Elements of fatherhood involved in the gestational period: a scoping review.

OBJECTIVE: To identify in the literature and summarize the elements and characteristics of fatherhood involved during pregnancy. METHOD: Scoping review that used PRISMA-ScR guide to report this review. Searches were carried out in PubMed, CINAHL, PsycInfo, LILACS and Scopus. Google search engines and public health agency websites assisted in searches of gray literature and Rayyan in screening studies. RESULTS: A total of 406 articles were identified, of which 16 made up the final sample. Five elements make up an involved fatherhood: feeling like a father, being a provider and protector, being a partner and participant in pregnancy, participating in prenatal appointments and feeling prepared to take care of a baby. CONCLUSION: Fathers want to be involved in prenatal care, but feel excluded from this process. Public policies that encourage paternal involvement and healthcare professional training to better welcome and promote paternal involvement are of paramount importance.

Effect of paternal-maternal parenting styles on college students' internet addiction of different genders: The mediating role of life satisfaction.

This study aimed to understand the current situation of paternal-maternal parenting style, life satisfaction, and internet addiction among college students and explored the influence of paternal-maternal parenting styles and life satisfaction on the internet addiction of male and female college students. A questionnaire survey was administered to 967 college students in China. Life satisfaction partially mediated the effect of the paternal-maternal parenting styles on the internet addiction among college students. However, this mediating role completely varied by gender, and the dimensions of parental styles also had different effects. For male college students, life satisfaction mediated the two dimensions of parenting styles (the father's emotional warmth, the father's overprotection) and internet addiction; the mother's emotional warmth directly related to the internet addiction. Among females, life satisfaction played a partial mediating role between two dimensions of parenting styles (the father's emotional warmth, the mother's interference and protection) and internet addiction. the father's punitiveness and over-involvement were directly related to female students' internet addiction. The study reveals that the mediating effect of life satisfaction on parenting styles and internet addiction among college students is influenced by gender, and the relationship between different parenting styles and internet addiction also varies. These findings indicate that paying attention to the role of the family, especially the parenting style of fathers, is crucial for preventing internet addiction in the future. Prevention and intervention should be treated differently for male and female students.

Relationship between personality traits and postpartum depression in Pakistani fathers.

The previous studies have found an association between Big Five personality traits and postpartum depression in women. The present study aimed to find out an association between Big Five personality traits and postpartum depression in a sample of Pakistani fathers. A total of 400 Pakistani fathers who had birth of a child in the past 1 month to 1 year period and had been living with their married partners were recruited purposively by using Google Form based survey from the major cities of Pakistan. The Urdu translated versions of Big Five Personality Inventory (BFI) and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) were used as the main outcome measures to assess the relationship between personality traits and postpartum depression. The results found a significant negative and moderate association between Big Five personality traits and paternal postpartum depression except openness which had a weak association and neuroticism which had a positive and moderate association with PPPD (r(398) = .45). The multiple linear regression analysis found that Big Five personality traits significantly predicted paternal postpartum depression (F(5, 394) = 53.33, p = .001) except openness (B = .007, p = .98). The analysis of variance (ANOVA) found significant differences in paternal postpartum depression for age of father (F(2, 397) = 6.65, p = .001, ηp2 = .03), spouse age (F(2, 393) = 5.97, p = .003, ηp2 = .02), employment type (F(2, 395) = 9.69, p = .001, ηp2 = .04) and time spent at home (F(2, 397) = 6.23, p = .002, ηp2 = .03) while there were found no significant differences for education (F(2, 397) = 1.29, p = .27, ηp2 = .006), marital duration (F(2, 397) = 2.17, p = .11, ηp2 = .01), and birth number of recent child (F(2, 397) = 1.48, p = .22, ηp2 = .007). The study concluded that Big Five personality traits are significantly correlated with and predict paternal postpartum depression except openness which did not predict paternal postpartum depression. The occurrence of paternal postpartum depression varied significantly for age of father, age of spouse, type of employment and time spent at home.

