Devantier, Malcolm (2019) A Systematic Literature Review of the impact of Paternal Post-natal Depression on Child Well-being. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
The literature regarding the influence of post-natal depression (PND) on children is extensive and attracts a great deal of interest. Such research has until recently mainly focused on M-PND (maternal), however there is growing evidence that P-PND (paternal) also plays a role in the child’s well-being, thus creating a need to determine to what extent P-PND impacts on the child’s well-being. The present study aim was to review the relationship between P-PND and the well-being of the child, and was conducted using a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach. Nineteen studies were identified from the extensive body of research on the topic that represent data on more than 104 000 pregnancies in nine countries, 55 500 of which have sufficient data to allow an assessment of the relationship between paternal PND and child wellbeing. It was found that for 11 of these studies, which represent data on 73% (of the abovementioned 55 500 pregnancies), a statistically significant relationship does indeed exist between P-PND and child well-being. Four studies, representing a further 10% of pregnancies only show a statistically significant relationship between P-PND and child well-being once the relationship is either mediated or moderated by adding secondary variables, such as post-natal marital conflict (disharmony). This in itself is a major finding, but given the relative homogeneity of the overall data set used it is too early to use the results to establish definitive treatment strategies and/or protocols. Therefore it is recommended herein that research should on the one hand focus on establishing a more standardised approach for the diagnostic instruments used for the assessment of respectively PND (in mothers and fathers) and child well-being and on the other to endeavour to expand the research data base on pregnancies to more closely reflect the diversity experienced by practitioners. This study shows how vital the post-natal mental health of the fathers is to parenting behaviour and child well-being. These results and the proposed follow-up research will provide important inputs for policy and practice. Through improved partnering between researchers and practitioners it should improve parenting and mental health support to fathers.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
|---|---|
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Psychology and Counselling (1 Jan 2015 - 31 Dec 2021) |
| Supervisors: | James Brown |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) |
| Date Deposited: | 28 Aug 2025 04:10 |
| Last Modified: | 28 Aug 2025 04:10 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Fathers; paternal; post-natal depression; child well-being |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52264 |
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