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Cited by 158Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and PostpartumChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentFamily Dynamics and Relationships

Paternal depression in the postnatal period and child development: mediators and moderators

Gutierrez-Galve, Leticia, Stein, Alan, Hanington, Lucy, Heron, Jon, Ramchandani, Paul·2015·Pediatrics
DOI 10.1542/peds.2014-2411
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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To explore potential mediating and moderating factors that influence the association between paternal depression in the postnatal period and subsequent child behavioral and emotional problems. METHODS: A population-based cohort (N = 13 822) from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) was recruited during pregnancy. Paternal and maternal depressive symptoms were assessed with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale at 8 weeks after the birth of the child. Child outcomes were assessed at 3.5 years by using the Rutter revised preschool scales and at 7 years by using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Path analysis was used to assess hypothesized mediators (ie, depression in the other parent, couple conflict, and paternal noninvolvement) of the associations between both paternal and maternal depression and child outcomes. We also tested for hypothesized moderators (ie, paternal education and antisocial traits). RESULTS: Family factors (maternal depression and couple conflict) mediated two-thirds of the overall association between paternal depression and child outcomes at 3.5 years. Similar findings were seen when children were 7 years old. In contrast, family factors mediated less than one-quarter of the association between maternal depression and child outcomes. There was no evidence of moderating effects of either parental education or antisocial traits. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of the association between depression in fathers postnatally and subsequent child behavior is explained by the mediating role of family environment, whereas the association between depression in mothers and child outcomes appears to be better explained by other factors, perhaps including direct mother-infant interaction.

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  • As parenting behaviours change due to depressive symptoms, hostility and marital conflict may increase, while the quality and frequency of father-child interaction decreases, impacting offspring functioning.

    “As parenting behaviours change due to depressive symptoms, hostility and marital conflict may increase, whilst the quality and frequency of father-child interaction decreases, which consequently impacts on offspring functioning (Davé et al. 2008;Franck & Buehler 2007;Gutierrez-Galve et al. 2015;Middleton et al. 2009;Wilson & Durbin, 2010).”

    From The effects of paternal depression on child and adolescent outcomes: A systematic review (2016) · cites this paper as Gutierrez-Galve et al. 2015

  • Marital conflict accounted for 27.4% of the total effect of paternal depression on child outcomes at age 3.5 and 27.2% at follow-up.

    “Marital conflict accounted for 27.4% of the total effect of paternal depression on child outcomes at age 3.5 years and 27.2% of the total effect at follow-up (Gutierrez-Galve et al. 2015).”

    From The effects of paternal depression on child and adolescent outcomes: A systematic review (2016) · cites this paper as Gutierrez-Galve et al. 2015

  • Fathers' non-involvement accounted for 5.4% of the total effect of paternal depression on child development at age 3.5 and 8.4% at age 7.

    “(2015) showed fathers' non-involvement accounted for 5.4% of the total effect of paternal depression on child development at age 3.5 and 8.4% at age 7.”

    From The effects of paternal depression on child and adolescent outcomes: A systematic review (2016) · cites this paper as Gutierrez-Galve et al. (2015)

  • Maternal depression influences offspring in a more direct way and depends less on contextual mechanisms than paternal depression does.

    “This method is considerably different to how maternal depression impacts offspring, with the influence much more direct and less reliant on contextual mechanisms (Gutierrez-Galve et al. 2015).”

    From The effects of paternal depression on child and adolescent outcomes: A systematic review (2016) · cites this paper as Gutierrez-Galve et al. 2015

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Authors
Gutierrez-Galve, L., Stein, A., Hanington, L., Heron, J., & Ramchandani, P.
Affiliations
  • The Centre for Mental Health, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom;
  • University of Oxford (GB)
  • University of Bristol (GB)
  • Centre for Mental Health (GB)
ORCID
Venue
Pediatrics
Publisher
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
Published
2015-02-01
Volume
135
Issue
2
Pages
e339-e347
ISSN
  • 0031-4005 (ISSN-L)
  • 1098-4275
DOI
10.1542/peds.2014-2411
OpenAlex
W1996247646
Cited by
158
References
45
Citations by year
2026: 12 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 25 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 6
FWCI
16.76
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • PEDIATRICS (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Bristol Research (University of Bristol) (publishedVersion)
  • Explore Bristol Research (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Wellcome Trust (076467, 102215, 74882)
  • Medical Research Council (MC_PC_15018)
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, maternal depression, child behavior problems, child emotional problems, couple conflict, family environment, mediation, moderation, parental education, antisocial personality traits, mother-infant interaction, Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children
MeSH terms
Child Behavior Disorders, Child, Preschool, Cross-Sectional Studies, Fathers, Female, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Mother-Child Relations, Pregnancy, Psychometrics, Surveys and Questionnaires, Risk Factors, Reproducibility of Results, Cohort Studies, Depression, Postpartum, Family Conflict

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