Mothers' evaluations of fathers' contributions to raising children with autism spectrum disorder in the United Arab Emirates.

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurological condition which results in social skill deficits, communication difficulties, and restrictive and repetitive behaviour. The difficulties associated with parenting children with ASD have been studied extensively, mainly from the perspectives of mothers. The extent of involvement of fathers in the raising of children with ASD has received limited scholarly attention, especially in non-Western contexts such as the United Arab Emirates. OBJECTIVES: This study asked mothers to evaluate the involvement of fathers in the development of children with ASD. METHODS: In all, 240 mothers completed the Fathers' Involvement in Development and Rehabilitation Scale, designed based on a review of literature on the construct of involvement, namely attitude, participation in training, and support domains. The data were subjected to computation of mean scores, multivariate analysis of variance, hierarchical regression, and moderation analyses. RESULTS: The results suggested that fathers held positive attitudes and provided substantial support to their children with ASD. However, mothers were ambivalent regarding the participation of fathers in training to support the development of their children. Differences were also observed between participants according to marital status, location, child gender, and ASD severity. CONCLUSION: Recommendations for targeted training for fathers and other study implications are discussed.

Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes and Subsequent First-Time Use of Psychiatric Treatment Among Fathers in Denmark.

Importance: Becoming a first-time parent is a major life-changing event and can be challenging regardless of the pregnancy outcome. However, little is known how different adverse pregnancy outcomes affect the father's risk of psychiatric treatment post partum. Objective: To examine the associations of adverse pregnancy outcomes with first-time psychiatric treatment in first-time fathers. Design, Setting, and Participants: This nationwide cohort study covered January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2017, with a 1-year follow-up completed December 31, 2018. Data were gathered from Danish, nationwide registers. Participants included first-time fathers with no history of psychiatric treatment. Data were analyzed from August 1, 2022, to February 20, 2024. Exposures: Adverse pregnancy outcomes including induced abortion, spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, small for gestational age (SGA) and not preterm, preterm with or without SGA, minor congenital malformation, major congenital malformation, and congenital malformation combined with SGA or preterm compared with a full-term healthy offspring. Main Outcomes and Measures: Prescription of psychotropic drugs, nonpharmacological psychiatric treatment, or having a psychiatric hospital contact up to 1 year after the end of the pregnancy. Results: Of the 192 455 fathers included (median age, 30.0 [IQR, 27.0-34.0] years), 31.1% experienced an adverse pregnancy outcome. Most of the fathers in the study had a vocational educational level (37.1%). Fathers experiencing a stillbirth had a significantly increased risk of initiating nonpharmacological psychiatric treatment (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR], 23.10 [95% CI, 18.30-29.20]) and treatment with hypnotics (AHR, 9.08 [95% CI, 5.52-14.90]). Moreover, fathers experiencing an early induced abortion (≤12 wk) had an increased risk of initiating treatment with hypnotics (AHR, 1.74 [95% CI, 1.33-2.29]) and anxiolytics (AHR, 1.79 [95% CI, 1.18-2.73]). Additionally, late induced abortion (>12 wk) (AHR, 4.46 [95% CI, 3.13-6.38]) and major congenital malformation (AHR, 1.36 [95% CI, 1.05-1.74]) were associated with increased risk of nonpharmacological treatment. In contrast, fathers having an offspring being born preterm, SGA, or with a minor congenital malformation did not have a significantly increased risk of any of the outcomes. Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this Danish cohort study suggest that first-time fathers who experience stillbirths or induced abortions or having an offspring with major congenital malformation had an increased risk of initiating pharmacological or nonpharmacological psychiatric treatment. These findings further suggest a need for increased awareness around the psychological state of fathers following the experience of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Birth in Brazil II: a postpartum maternal, paternal and child health research protocol. / Nascer no Brasil II: protocolo de investigação da saúde materna, paterna e da criança no pós-parto.

