A systematic review and meta-analysis of the associations between father and child anxiety and depression.

Abstract

With the aim of providing an estimate of the association between father and child internalizing symptoms, the present study systematically reviewed and meta-analyzed associations between father and child anxiety and depression symptoms from existing research (mostly from North America and Europe, conducted between 1981 and 2021). Based on 70 samples (158 effect sizes, N = 58,255), the meta-analysis with robust variance estimation identified a positive and significant association between depression in fathers and children (r = .15, 95% CI [.12, .17]). Similarly, a positive and significant association between father and child anxiety was observed (r = .13, 95% CI [.07, .18]) based on 39 samples (72 effect sizes, N = 11,683). The effect sizes for depression and anxiety did not significantly differ from one another or as a function of sample characteristics and methodological moderators. Findings show the importance of fathers in the development of child psychopathology. Directions for future research from a family systems perspective are proposed.

The sum of it all: Meta-analyses and metasyntheses in the psychology of men and masculinities.

“…Our special issue also included four studies that used meta-analysis, a statistical method that quantitatively aggregates findings from several studies using a standardized metric (Cooper, 2015). Trepiak et al’s (2023) meta-analysis identified positive associations between paternal and child anxiety (39 samples) and between paternal and child depressive symptoms (70 samples). These findings spotlight the value of considering the influences of paternal anxiety and depression separately from maternal influences, as well as the need to investigate the mechanisms through which fathers’ experiences of anxiety and depression impact their children (e.g., via negative parenting behaviors).…”