Development of the Paternal Brain in Humans throughout Pregnancy.

Previous studies have demonstrated that paternal caregiving behaviors are reliant on neural pathways similar to those supporting maternal care. Interestingly, a greater variability exists in parental phenotypes in men than in women among individuals and mammalian species. However, less is known about when or how such variability emerges in men. We investigated the longitudinal changes in the neural, hormonal, and psychological bases of expression of paternal caregiving in humans throughout pregnancy and the first 4 months of the postnatal period. We measured oxytocin and testosterone, paternity-related psychological traits, and neural response to infant-interaction videos using fMRI in first-time fathers and childless men at three time points (early to mid-pregnancy, late pregnancy, and postnatal). We found that paternal-specific brain activity in prefrontal areas distinctly develops during middle-to-late pregnancy and is enhanced in the postnatal period. In addition, among fathers, the timing of the development of prefrontal brain activity was associated with specific parenting phenotypes.

Experiences of fathers caring for children with neurodevelopmental disorders: A meta-synthesis.

Parents raising children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) experience greater family, health, and psychosocial dysfunction due to the compounding nature of children's NDD and disease manifestations. Furthermore, the experiences of fathers and mothers are significantly different, and there is a paucity of consolidated evidence on fathers' experiences. A systematic review and meta-synthesis were conducted using Sandelowski and Barroso's approach. Six electronic databases were searched for relevant articles published between November 2011 and November 2021. Thirty-eight studies were included in this review. An overarching theme "Out of the Shadows, and Into the Sunshine" emerged along with four main themes: (a) "The Illness Is All the Time": An Overwhelming Experience, (b) "Navigating health care and Education Systems," (c) "Strong Alone, Stronger Together," and (d) "My Child Is Different Not Less: A Different Perspective." This meta-synthesis analyzed the facilitators and barriers married fathers of children with NDD faced and suggested a paradigm shift where these fathers are becoming more actively involved in the care of their children. There is a need for family clinicians and therapists and health care, education, and workforce policymakers to collaborate to tackle the current and potential unique barriers faced by fathers of children with NDD.

Inventory of Father Involvement and Fathers' Perceptions of Family Life / Inventário de Envolvimento Paterno e Percepções dos Pais sobre a Vida Familiar / Inventario de Participación Paterna y Percepciones de los Padres sobre la Vida Familiar

Cross-cultural comparisons of father involvement and related issues are still scarce, as are consolidated measures for its assessment. We examined relationships among father involvement and family-related variables, in Brazil, and then compared these results with findings from other countries. In total, 200 fathers with children aged 5 to 10 completed the Brazilian version of the Inventory of Father Involvement (IFI-BR), and measures of stress, marital satisfaction, parent-child relationship, children's social skills and their behavior problems. Correlations among these variables were between .32 and .58, providing new evidence of validity for the IFI-BR. When comparing Brazilian results with correlations observed in other countries, the majority did not differ in magnitude, indicating that father involvement systematically influences the fathers' well-being, family relationships, and their children's socioemotional development, in different countries. In addition to the psychometric evidence for the IFI-BR, these results also indicate the potential for using the IFI in different cultures. (AU)

Comparações transculturais do envolvimento paterno e questões relacionadas ainda são escassas, como são medidas consolidadas para sua avaliação. Examinou-se relações entre o envolvimento paterno e variáveis relacionadas à família, no Brasil, e comparou-se esses resultados com os de outros países. No total, 200 pais com filhos de 5 a 10 anos completaram a versão brasileira do Inventory of Father Involvement (IFI-BR), medidas de estresse, satisfação conjugal, relacionamento pai-filho, habilidades sociais das crianças e seus problemas de comportamento. Correlações entre essas variáveis variaram de 0,32 a 0,58, fornecendo novas evidências de validade para o IFI-BR. Comparando os resultados brasileiros com correlações de outros países, a maioria não diferiu em magnitude, indicando que o envolvimento paterno influencia sistematicamente o bem-estar paterno, as relações familiares e o desenvolvimento socioemocional infantil, em diferentes países. Além das evidências psicométricas para o IFI-BR, esses resultados também indicam o potencial de uso do IFI em diferentes culturas. (AU)

