symptoms, paternal mental health, child emotional and behavioral problems, child mental health, father-child relationship, maternal depressive symptoms, Short Form-12, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Child, Child Behavior Disorders, Child, Preschool, Depression, Emotions, Fathers, Female, Humans, Male, United States

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