Paternal depression during the postnatal period has been associated with adverse child outcomes. Family environment has been reported as a pathway for risk transmission from fathers to children. The influence of paternal depression during the postnatal period on offspring depression remains to be clarified.OBJECTIVE To investigate the association between paternal depression in the postnatal period and offspring depression and explore potential mediating and moderating factors that influence any association between paternal and offspring depression. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTSThis prospective study of a UK community-based birth cohort (the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children) of parents and their adolescent offspring investigated associations between paternal depression during the postnatal period and offspring depression at age 18 years. We tested a hypothesized moderator (ie, sex) and conducted path analysis to examine hypothesized mediators (ie, depression in the other parent, couple conflict, and paternal involvement and emotional problems, conduct problems, and hyperactivity in offspring at age 3.5 years) of the associations between both paternal and maternal depression and offspring depression. Data collection for the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children began in 1991 and is ongoing. Data analysis for this study was conducted from June 2015 to September 2018. EXPOSURES Depression symptoms in fathers at 8 weeks after the birth of their children. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Offspring depression symptoms at age 18 years, using International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision codes.RESULTS A total of 3176 father-offspring pairs were analyzed; of the children, 1764 were girls (55.5%) and 1412 (44.5%) were boys. Paternal mean (SD) age at delivery was 29.6 (9.6) years. The offspring of fathers who had depression during the postnatal period were at increased risk of experiencing depression symptoms at age 18 years (β = 0.053 [95% CI, 0.02-0.09]). The association is mediated by maternal depression at 8 months after birth (β = 0.011 [95% CI, 0.0008-0.02]; 21% [0.011/0.053]) and conduct problems at 42 months after birth (β = 0.004; [95% CI , −0.00004 to 0.009]; 7.5% [0.004/0.053]). Couple conflict and paternal involvement do not mediate this association. The increased risk is seen in girls but not boys (interaction β = 0.095; P = .01). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCEThe association between paternal depression in the postnatal period and depression in girls at age 18 years is partially explained by maternal depression. Couple conflict and paternal involvement were not found to play a role in the risk of transmission; this contrasts with the role that couple conflict was found to play in the risk of childhood behavior problems. Conduct problems in childhood appear to be a pathway for risk transmission between paternal depression and subsequent depression in offspring at age 18 years.
Amidst the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there is uncertainty regarding potential lasting impacts on children's health and educational outcomes.Play, a fundamental part of childhood, may be integral to children's health during crises. We undertook a rapid review of the impact of quarantine, isolation and other restrictive environments on play and whether play mitigates adverse effects of such restrictions. Fifteen peer-reviewed studies were identified, spanning hospitals, juvenile and immigration detention and refugee camps. We found evidence of changes in children's access to play in crises and quarantine. These studies indicated how play might support children enduring isolation but lacked robust investigations of play as an intervention in mitigating impacts of restriction. Studies pertaining to children in isolation due to infectious disease outbreaks were notably absent. It is important that the potential effects of changes to such a crucial aspect of childhood are better understood to support children in this and future crises.
This paper reviews parenting programmes and their effectiveness with families of young children and highlights additional resources for primary care practitioners. Typically, 30% of GP consultations concern child behaviour problems and established behaviour problems can have lasting effects on children’s life chances. These problems can be identified in infancy and toddlerhood.Parenting is a key risk factor in their development and maintenance, yet is also amenable to change. In this paper we consider six parenting programmes that are widely evaluated and/or available in the U.K. and their evidence base . These include two NICE recommended parenting programmes (Incredible Years and Triple P), which offer tiered and flexible parenting programmes; predominantly for parents of school-age children. We also review Parent–Infant Psychotherapy, which is typically for parents of younger children. Fourth is Family Nurse Partnership, an intensive programme to support young, first-time mothers. Finally we consider, video feedback programmes which use video to focus in detail on parents’ interactions with their children, including Video Feedback to Promote Positive Parenting and Video Interactive Guidance. These interventions demonstrate the range of approaches which are being used to intervene early in children’s lives to try to prevent the development of enduring behavioural problems.Why this matters to meIt is becoming increasingly clear that the origins of many mental health problems lie in childhood. Family factors, including the quality of care that parents provide for their children, can make a huge difference to children’s early life pathways, for better or for worse. Understanding how best to intervene to support parents is a key challenge. In this article, we critically review the most widely used parenting programmes for parents of young children. It is imperative that we judge these early interventions to high standards so that we are offering children the best start in life.Key messageParenting programmes offer a means to intercept behaviour problems in early childhood before they become established.
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