Las comparaciones transculturales de la participación del padre y temas relacionados aún son escasas, al igual que las medidas consolidadas para su evaluación. Examinamos las relaciones entre la participación del padre y las variables relacionadas con la familia en Brasil y comparamos estos resultados con los de otros países. En total, 200 padres de niños de 5 a 10 años completaron la versión brasileña del Inventory of Father Involvement (IFI-BR), medidas de estrés, satisfacción conyugal, relación padre-hijo, habilidades sociales de los niños y problemas de comportamiento infantil. Las correlaciones entre estas variables oscilaron entre .32 y .58, proporcionando nueva evidencia de validez para el IFI-BR. Al comparar los resultados brasileños con las correlaciones de otros países, la mayoría no difería en magnitud, lo que indica que la participación paterna influye sistemáticamente en el bienestar paterno, las relaciones familiares y el desarrollo socioemocional infantil en diferentes países. Además de la evidencia psicométrica do IFI-BR, estos resultados también indican el potencial de usar el IFI en diferentes culturas. (AU)

Effects of oxytocin and vasopressin administration on human fathers' sensitive and challenging parenting: A randomized within-subject controlled trial.

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled within-subject study examined the effects of intranasal administration of oxytocin and vasopressin on fathers' sensitive and challenging parenting behaviors. Furthermore, we examined the moderating role of fathers' early childhood experiences. The sample consisted of 70 fathers with their 2- to 12-month-old infants. All fathers were assigned to each of the three experimental sessions (oxytocin, vasopressin, and placebo), on three separate days, with random order and intervening periods of one to two weeks. Sensitive and challenging parenting behaviors (CPB) were observed during a 10-minute free play task. Results showed no effects of vasopressin administration on paternal sensitivity. Fathers in the oxytocin condition were less sensitive than fathers in the placebo condition, and this effect was moderated by fathers' own childhood experiences: Fathers who reported higher levels of experienced parental love withdrawal were less sensitive in the oxytocin condition as compared to the placebo condition, whereas fathers with less experienced parental love withdrawal showed no difference in sensitivity between the oxytocin and placebo condition. No effects were found of oxytocin and vasopressin administration on fathers' CPB. Our results, although partly unexpected, are largely in line with previous literature showing that oxytocin administration can exert negative effects in individuals with adverse childhood experiences.

The Neural Basis of Human Fatherhood: A Unique Biocultural Perspective on Plasticity of Brain and Behavior.

With the growing involvement of fathers in childrearing and the application of neuroscientific tools to research on parenting, there is a need to understand how a father's brain and neurohormonal systems accommodate the transition to parenthood and how such neurobiological changes impact children's mental health, sociality, and family functioning. In this paper, we present a theoretical model on the human father's brain and the neural adaptations that take place when fathers assume an involved role. The neurobiology of fatherhood shows great variability across individuals, societies, and cultures and is shaped to a great extent by bottom-up caregiving experiences and the amount of childrearing responsibilities. Mechanisms of mother-father coparental brain coordination and hormonal correlates of paternal behavior are detailed. Adaptations in the father's brain during pregnancy and across the postpartum year carry long-term implications for children's emotion regulation, stress management, and symptom formation. We propose a new conceptual model of HEALthy Father Brain that describes how a father's brain serves as a source of resilience in the context of family adversity and its capacity to "heal", protect, and foster social brain maturation and functionality in family members via paternal sensitivity, attunement, and support, which, in turn, promote child development and healthy family functioning. Father's brain provides a unique model on neural plasticity as sustained by committed acts of caregiving, thereby affording a novel perspective on the brain basis of human affiliation.

Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System for Dads: A piloted randomized trial of public health surveillance of recent fathers' behaviors before and after infant birth.

