New York: Children whose fathers experience depression around the time they start kindergarten are significantly more likely to show behavioural problems and poor social skills by age 9, according to new research published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
The study, led by Kristine Schmitz, assistant professor of paediatrics at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS), in collaboration with researchers from Princeton and Rider universities, underscores the long-term impact of paternal mental health on child development.
“We need to consider depression in both parents, not just mothers,” said Schmitz. “Depression is treatable, and to support the whole family, paediatricians must start talking with dads about it and developing father-focused interventions that meet their needs.”
While maternal depression has long received clinical focus, paternal depression is often overlooked, particularly beyond the postnatal period. On average, 8% to 13% of fathers in the U.S. experience some form of depression during their child’s early years. That number increases to 50% when the mother is also experiencing postpartum depression.
To explore the longer-term effects, Schmitz and her colleagues analysed data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS), a national birth cohort that tracked over 4,000 families in 20 large U.S. cities starting in 1998.
Two key data points were central to the study: when children were age 5, their fathers were screened for depressive symptoms in the past year; and when the children turned 9, their teachers completed behavioural assessments.
“Kindergarten entry is an important developmental milestone, and adversities faced at that time can lead to poorer engagement and behaviours in grade school that may persist or magnify through middle and high school,” the researchers wrote.
Analysing data from 1,422 father-child pairs, 74% of whom lived together at least half of the time, the team controlled for sociodemographic factors and maternal depression to isolate the effects of paternal depression. The findings showed a clear link between early depressive symptoms in fathers and behavioural difficulties in their children four years later.
Children of fathers who reported feeling sad, blue, or depressed at age 5 were significantly more likely by age 9 to be described as defiant, angry, and restless. These children also showed reduced cooperation, lower self-esteem, and poorer social skills, according to their teachers.
Schmitz explained that depression can hinder parenting abilities and reduce emotional availability, while also introducing stress and conflict into the home—factors that may contribute to the observed outcomes.
“No other population-based U.S. study has made such a definitive link between paternal depression and child behaviour in school,” Schmitz said. “The findings suggest that interventions to identify and support fathers with depressive symptoms—and their children—could help attenuate that link.”
While the connection between paternal depression and child behaviour is concerning, Schmitz emphasized that timely intervention can make a difference.
“As parents, we can model that when we struggle, we reach out and get help,” she said. “That’s a lesson children will carry for a lifetime.”