Pregnancy, parturition and birth bring major changes to the lives of mothers and fathers. This article presents a research protocol for estimating the prevalence of postpartum mental health outcomes in mothers and fathers, abuse and satisfaction in delivery/abortion care, and the correlations between them and socioeconomic, obstetric, and child health factors. As a 2-component research, it consists of a prospective cohort study with all postpartum women interviewed in the 465 maternity hospitals included at the Birth in Brazil II baseline survey conducted from 2021 to 2023, and a cross-sectional study with the newborns' fathers/partners. Interviews will be conducted via telephone or self-completion link sent by WhatsApp with the mother at 2 and 4 months after delivery/abortion. Partners will be approached three months after birth (excluding abortions, stillbirths and newborn death) using the telephone number informed by the mother at the maternity ward. Postpartum women will be inquired about symptoms of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, abuse during maternity care and quality of the mother-newborn bond. Maternal and neonatal morbidity, use of postnatal services, and satisfaction with maternity care are also investigated. Fathers will be asked to report on symptoms of depression and anxiety, and the quality of the relationship with the partner and the newborn. The information collected in this research stage may help to plan and improve care aimed at the postpartum health of the mother-father-child triad.

A gravidez, o parto e o nascimento são momentos de grandes mudanças na vida das mães e dos pais. Este artigo tem como objetivo apresentar o protocolo da pesquisa para estimar a prevalência dos desfechos em saúde mental nas mães e pais no pós-parto, dos maus tratos e satisfação na atenção ao parto/abortamento, e as inter-relações entre eles e fatores socioeconômicos, obstétricos e da saúde da criança. A pesquisa tem dois componentes: estudo de coorte prospectiva com todas as puérperas entrevistadas nas 465 maternidades incluídas na linha de base da pesquisa Nascer no Brasil II realizada entre 2021 e 2023, e estudo seccional com os companheiros/pais dos bebês. As entrevistas são realizadas por ligação telefônica ou link de autopreenchimento enviado por WhatsApp com as puérperas aos 2 e 4 meses após o parto/aborto. Os companheiros são abordados três meses após o nascimento (excluídos os abortos, natimortos e neomortos), a partir do telefone informado pela puérpera na maternidade. As entrevistas abordam, entre as puérperas, sintomas de depressão, ansiedade e transtorno de estresse pós-traumático, maus-tratos na atenção na maternidade e qualidade do vínculo mãe-bebê. São investigados também a presença de morbidade materna e neonatal, utilização de serviços pós-natais, e satisfação com o atendimento na maternidade. Entre os pais, é abordada a ocorrência de sintomas de depressão e ansiedade, e a qualidade do relacionamento com a esposa/companheira e o bebê. As informações coletadas nessa etapa da pesquisa poderão subsidiar o planejamento e melhoria do cuidado voltado para a saúde da tríade mãe-pai-filho após o nascimento.

El embarazo, el parto y el nacimiento son momentos de grandes cambios en la vida de madres y padres. Este artículo tiene como objetivo presentar el protocolo de investigación para estimar la prevalencia de los resultados de la salud mental en madres y padres en el posparto, maltratos y la satisfacción durante la atención del parto/aborto, y las interrelaciones entre ellos y los factores socioeconómicos, obstétricos y de salud infantil. La investigación tiene dos componentes: un estudio de cohorte prospectivo con todas las puérperas entrevistadas en las 465 maternidades incluidas en la línea de base de la encuesta Nacer en Brasil II realizada entre 2021 y 2023, y un estudio seccional con las parejas/padres de los bebés. Las entrevistas se efectúan mediante llamada telefónica o enlace de autocumplimentación enviado vía WhatsApp a las puérperas a los 2 y 4 meses después del parto/aborto. El contacto con la pareja se hace a los tres meses del nacimiento (excluyendo abortos, mortinatos y muertes de recién nacidos), a través del teléfono facilitado por la puérpera en la sala de maternidad. Las entrevistas abordan, entre las puérperas, los síntomas de depresión, ansiedad y trastorno de estrés postraumático, maltrato durante la atención en la maternidad y la calidad del vínculo madre-bebé. También se investiga la presencia de morbilidad materna y neonatal, uso de servicios posnatales y satisfacción con la atención en la maternidad. Entre los padres, se aborda la ocurrencia de síntomas de depresión y ansiedad, y la calidad de la relación con la esposa/pareja y el bebé. La información recopilada en esta etapa de la investigación puede apoyar la planificación y mejora de la atención dirigida a la salud de la tríada madre-padre-hijo después del nacimiento.

