Links between perceived social support, sense of parental efficacy and postpartum paternal depression

Objective

Although fathers are strongly encouraged to get involved in parenthood since pregnancy, there is still little research on the perinatal experience of fatherhood. In order to better understand and appreciate the experience of fathers during the first months after their child's birth, in this study we investigated the links between perceived social support, sense of parental efficacy and postpartum depression. Similar to studies on mothers, several risk factors may increase the fathers’ vulnerability to the development of postpartum depression symptoms. The objective of this study was to determine whether higher levels of perceived social support and sense of parental efficacy are predictive of lower levels of postpartum depression symptoms in a sample of fathers living in France.

Material and method

The study population is made up of 376 fathers aged 18 to 59 years old, living in France, and having had a child in the past 6 months. Fathers answered to measures of depression symptoms (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale), perceived social support (Social Provisions Scale), and sense of parental efficacy (Parenting Expectations Survey).

Results

In accordance with our hypotheses, fathers who reported the lowest perceptions of their parental efficacy and the lowest levels of perceived social support are those who reported the highest levels of postpartum depression symptoms. Low levels of perceived social support and of sense of parental efficacy predicted higher postpartum depression symptoms in fathers. Multiple linear regression analyses also showed that the oldest fathers in our sample (30 years and more) had the highest depression scores, as well as lower levels of perceived social support and sense of parental efficacy than younger fathers. Primiparous fathers had higher postpartum depression scores and lower parental efficacy scores than multiparous fathers.

Conclusion

The considerable involvement of fathers in the study and the large size of our sample are strengths of our study that substantiate the interest of fathers in issues related to their parenthood, well-being and mental health. Our results encourage caregivers to give them more attention and well-tailored support to better respond to their specific needs during the transition to parenthood. Couple and individualized care for each parent should be proposed throughout the perinatal period in order to promote parental social support and sense of parental efficacy, particularly for first-time fathers, and to prevent postpartum disorders.