ABSTRACT
Background
Depression symptoms may negatively affect the achievement of developmental tasks within the transition to parenthood, increasing the risk of paternal adjustment problems and negative paternal attitudes.
Objective
This study analysed the effect of men’s depression symptoms on paternal adjustment and paternal attitudes trajectories from the second trimester of pregnancy to six months postpartum.
Methods
A sample of 127 men completed measures of depression symptoms and paternal adjustment and paternal attitudes at the second trimester of pregnancy and at six months postpartum.
Results
From the second trimester of pregnancy to six months postpartum, men with more depression symptoms revealed a decrease on positive attitudes towards sex (while men with fewer depression symptoms revealed an increase), a steeper decrease in the satisfaction with marital relationship (than men with fewer depression symptoms), and a decrease in positive attitudes towards pregnancy and the baby (while men with fewer depression symptoms revealed an increase).
Conclusion
Depression symptoms early in pregnancy may represent a risk factor to increased paternal adjustment problems and negative paternal attitudes during the transition to parenthood.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Ethical approval
All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.