Food parenting and Children's eating behaviour: Exploring the role of coparenting.

Parents have primary influence over the development of their children's eating behaviours, however less attention has been given to whether or how their coparenting plays a role in this association. The aim of this study was to investigate the cross-sectional associations between mothers' and fathers' food parenting practices and children's eating behaviour and examine whether coparenting quality moderates or confounds these associations. Parents (222 mothers and 167 fathers) with children 18 months to 5 years completed an online survey that assessed their food parenting practices and coparenting quality. One parent per family (91% mothers) also reported their children's food approach behaviours. We used linear regressions with generalized estimating equations to examine the associations between food parenting practices and children's eating behaviours. To explore moderation by coparenting quality, we included an interaction term in each model (coparenting quality x food parenting practice). To explore confounding, models were adjusted for coparenting quality. All models were stratified by parent gender and included parent educational attainment, child age, and child BMI z-scores as covariates. Among both mothers and fathers, we found that structure and autonomy support food parenting practices were inversely associated with children's food responsiveness, and desire to drink, while coercive control practices were positively associated with these food approach behaviours. We found the opposite direction of association between these food parenting practices and children's enjoyment of food. Among mothers, autonomy support was inversely associated with children's emotional overeating, while coercive control was positively associated with this eating behaviour. Coparenting quality did not moderate or confound the associations. Future studies should continue to explore these associations among families with young children and consider feeding coparenting in the association.

Trans men and paternal pregnancy: experiences during the pregnancy-puerperal period. / Homem trans e gestação paterna: experiências durante o período gravídico-puerperal.

This study aims to analyze the experiences of a transgender man during the gestational-puerperal period and the perspective of obstetric nurses in training based on the dynamics and organization of obstetric healthcare in a hospital setting. This qualitative study is based on a case study approach, employing interviews and direct observations to collect data. The analysis was based on the theoretical and normative framework of the Nursing Process, the Theory of Caring, and the theoretical/critical perspective of transfeminism. The results are organized into six categories: Transgender man in the context of pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum; partnership and parental dimensions; dilemmas faced by the pregnant couple; impressions recorded by the nursing professional; understanding of the case through a theoretical and epistemological lens; implications for healthcare professionals. We underscore the need to promote spaces for continuing education among healthcare professionals and to reformulate legislation in a way that enables the development of public policies based on respect for diversity and equitable care, recognizing the transgender population's specificities in the contexts of pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum.

Este estudo objetiva analisar as experiências de um homem trans durante o período gravídico-puerperal e a perspectiva de enfermeiras obstetras em formação, a partir das dinâmicas e da organização dos cuidados de saúde obstétricos em ambiente hospitalar. Trata-se de um estudo de abordagem qualitativa, baseado em estudo de caso, em que utilizou entrevistas e observações diretas para a coleta das informações. A análise foi feita a partir do marco teórico e normativo do Processo de Enfermagem, da Teoria dos Cuidados e da perspectiva teórico/crítica do transfeminismo. Os resultados estão organizados em seis categorias: Homem trans em contexto de gestação, parto e puerpério; parceria e dimensões parentais; dilemas enfrentados pelo casal grávido; impressões registradas pela profissional de enfermagem; compreensão do caso sob a lente teórica e epistemológica; implicações para os profissionais da saúde. Destaca-se a necessidade de promover espaços de educação permanente junto aos profissionais da saúde e reformular legislações de maneira a viabilizar a elaboração de políticas públicas baseada no respeito à diversidade e cuidado equânime, reconhecendo as especificidades da população trans nos contextos da gestação, parto e puerpério.

