WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Fathers' mental health problems are linked to slightly poorer development in their children, including how they think, speak, interact with others, and grow physically, according to a study published in JAMA Pediatrics.
The researchers noted that this link is especially strong during the perinatal period, the time from pregnancy to the child's second birthday. During this stage, babies are very sensitive to their parents' mental health, especially the mother's.
The findings come from 84 earlier studies that followed thousands of fathers and their children over time. These studies measured the fathers' mental health from pregnancy upto two years after birth. Notably, researchers left out studies where fathers had medical conditions or used alcohol, drugs, or certain medications.
The study found that fathers' mental health issues after birth had a stronger impact on child development than those before conception. This suggests that a father's mental state might have a more direct effect on the child after birth. Poor mental health can make it harder for fathers to connect with their children and build a strong emotional bond.
'This suggests that when fathers experience mental distress, it may be linked to how their child engages with others, understands emotions, thinks about the world, communicates and experiences physical health outcomes, such as weight, sleep and eating patterns,' said Dr. Sam Teague, a senior research fellow at James Cook University's Department of Psychology.
However, one limitation of the study is that some of the data came from unpublished work like doctoral theses or interviews. The researchers stated that out of 674 findings, 286 came from these sources.
Still, when researchers compared the results from published and unpublished work, the outcomes were mostly the same across different areas of child development.
'There will be cascading benefits for men and the development of their growing child. The study underscores how getting in early to support dads-both before and soon after the arrival of a new child-is critical,' concluded lead author Dr. Delyse Hutchinson.
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