BACKGROUND: Becoming a father impacts men's health and wellbeing, while also contributing to the health and wellbeing of mothers and children. There is no large-scale, public health surveillance system aimed at understanding the health and behaviors of men transitioning into fatherhood. The purpose of this study was to describe piloted randomized approaches of a state-based surveillance system examining paternal behaviors before and after their infant's birth to better understand the health needs of men and their families during the transition to parenthood. METHODS: During October 2018-July 2019, 857 fathers in Georgia were sampled 2-6 months after their infant's birth from birth certificates files and surveyed via mail, online or telephone, in English or Spanish, using two randomized approaches: Indirect-to-Dads and Direct-to-Dads. Survey topics included mental and physical health, healthcare, substance use, and contraceptive use. FINDINGS: Weighted response rates (Indirect-to-Dads, 33%; Direct-to-Dads, 31%) and population demographics did not differ by approach. Respondents completed the survey by mail (58%), online (28%) or telephone (14%). Among 266 fathers completing the survey, 55% had a primary care physician, and 49% attended a healthcare visit for themselves during their infant's mother's pregnancy or since their infant's birth. Most fathers were overweight or had obesity (70%) while fewer reported smoking cigarettes (19%), binge drinking (13%) or depressive symptoms (10%) since their infant's birth. CONCLUSIONS: This study tests a novel approach for obtaining population-based estimates of fathers' perinatal health behaviors, with comparable response rates from two pragmatic approaches. The pilot study results quantify a number of public health needs related to fathers' health and healthcare access.

"What kind of man gets depressed after having a baby?" Fathers' experiences of mental health during the perinatal period.

BACKGROUND: To date, information and support has been focused on mothers, with evidence that healthcare professionals overlook fathers' mental health, and that fathers receive little or no support for themselves during the perinatal period. However, recently, fathers' mental health has become an area of interest. METHODS: This study explored the support fathers receive for their own mental health during the perinatal period. A qualitative questionnaire was distributed on social media networks and completed by twenty-nine fathers. RESULTS: Thematic analysis produced three main themes: Factors Influencing Fathers' Mental Health, Consequences of Poor Mental Health in Fathers and Solutions to Improve Fathers' Mental Health. CONCLUSIONS: The findings from this study highlighted important implications about fathers' mental health and the need to support them more effectively. Fathers' reluctance to seek support and the limited support available need to be addressed. Fathers in this study perceived that perinatal health professionals view 'mothers as the priority'. It is clear that health professionals need more training on how to recognise that fathers are also important and need support for their mental health.

Fathers' involvement in child care activities: Qualitative findings from the highlands of Madagascar.

Few studies have investigated fathers' roles in child care in Madagascar. This study explored the perceptions, attitudes, and practices regarding fathers' involvement in child care using qualitative methods. Ten focus group discussions were conducted among parents of children aged 6-23 months; seven were among mothers, and three among fathers. In-depth semi-structured interviews (n = 8) were also conducted with key informants. Discussions and interviews were audio-recorded and the verbatim transcripts in Malagasy were translated into English. Data were analyzed using the thematic analysis approach. Provision of financial and material support as well as teaching and playing with the child were the main perceived roles of fathers. In practice, fathers spent their time alone with their children playing and holding them when the mother was unavailable. Busy schedules and separation due to work were major barriers to fathers' involvement. Traditional gender roles for child care in which the mother is seen as primarily responsible for the child were salient across the data. Consequently, men involved in child care activities and their wives were often criticized by the community. Nevertheless, there was self-reported interest from both mothers and fathers in involving men more in child care. Interventions aimed to increase fathers' involvement in child care may be more successful when they focus on shifting the community perceptions on the division of responsibilities between fathers and mothers.

How do the FIFA World Cup 2018 and the 2016 UEFA championships impact a pediatric emergency department?