Digital activism about gay fatherhood on Instagram: male homoparenting in the picture. / Ativismo digital sobre paternidade gay no Instagram: a homoparentalidade masculina em cena.

In contemporary Brazil, the number of male fathers taking care of their sons and daughters and the initiatives to produce content about fatherhood on Instagram have been significant. This article aims to analyze the concepts that support the digital activism of homoparenting on Instagram, based on gender studies with men. To this end, a qualitative study was conducted using the life narrative method in a digital environment. The results were analyzed and divided into the following sections: parenting project, personal experience of fatherhood, articulation with LGBT political agenda when parenthood becomes a "business", and haters, criticism, and adverse reactions. It was concluded that the reflection on the experience of fatherhood/masculinity itself is crossed by the social marker of the difference in sexual orientation and the activism for rights that sustain content production. Thus, the uniqueness of each fatherhood is highlighted since the fact of being gay constructs the fatherhood experience for each man. Despite the initiatives brought forth in this study, changes are still in progress, as rights activism coexists with the advancement of conservative forces, which limit the expressions of sexual and gender otherness.

No Brasil contemporâneo tem sido expressivo tanto o número de homens-pais assumindo o cuidado de seus filhos e filhas, quanto das iniciativas de produção de conteúdo sobre paternidades no Instagram. Este artigo visa analisar as concepções que sustentam o ativismo digital da homoparentalidade no Instagram, a partir dos estudos de gênero com homens. Para tal, realizou-se um estudo qualitativo em ambiência digital, utilizando o método das narrativas de vida. Os resultados foram analisados e divididos nas seguintes seções: projeto de parentalidade; experiência pessoal de paternidade; articulação de agenda política LGBT; quando a paternidade vira um "negócio"; e haters, críticas e reações negativas. Conclui-se que a reflexão sobre a própria experiência de paternidade/masculinidade, atravessada pelo marcador social da diferença orientação sexual e o ativismo por direitos que sustentam a produção de conteúdo. Assim, ressalta-se a singularidade de cada paternidade, pois o fato de ser gay constrói a experiência de paternidade particular para cada homem. Apesar das iniciativas expostas, mudanças ainda são incipientes, visto que o ativismo por direitos coexiste com o avanço de forças conservadoras, que limitam as expressões das alteridades sexuais e de gênero.

The ABRAFH and the visibility of homo and transparenthood families. / A ABRAFH e a visibilidade de famílias homotransparentais.

This is an interview conducted by Anna Paula Uziel, a professor at Rio de Janeiro State University, with Saulo Amorim, who was president of ABRAFH (Brazilian Association of Homotransafetive Families), about the history of the Association, its impact on the spread of these family configurations, and how it intersects with the interviewee's fatherhood story. The different characters who make up this story speak about the political moment in the country, the incorporation of transparenthood into ABRAFH. and how it is becoming a space of sociability and comfort for those who practice non-hegemonic parenting.

Entrevista realizada por Anna Paula Uziel, professora da Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, com Saulo Amorim, que foi presidente da ABRAFH (Associação Brasileira de Família Homotransafetivas), sobre a história da Associação, seus impactos na difusão dessas configurações familiares e como se cruza com a história de paternidade do entrevistado. Os diferentes personagens que compõem essa história falam do momento político do país, da incorporação da transparentalidades à Associação e de como esta vai se constituindo em um espaço de sociabilidade e conforto para quem exerce parentalidades não hegemônicas.

Perinatal Mental Health: Father Inclusion At The Local, State, And National Levels.

