Mother's and Father's Transition to Parenthood Study

Background/Objectives: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a major public health problem that is common for both mothers (16%) and fathers (10.4%). Postpartum depression is correlated with poor parental engagement and negative developmental outcomes (e.g., stress reactivity). Given the prevalence of father PPD and its impact on infant/child health, inclusion of fathers in PPD research is important to understand both parents’ contribution to infant health. An in-depth parallel examination of both father’s and mother’s biological (hormone), social, and psychological experiences in relation to parenting and infant stress has not been conducted previously. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the relationship between maternal and paternal depressive symptoms and hormone changes, the parent-infant relationship, and infant stress. Methods: Cohabitating, first-time parents (n=49) were recruited at an urban, obstetrics department (Women: 18-45 y/o; Men: 18-55 y/o). Parents completed psychodiagnostic interviews, online mental health and socio-environmental measures, and measures of parenting behaviors (1-3 months postpartum). Parents also provided salivary samples used to examine cortisol and testosterone levels. Results: Mothers and fathers have different risk factors that are associated with the parent-infant relationship and infant distress during the early postpartum period. Conclusion: This multi-method approach to differentiating gender-specific risk for PPD symptoms and the association with infant stress will inform research and clinical practice of the importance of: 1) including fathers in perinatal research/practice and 2) inductive exploration of paternal depression from the biological and socio-environmental experience of fathers rather than solely deductive empirical investigation from the sociobiological experience of mothers.