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Jones SL, Caccese C, Davis KP, Lew J, Elgbeili G, Herba CM, Barnwell J, Robert CH, Gavanski I, Horsley K, Fraser WD, Da Costa D, Séguin JR, Nguyen TV, Montreuil TC. Longitudinal associations between paternal mental health and child behavior and cognition in middle childhood. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1218384. [PMID: 38022974 PMCID: PMC10646505 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1218384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Paternal mental health has been associated with adverse consequences on offspring psychosocial development, and family environmental factors may partly explain those associations. To clarify this, we need comprehensive prospective studies, particularly in middle-childhood when the child enters school and is expected to make use of behavioral and cognitive skills as part of their interactions and learning. Method Using data from a sub-sample of the prospective 3D birth cohort study comprised of mother-father-child triads, and a follow-up of the parents and the children at 6-8 years of age (n = 61; 36 boys, 25 girls), we examined whether paternal anxious and depressive symptoms measured during the pregnancy period (i.e., prenatally) or concurrently when the child was assessed at 6-8 years old were associated with children's cognition/behavior. Results In contrast to our hypotheses, we found that greater prenatal paternal depressive symptoms predicted fewer child behavioral difficulties; and that greater concurrent childhood paternal depression or anxiety symptoms were associated with higher child full-scale IQ, controlling for the equivalent maternal mental health assessment and parental education. Father parenting perception did not mediate these associations, nor were they moderated by maternal mental health at the concurrent assessment, or paternal ratings of marital relationship quality. Discussion These findings suggest that higher symptoms of paternal mental health symptoms are associated with fewer child behavioral difficulties and higher cognitive performance in middle childhood. Potential clinical implications and future research directions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherri Lee Jones
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Research Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Christina Caccese
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Research Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Kelsey P. Davis
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jimin Lew
- Department of Psychiatry, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Research Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Guillaume Elgbeili
- Department of Psychiatry, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Catherine M. Herba
- Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine Mother and Child University Hospital Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Julia Barnwell
- Department of Psychiatry, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, Human Genetics and Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Cindy Hénault Robert
- Department of Psychiatry, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Research Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Kristin Horsley
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - William D. Fraser
- Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine Mother and Child University Hospital Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Sherbrooke, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Deborah Da Costa
- Department of Physical and Occupational Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jean R. Séguin
- Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine Mother and Child University Hospital Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Tuong-Vi Nguyen
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Reproductive Psychiatry Program, Department of Psychiatry and Obstetrics and Gynecology, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Tina C. Montreuil
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine Mother and Child University Hospital Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, Human Genetics and Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, Faculty of Education, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Nath S, Russell G, Kuyken W, Psychogiou L, Ford T. Does father-child conflict mediate the association between fathers' postnatal depressive symptoms and children's adjustment problems at 7 years old? Psychol Med 2016; 46:1719-1733. [PMID: 26965923 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291716000234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Paternal depressive symptoms are associated with children's emotional and behavioural problems, which may be mediated by negative parenting. But there is no research on the influence of paternal depressive symptoms on children's emotion regulation and limited literature investigating fathers' parenting as a mediator in the pathway between paternal depressive symptoms and children's externalizing and internalizing problems. We aimed to investigate the mediating role of father-child conflict (at 3 years) in the association between postnatal paternal depressive symptoms (at 9 months) and children's emotional and behavioural problems (at 7 years) (aim 1). We also examined whether mediation pathways were more pronounced for boys or for girls (aim 2). METHOD Secondary data analysis was conducted on the Millennium Cohort Study, when children were 9 months, 3 years and 7 years old (n = 3520). Main study variables were measured by self-report questionnaires. Fathers completed the Rutter Scale (depressive symptoms) and the Parent-Child Relationship Questionnaire (father-child conflict), while mothers completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Social Behaviour Questionnaire (child emotional and behavioural problems, emotion regulation). We used structural equation modelling to estimate direct, indirect and total effects of paternal depressive symptoms on child outcomes, mediated by father-child conflict whilst adjusting for relevant covariates (maternal depressive symptoms, child temperament, marital conflict, and socio-economic factors such as poverty indicator and fathers' education level). Multi-group and interaction analysis was then conducted to determine the differential effect by gender of the association between paternal depressive symptoms on child outcomes via father-child conflict. RESULTS Father-child conflict mediated the association between paternal depressive symptoms and emotion regulation problems [standardized indirect effect (SIE) 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.03 to -0.01, p < 0.001; standardized total effect (STE) 95% CI -0.05 to -0.01, p < 0.05] (aim 1). Father-child conflict mediated a larger proportion of the effect in boys (SIE 95% CI -0.03 to -0.01, p < 0.001; STE 95% CI -0.05 to 0.00, p = 0.063) than it did in girls (SIE 95% CI -0.02 to -0.01, p < 0.001; STE 95% CI -0.04 to 0.01, p = 0.216) (aim 2). CONCLUSIONS Father-child conflict may mediate the association between postnatal paternal depressive symptoms and children's emotion regulation problems. Paternal depressive symptoms and father-child conflict resolution may be potential targets in preventative interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Nath
- Mood Disorders Centre,University of Exeter,Exeter,UK
| | - G Russell
- Institute of Health Research,University of Exeter Medical School,Exeter,UK
| | - W Kuyken
- University Department of Psychiatry,University of Oxford,Warneford Hospital,Oxford,UK
| | - L Psychogiou
- Mood Disorders Centre,University of Exeter,Exeter,UK
| | - T Ford
- Institute of Health Research,University of Exeter Medical School,Exeter,UK
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