Fathers occupy a dual role in the realm of perinatal mental health: partner and parent. In fathers' role as partners, their support for mothers during pregnancy and postpartum is associated with improved maternal mental health. In their role as parents, fathers themselves are vulnerable to perinatal mood and anxiety disorder. This article aims to advance awareness of paternal perinatal mental health issues and impacts on families. We first review the evidence on paternal perinatal mental health. This evidence includes the critical role played by fathers in maternal perinatal mental health, the prevalence of paternal perinatal mood and anxiety disorder, the impact of paternal mental health on child and family well-being, and screening and treatment approaches. Next, we offer recommendations for more inclusive approaches at the local, state, and national levels aimed at improving parental mental health and health outcomes for fathers, mothers, and babies.

Differences in maternal and paternal pressure to eat and perception of household responsibilities.

Controlling feeding practices, such as pressure to eat, are associated with a child's disinhibited eating and extremes in bodyweight. We aimed to explore which factors are associated with parent dyads' pressuring feeding practices, including how mothers and fathers perceive the sharing of household tasks such as mealtime and child feeding responsibilities. In this cross-sectional study, parent dyads (mother and father) of healthy preschool-aged children completed an identical questionnaire consisting of measures of picky eating (food fussiness subscale of Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire), parental concern for undereating, and pressure to eat (Child Feeding Questionnaire). We used separate multivariable linear regression models for mothers and fathers to assess correlates associated with pressure to eat subscale score, including slowness of eating and enjoyment of food, child BMI z-score and race/ethnicity, and household income. Separate unadjusted linear regression models for mothers and fathers were used to report the association of pressure to eat with household responsibilities. Parents (N = 88) had similar mean picky eating, concern for undereating, and pressure to eat scores; more fathers had high pressure to eat scores (36% vs 27%). Higher pressure to eat was significantly associated with lower income, non-Hispanic Black or Black race/ethnicity, slow eating, and lower enjoyment of food. Pressure was not associated with household responsibilities. While there were similar maternal and paternal perceptions of child eating behaviors, more fathers reported pressuring their child to eat. Identifying differences in parental feeding practices may assist in intervention development to improve feeding practices.

Male homoparenting and its challenges: an integrative literature review. / Parentalidade homoafetiva masculina e seus desafios: uma revisão integrativa da literatura.

This study aims to elucidate the challenges faced in the exercise of male homoparenting, through an integrative literature review. Following PRISMA guidelines, empirical studies from the last 22 years were analyzed, independently collected by four researchers using the PubMed and APA PsychNet databases, with the descriptors "Homosexuality, Male" and "Father". The results reveal the unique and complex reality faced by homosexual men in the parental context. While some studies highlight significant challenges, such as stigmas and social prejudices, others do not observe such difficulties. The decision to become a father among homosexual men is influenced by factors specific to their reality, in a context where parenthood is not widely accepted. The findings of this study emphasize the need to understand the complex interactions among individual, social, and cultural factors in male homoparenting. In summary, this study highlights the need for inclusive and diversity-sensitive approaches to support family well-being.

Este estudo visa elucidar os desafios enfrentados no exercício da parentalidade homoafetiva masculina por meio de uma revisão integrativa da literatura. Seguindo as recomendações PRISMA, foram analisados estudos empíricos dos últimos 22 anos, extraídos das bases de dados PubMed e APA PsychNet. Os descritores "Homosexuality, Male" e "Father" foram empregados para a seleção de artigos relevantes, processo realizado independentemente por dois pesquisadores. Os resultados indicam uma complexidade nas experiências parentais de homens homossexuais, variando entre desafios significativos, como estigmas e preconceitos sociais, e situações sem dificuldades notáveis. A decisão de assumir a paternidade nesse grupo é fortemente influenciada por fatores específicos à realidade homoafetiva, inserida em um contexto social frequentemente não acolhedor. Os achados destacam a importância de compreender as interações entre aspectos individuais, sociais e culturais na formação da homoparentalidade masculina. Este estudo sublinha a necessidade de políticas e práticas inclusivas e sensíveis à diversidade, visando o apoio ao bem-estar familiar em contextos homoafetivos.

Childbirth as a traumatic event for attendant fathers.

