Experiences, mental well-being and community-based care needs of fathers of late preterm infants: A mixed-methods pilot study.

This was a pilot with only five interviews and 31 survey responses, so it cannot show what most fathers of late preterm infants experience or need. Recruitment relied on mothers, and many eligible fathers refused or were not available, so the men who participated may differ from fathers who are less engaged. The sample was mostly married, highly educated, English-speaking and higher-income, limiting transferability to fathers with different backgrounds. The stress and anxiety scales used American normative data, which the authors say may reduce sensitivity for Canadian fathers. Low overall stress scores may not reflect fathers' actual stress because some fathers had defensive scores below 24 and because fathers reported being excluded from information. Only one father had depressive symptoms, so the study could not examine relationships between parenting stress and postpartum depression.

The authors declared no conflicts of interest. Funding was from the Alberta Centre for Child, Family & Community Research Centre and a University of Calgary Seed Grant.

Do not read the low overall stress scores as proof that fathers are coping well. The sample was small, recruited through mothers, and some fathers had defensive scores below 24, so the survey may not capture fathers' stress.