Supporting women who develop poor postnatal mental health: what support do fathers receive to support their partner and their own mental health?

Abstract

Background: Research regarding support provided for poor maternal postnatal mental health (such as depression, anxiety disorders, and postpartum psychosis) is relatively common. Fathers appear to play an important role supporting partners but many feel alienated within maternity services. Research focusing on fathers is less common. Methods: The current qualitative study aimed to investigate fathers' experience of support provided to fathers, to help support their partner should she experience poor postnatal mental health. Results: Twenty-five fathers participated in an online questionnaire regarding their experience of their partner's poor postnatal mental health and the support provided to fathers to help her. Thematic analysis revealed three main themes and seven sub-themes. The themes were: 'Support received to help support their partner', 'Support fathers wanted that was not received' and 'Father's mental health'. The results highlight an overall lack of support for many fathers, despite many wanting support on how to help their partner, information on their own mental health and the services available. Fathers specifically wanted healthcare professionals to signpost them to someone they can talk to for emotional support, and to be taught coping strategies which would help them to support both their partner and baby. Conclusions: The findings from this study suggest that health professionals and perinatal mental health services need a better understanding about what resources fathers need to support the mental health of themselves and their partner.

A Review of the Involvement of Partners and Family Members in Psychosocial Interventions for Supporting Women at Risk of or Experiencing Perinatal Depression and Anxiety

“…Male partners process information differently than women and value practical guidance and it is important to take into consideration fathers’ perspectives when designing an intervention that includes partners. Perinatal mental health teams providing services need to enhance their understanding in relation to the resource’s fathers require to support their own and their partners’ perinatal mental health [ 59 ]. Involving potential recipients of an intervention at the design phase may be especially important when the intervention aims to realise behavioural, as opposed to biochemical change [ 57 ].…”

“…A woman’s social network including her partner and family usually provides primary or additional support to that provided by perinatal mental health services [ 59 ]. Partners are identified as the main support system and have a central role to play in the recognition of the woman’s perinatal mental health status.…”

“…Partners are identified as the main support system and have a central role to play in the recognition of the woman’s perinatal mental health status. However, many men feel excluded and unclear about their role which suggests a diminished appreciation of the father’s role in supporting maternal perinatal mental health [ 59 ]. One study [ 50 ] that screened men’s mental health status pre-intervention did not have a component to address men’s mental health instead men with undiagnosed psychiatric conditions identified on screening were excluded from the study and referred to community mental health providers.…”

What kind of man gets depressed after having a baby?

“…Healthcare systems such as the UK National Health Service (NHS) have primarily focused service provision on maternal mental health and wellbeing during a woman's transition into parenthood. Our recent research has con rmed that fathers feel their mental health is overlooked by perinatal health professionals [17,18].…”

“…Fathers are more likely to hide mental health issues during pregnancy and the perinatal period [28,29,30] because of societal pressure to support their family emotionally and nancially [24]. Men typically do not expect any support for themselves during antenatal classes, perceiving their role as to support the mother [18]. Further, during the perinatal period fathers report being unaware of how or where to seek mental health support [16].…”