INTRODUCTION: In France, soccer is the most popular sport, which today attracts a huge television audience with millions of spectators in the case of international competitions. During certain games with European top clubs, the attendance of adult emergencies is impacted. However, the impact of international soccer competitions on pediatric emergency department (PED) activity has not been evaluated. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of attendance in the PED of a tertiary university hospital in Nancy (France) during the UEFA 2016 championship and the FIFA 2018 World Cup. Games were represented by 2.5-h blocks and the tournament period was compared with the same period in the previous year. RESULTS: Considering all games, we did not observe an impact of PED attendance. The admission rate was significantly lower during the final phase (11.1 patients per match vs. 13.9, P=0.037). We observed a decrease in consultations for trauma (4.9 vs. 6.7, P=0.006). The effects were higher during games involving the national French team, with a decrease in less severe admissions (P=0.034), attendance of older children (P=0.016), and the presence of the father as accompanying adult (P=0.002). During the two final matches, we observed a decrease of 14% in the total activity. CONCLUSION: We found significant differences in PED attendance during two international soccer tournaments. It would be interesting to study this effect in countries other than France or in countries with different sport habits.

The Role of Remembered Parenting on Adult Self-Esteem: A Monozygotic Twin Difference Study.

Self-esteem is an attitude about the self that predicts psychopathology and general well-being. Parenting practices have been shown to be related to self-esteem, but these estimates are confounded because parents and children share genes. The aim of the present study was to use the monozygotic (MZ) twin difference design to isolate the non-shared environmental impact of remembered parenting on self-esteem. In a sample of 1328 adults (345 MZ twin pairs, 319 DZ twin pairs), retrospective reports of maternal and paternal affection were related to self-esteem, all of which were significantly heritable. Using MZ difference scores, paternal affection differences, but not maternal affection differences, were significantly related to self-esteem differences. These results suggest that parenting provided by the father directly impacts self-esteem through non-shared environmental mechanisms. Maternal affection, on the other hand, impacts self-esteem through shared genes (not shared environment, as shared environment was not a significant aspect of self-esteem). This has implications for parenting intervention programs.

Development of the paternal brain in expectant fathers during early pregnancy.

The human parenting brain network mediates caregiving behaviors. When exposed to the stimuli of their infants, compared with non-parents, both fathers and mothers exhibit distinct patterns of neural activation. As human males, relative to females, do not undergo robust physiological changes during pregnancy, when and how the paternal brain networks begin to form remains unclear. Thus, using functional MRI, we examined brain activation in response to infant-interaction videos in two groups, childless males and first-time expectant fathers during their partners' early pregnancy before remarkable changes in their partners' appearances commenced. Multivoxel pattern analysis revealed that expectant fathers' left anterior insula and inferior frontal gyrus showed incipient changes in response to parenthood during early pregnancy. Furthermore, these changes were associated with several paternal traits, such as a negative image toward parenting. Such external factors might influence the paternal brain's development during early pregnancy.

Does the COVID-19 pandemic impact parents' and adolescents' well-being? An EMA-study on daily affect and parenting.

Due to the COVID- 19 outbreak in the Netherlands (March 2020) and the associated social distancing measures, families were enforced to stay at home as much as possible. Adolescents and their families may be particularly affected by this enforced proximity, as adolescents strive to become more independent. Yet, whether these measures impact emotional well-being in families with adolescents has not been examined. In this ecological momentary assessment study, we investigated if the COVID-19 pandemic affected positive and negative affect of parents and adolescents and parenting behaviors (warmth and criticism). Additionally, we examined possible explanations for the hypothesized changes in affect and parenting. To do so, we compared daily reports on affect and parenting that were gathered during two periods of 14 consecutive days, once before the COVID-19 pandemic (2018-2019) and once during the COVID-19 pandemic. Multilevel analyses showed that only parents' negative affect increased as compared to the period before the pandemic, whereas this was not the case for adolescents' negative affect, positive affect and parenting behaviors (from both the adolescent and parent perspective). In general, intolerance of uncertainty was linked to adolescents' and parents' negative affect and adolescents' positive affect. However, Intolerance of uncertainty, nor any pandemic related characteristics (i.e. living surface, income, relatives with COVID-19, hours of working at home, helping children with school and contact with COVID-19 patients at work) were linked to the increase of parents' negative affect during COVID-19. It can be concluded that on average, our sample (consisting of relatively healthy parents and adolescents) seems to deal fairly well with the circumstances. The substantial heterogeneity in the data however, also suggest that whether or not parents and adolescents experience (emotional) problems can vary from household to household. Implications for researchers, mental health care professionals and policy makers are discussed.

