Study finds link between depression in fathers and daughters

Post-natal depression in fathers, as in mothers, bring emotional issues and imbalances for their teenage daughters, finds a new study. This new study conducted, has found that one in twenty new fathers suffered depression in the weeks after their child was born. However, according to this study, this association of increased risk applies only to daughters.

The reason for this “handing on” effect could be that post-natal depression in fathers is sometimes linked with an increased level of maternal depression, indicating family life is more disrupted for everyone with higher levels of stress for all. While the team was not able to find out just why the link had to do with only daughters, the team did claim that it had something to do with the father-daughter relationship as girls go through adolescence.

“We were able to look at some of the ways in which depression in fathers might have affected children. It appears that depression in fathers is linked with an increased level of stress in the whole family and that this might be one way in which the offspring may be affected,” said Paul Ramchandani, Professor from the University of Cambridge.

The findings of this study appropriately highlight that both, the father and the mother should get help if they experience depression of any kind. Fathers’ post-natal depression impacts the whole family when unsupported, often resulting in fathers using negative coping skills, avoiding situations and often feeling anger,” noted Mark Williams, a paternal depression campaigner. The study was based on the experiences of 3,176 fathers. and published in the journal, JAMA Psychiatry.