Background: Negative reactions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following childbirth have been increasingly reported in mothers, particularly following objectively and subjectively difficult childbirth experiences. A small body of research has examined fathers' reactions to childbirth, with mixed results.Objective: The study aimed to further these studies, investigating whether objective and subjective aspects of fathers' participation in childbirth were related to levels of PTSD and fear of childbirth symptoms, in the first year following childbirth.Method: In total, 224 fathers whose partners had given birth within the previous 12 months answered online questionnaires that examined participation in childbirth, subjective appraisals, levels of fear of childbirth, and PTSD symptoms. Data were analysed using structural equation modelling, examining both direct and indirect effects.Results: Approximately 6% of fathers reported symptoms consistent with probable PTSD. Negative cognitions mediated the path between an emergency caesarean and PTSD. Fear of childbirth was related to emergency caesareans and lack of information from the medical team.Conclusions: Future studies should examine the level of fathers' participation, their subjective appraisal of childbirth, and fear of childbirth, when assessing fathers' reactions to childbirth.

Fathers may report fear of childbirth, not just PTSD, following a traumatic childbirth.Negative appraisal mediates the relationship between an emergency caesarean and PTSD.Fear of childbirth is related to lower levels of information sharing by staff.

Maternal and paternal insightfulness and reaction to the diagnosis in families of preschoolers with Autism spectrum disorder: associations with observed parental sensitivity and inter-parent interaction.

Sensitivity among parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is based on parental insightfulness and on resolution regarding the child's diagnosis. This has been supported in studies of mothers, and we examined whether the same is true regarding fathers. Also, we asked whether parents' Insightfulness and Resolution tap general mentalization and therefore also be expressed in parent-parent interactions. Eighty preschooler boys with ASD and both of their parents participated. As expected, fathers who were more insightful and mothers who were more resolved were more sensitive. Contrary to expectations, no associations were found between fathers' resolution and mothers' insightfulness and their sensitivity. Associations were found between parental insightfulness and resolution and positive parent-parent interaction. The findings are the first to demonstrate the insightfulness-sensitivity link among fathers of children with ASD. Also, they suggest that both insightfulness and resolution involve general mentalization that is evident both in parent-child and parent-parent interactions.

Parental depression and their children's marriage timing: The long-term consequences of parental mental disorders.

Although decades of research documents powerful associations between parents' characteristics and their children's marital behaviors, the role of parental mental health has largely been ignored, despite the high prevalence of mental disorders and their strong potential to shape multiple dimensions of family life. Many studies examine other consequences of mothers' mental disorders, particularly for young children, but rarely do studies investigate the consequences of fathers' mental disorders, especially the potential for long-term consequences. We construct a theoretical framework for the study of intergenerational influences on family formation behaviors, integrating parental mental health, and emphasizing the potential for father's disorders to shape their children's lives. To investigate these associations, we use new intergenerational panel data featuring clinically validated diagnostic measures of parental mental health for both mothers and fathers, assessed independently. Results demonstrate that fathers' major depressive disorder is associated with significantly earlier marriage timing among sons. These important new findings provide insights into key priorities for social research on family formation processes and intergenerational influences across many domains.

Long-term consequences of mothers' and fathers' wartime deployments: Protocol for a two-wave panel study.

Multiple adjustment difficulties have been associated with children's exposure to recent parental wartime military deployments, but long-term consequences have not yet been systematically studied. This investigation will assess direct and indirect relationships between exposures to parental deployments early in life and later youth adjustment. Parents' psychological health and family processes will be examined as mediators, and parents' and children's vulnerability and support will be examined as moderators. Archival data will be combined with new data gathered from two children and up to two parents in families where children will be aged 11 to 16 at the first data collection and will have experienced at least one parental deployment, for at least one child prior to age 6. Data are being gathered via telephone interviews and web-based surveys conducted twice one year apart. Outcomes are indicators of children's social-emotional development, behavior, and academic performance. Notable features of this study include oversampling of female service members, inclusion of siblings, and inclusion of families of both veterans and currently serving members. This study has potentially important implications for schools, community organizations and health care providers serving current and future cohorts of military and veteran families.