Mating and parenting experiences sculpture mood-modulating effects of oxytocin-MCH signaling.

The two hypothalamic neuropeptides oxytocin and melanin concentrating hormone (MCH) share several physiological actions such as the control of maternal care, sexual behavior, and emotions. In this study, we uncover the role for the oxytocin-MCH signaling pathway in mood regulation. We identify discrete effects of oxytocin-MCH signaling on depressive behavior and demonstrate that parenting and mating experiences shape these effects. We show that the selective deletion of OXT receptors from MCH neurons increases and decreases depressive behavior in sexually naïve and late postpartum female mice respectively, with no effect on sexually naïve male mice. We demonstrate that both parenting experience and mood-regulating effects of oxytocin-MCH are associated with synaptic plasticity in the reward and fear circuits revealed by the alterations of Arc expressions, which are associated with the depressive behavior. Finally, we uncover the sex-dependent effects of mating on depressive behavior; while the sexual activity reduces the basal levels of depressive behavior in male mice, it reduces in female mice evoked-depression only. We demonstrate that the oxytocin-MCH pathway mediates the effects of sexual activity on depressive behavior. Our data suggest that the oxytocin-MCH pathway can serve as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of major depression and postpartum mood disorders.

Parent-child joint media engagement in infancy.

Early conversations are an important source in shaping children's cognitive and emotional development, and it is vital to understand how parents use media as a platform to engage in conversations with their young children and what might predict the quality of these interactions. Thus, in the current study we explored the nature of parent-child discourse while engaging in media (i.e., joint media engagement) with infants, and how parent (empathic concern and responsiveness) and child (negative emotionality and regulatory capacity) variables might be associated with the quality of engagement. The current study consisted of 269 infants (50% female, Mage  = 17.09 months, SD = 3.93; 59% White) and their primary caregiver (98% mothers) who engaged in a variety of in-home tasks and parental questionnaires. Results established three meaningful codes for both parent and child that assessed positive and negative joint media engagement. Further, results suggested that parental empathic concern was associated with positive parent and child media engagement, while child negative emotionality was associated with lower levels of distraction. Discussion focuses on the importance of studying parent-child discourse in the context of joint media engagement and recommends limiting media exposure before 18 months of age.

Male involvement and associated factors in birth preparedness and complication readiness in Debre Berhan Town, North East Ethiopia.

INTRODUCTION: Men play indispensable role in health and wellbeing of mothers and children. Their level of involvement with regards to birth preparedness and complication readiness is understudied. This study was therefore carried out to assess male involvement and associated factors in birth preparedness and complication readiness in Debre Berhan town, North East Ethiopia. METHODS: Community based cross-sectional study was conducted from July 1st - 30th, 2014 in Debre Berhan town among 806 study participants. Cluster sampling technique was employed to select study participants. Data were collected using a structured and pre-tested questionnaire by face-to-face interview technique. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to check associations and control confounding. RESULTS: The study showed that male involvement in birth preparedness and complication readiness found to be 51.4%. Educational status of tertiary level (AOR = 4.37 95% (CI: 2.10, 9.13), having 1 or 2 children (AOR = 2.52, 95% CI:1.30,4.87) and 3 or 4 (AOR = 5.19, 95% CI:2.44,11.03), knowledge of danger signs (AOR = 7.71, 95% (CI:5.15, 11.54), knowledge of birth preparedness and complication readiness (AOR = 11.98, 95% CI:7.73,18.56) and attitude (AOR = 2.23, 95% CI: 1.41,3.51) were significantly associated with male involvement in birth preparedness and complication readiness. CONCLUSION: Male involvement in birth preparedness and complication readiness found to be low in study area. Education, number of children, knowledge on danger signs, knowledge on birth preparedness and complication readiness and attitude were factors associated with male involvement. Creating awareness on danger signs of pregnancy, birth preparedness and complication readiness both at community and institutional level were recommended in order to increase male involvement in birth preparedness and complication readiness.

