Paternal Depression Linked with Risks and Resiliency in Parenting Behaviors

Depressed fathers were much more likely to report spanking their 1-year-old child in the previous month than nondepressed fathers.

Postnatal depression in fathers is associated with increased risk for psychiatric disorders in children at age 7 years, particularly oppositional defiant disorder, anxiety, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (JW Pediatr Adolesc Med May 7 2008), but the cause of this association is not known. Researchers conducted a cross-sectional analysis of interview data from a nationally representative prospective study of families of children born between 1998 and 2000. Overall, 1746 fathers who lived with their children were interviewed when their children were 1 year old, and 7% of fathers had depression on the basis of a standardized diagnostic interview.

Depressed fathers were significantly more likely to be unemployed or to report substan…

Reviewing Author

Martin T. Stein, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory boardPearson Neuroscience Advisory Board

Speaker’s bureauAmerican Academy of Pediatrics

RoyaltiesElsevier, Inc.

Editorial boardsJournal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics

Martin T. Stein, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory boardPearson Neuroscience Advisory Board

Speaker’s bureauAmerican Academy of Pediatrics

RoyaltiesElsevier, Inc.

Editorial boardsJournal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics