Paternal Perinatal Experiences during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Framework Analysis of the Reddit Forum Predaddit

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, new parents were disproportionately affected by public health restrictions changing service accessibility and increasing stressors. However, minimal research has examined pandemic-related stressors and experiences of perinatal fathers in naturalistic anonymous settings. An important and novel way parents seek connection and information is through online forums, which increased during COVID-19. The current study qualitatively analyzed the experiences of perinatal fathers from September to December 2020 through the Framework Analytic Approach to identify unmet support needs during COVID-19 using the online forum predaddit on reddit. Five main themes in the thematic framework included forum use, COVID-19, psychosocial distress, family functioning, and child health and development, each with related subthemes. Findings highlight the utility of predaddit as a source of information for, and interactions of, fathers to inform mental health services. Overall, fathers used the forum to engage with other fathers during a time of social isolation and for support during the transition to parenthood. This manuscript highlights the unmet support needs of fathers during the perinatal period and the importance of including fathers in perinatal care, implementing routine perinatal mood screening for both parents, and developing programs to support fathers during this transition to promote family wellbeing.

Parent eHealth preferences: Perceived credibility and personal reactions to AbilitiCBT, BEAM, and Triple P Online

“…A common theme in emerging literature is that fathers want more information about parenting and child development as early as pregnancy (Deave & Johnson, 2008). Fathers often feel excluded from the transition to parenthood and unprepared for parenting (Cameron et al, 2023;Shorey et al, 2017), which can lead to increases in mental health concerns (Wee et al, 2011). Thus, there is a growing body of evidence that suggests fathers want father-specific and/or inclusive parenting support programs and could in some cases benefit from programs targeting both mental health and parenting.…”

Becoming a first-time father during the COVID-19 pandemic in France

“…During the prenatal period, COVID-19 has further disrupted their presence and active involvement. In a recent qualitative study ( 26 ) exploring paternal posts online, it seems that the pandemic-related uncertainty about COVID-19 has resulted in increased self-reported fears and anxieties during the perinatal period, while fathers have also expressed the negative impact of social isolation on the transition into parenthood, which often relies heavily on the support of family and friends.…”

Digital Parenting Interventions for Fathers of Infants From Conception to the Age of 12 Months: Systematic Review of Mixed Methods Studies

“…Technology is widely used by new and expecting fathers as a source of parenting information, with fathers showing a strong interest in using internet-delivered strategies for mental health and parenting supports during the transition to fatherhood [ 46 , 47 ]. Although traditional health services, monitoring, and psychoeducation provided by health care clinicians are often key aspects of prenatal care [ 48 ], many fathers turn to digital technology to support them during their transition to fatherhood.…”

“…For instance, fathers report enjoying and benefiting from listening to the stories of other fathers who have gone through similar experiences [ 49 ]. Web-based father support groups are being increasingly used by fathers, and as such, these are an important resource [ 47 , 50 ]. Although these types of informal support groups are valuable, evidence-based interventions that have been evaluated in controlled clinical trials with fathers specifically are crucial in ensuring effective support for fathers and, in turn, families in the transition to parenthood.…”