SUPER scale to the rescue: reconciling what parents say and what they communicate during their child's pain.

Aim: Fully illuminating mechanisms relating parent behaviors to child pain require examining both verbal and nonverbal communication. We conducted a multimethod investigation into parent nonverbal communication and physiology, and investigated the psychometric properties of the Scheme for Understanding Parent Emotive Responses Scale to assess parent nonverbals accompanying reassurance and distraction. Materials & methods: 23 children (7-12 years of age) completed the cold pressor task with their parent (predominately mothers). Parent heart rate and heart rate variability were monitored and assessed. The Scheme for Understanding Parent Emotive Responses Scale coding of parent nonverbal behaviors (i.e., vocal cues, facial expressions, posture) was used to detect levels of fear, warmth, disengagement and humor. Results & conclusion: Preliminary evidence for the psychometric properties of the scale are offered. Parent reassurance was associated with more fear, less warmth and less humor compared with distraction.

Do workplace characteristics moderate the effects of attitudes on father warmth and engagement?

Though many fathers want to be warmer, more nurturing, and more actively involved than prior generations (i.e., the new fatherhood ideal), they also embrace a father's traditional role as financial earner. Thus, we hypothesized that fathers' attitudes about their roles would likely interact with workplace characteristics to produce variations in father warmth and engagement. Using a national sample of 1,020 employed U.S. fathers with children ages 2-8 years old, results suggest that adherence to the new fatherhood ideal was associated with more frequent father engagement and warmth, while endorsing traditional gender norms was associated with less father warmth. Also consistent with prior research showing that family friendly work cultures may enable fathers to be more engaged parents, we find that a family supportive workplace and greater flexibility in when and where fathers work, were associated with more frequent father engagement and warmth. Moreover, interaction results suggest that the associations between job flexibility and engagement are stronger for fathers who do not fully endorse the new fatherhood ideal; associations between workplace support and warmth are also stronger for fathers who do not fully endorse the new fatherhood ideal. Thus, flexibility and a family supportive workplace may particularly enable father involvement for fathers whose attitudes might otherwise be a barrier to their involvement. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Be quiet and man up: a qualitative questionnaire study into fathers who witnessed their Partner's birth trauma.

BACKGROUND: Research focusing on paternal mental health is limited, especially regarding the impact of the experience of poor mental health in the perinatal period. For example, little is known about the experiences of fathers who witness their partner's traumatic birth and the subsequent impact on their mental health. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore fathers' experiences of witnessing a traumatic birth, how these experiences impacted their wellbeing, and what support they received during and following the traumatic birth. METHODS: Sixty-one fathers were recruited via targeted social media to complete an anonymous online qualitative questionnaire regarding their birth trauma experience. Eligible participants were fathers aged eighteen or over, resided in the UK and had witnessed their partner's traumatic birth (that did not result in loss of life). Thematic analysis was used to analyse the questionnaire data. RESULTS: Three main themes were identified: 'fathers' understanding of the experience' (subthemes: nothing can prepare you for it; merely a passenger; mixed experiences with staff; not about me); 'life after birth trauma' (subthemes: manhood after birth; inability to be happy; impact on relationships); and 'the support fathers received vs what they wanted' (subthemes: prenatal support; birth support; and postnatal support). CONCLUSIONS: Fathers reported that witnessing their partner's traumatic birth had a significant impact on them. They felt this affected their mental health and relationships long into the postnatal period. However, there is no nationally recognised support in place for fathers to use as a result of their experiences. The participants attributed this to being perceived as less important than women in the postnatal period, and maternity services' perceptions of the father more generally. Implications include ensuring support is available for both the mother and father following a traumatic birth, with additional staff training geared towards the father's role.