Taiwanese fathers' experiences of caring for their children during childhood cancer treatment.

PURPOSE: Parents must manage their own stress and help their child with cancer during the treatment process, both physically and emotionally. With the increased involvement of fathers in caring for the family, how fathers adjust to the stress and play a role in care responsibilities is unknown. This study aimed to explore the fathers' experiences of caring for their ill child during the cancer diagnosis and treatment process. METHOD: This study adopted a qualitative descriptive design and conducted in-depth interviews with 21 fathers with a diagnosed child recruited from a northern Taiwan medical center. Data were managed and analysed using content analysis. RESULTS: Two main categories in the Taiwanese fathers' experiences of caring for their ill child during the cancer diagnosis and treatment process emerged: 1) the maintainer of family stability, and 2) thoughts and value adjustment. Each main category consists of 3-4 generic categories. They make the necessary adjustments between work and family, actively participate in caring for the entire family, and redefine family values. They convey information about the illness to their children, pay attention to the physical and psychological development of the child with cancer, and cherish the time spent together as a family. CONCLUSIONS: During the cancer treatment process, fathers play the roles of the protector and maintainer of family stability and adjust their attitudes and thoughts toward the family members and family life. Healthcare professionals can offer the fathers comprehensive support and improve the family's overall well-being during this demanding period.

Neural correlates of inhibitory control in the context of infant cry and paternal postpartum mental health.

BACKGROUND: Inhibitory control, a form of self-regulation, may support sensitive parenting, but has been understudied in new fathers despite their pronounced risk for stress and mental health challenges. METHODS: This study probed the neural correlates of inhibitory control and its associations to first-time fathers' postpartum mental health, focusing on depressive symptoms, state anxiety, and perceived stress. Six months after their child's birth, 38 fathers self-reported on their mood, anxiety, and stress, and performed a Go/No-Go fMRI task while listening to three sets of sounds (infant cry, pink noise, and silence). RESULTS: Fathers' behavioral inhibition accuracy was consistent across the sound conditions, but their patterns of neural activation varied. Compared to the pink noise condition, fathers showed heightened engagement in prefrontal regulatory regions when self-regulating during the infant cry and silent conditions. When examining correct trials only, results in visual motor area and primary somatosensory cortex emerged only for infant cry and not for pink noise and silence. Moreover, fathers reporting higher levels of postpartum depression, state anxiety, and perceived stress showed greater activation in prefrontal regions when inhibiting during infant cry or silence. CONCLUSION: This study is the first to underscore the complex interplay between the neural mechanisms related to inhibitory control and postpartum mental health and stress across varied auditory context, laying the groundwork for future research.

Fathers' needs of breastfeeding support: Perspective of health nurses.

PURPOSE: To explore the improvement of health education on father's participation in breastfeeding from the perspective of maternal and child health nurses. METHODS: Qualitative phenomenological research was used, and 15 maternal and child health nurses who provided breastfeeding support were invited. With semi-structured deep interviews and on-site recordings, data were analyzed through content analysis. RESULTS: Four main themes were extracted, including 'cultivating fathers' awareness of participation in breastfeeding', 'collaboration of multiple disciplines to improve health education on breastfeeding for fathers in hospital', 'Simulated scenarios to develop fathers' skills in solving breastfeeding problems', and 'establishing a hospital-community interface network to improve breastfeeding continuation care after hospital discharge'. CONCLUSIONS: Medical and health care departments should attach importance to guidance on health education for fathers' breastfeeding participation, cultivate fathers' awareness of participation in breastfeeding, provide multi-disciplinary collaboration-based health education on breastfeeding for fathers from the prenatal period and improve post-discharge health education on breastfeeding. The additional education being suggested would contribute to fathers being able to play an important role in breastfeeding.