Ways to Cope With Paternal Postpartum Depression From Iranian Fathers' Perspective: A Qualitative Study.
Zahra Yazdanpanahi, Ziba Taghizadeh, Mahboubeh Hajifoghaha and 1 others
PMID 40114363WHAT IT FOUND
Iranian fathers with postpartum depression described coping through work, family, and spouse support, hope that problems pass, and parenting and communication training.
These are experiences, not tested treatments.
Key findings
01Fathers described three coping themes: using social support networks, having hope for the future, and acquiring new skills.
02Fathers described job support and family or relative support as coping resources they linked to better mood.
03Fathers said they wanted training in parenting and communication skills, including infant care, postpartum changes, and marital satisfaction.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
This is a qualitative study of 19 Iranian fathers. The themes may not apply to fathers in other countries, cultures, or healthcare systems. Only 19 fathers from a prior screen of 400 took part. The paper states that 24.5% of screened fathers had EPDS scores of 10 or more and 40% of those agreed to interview. Non-participation could shape the themes. Fathers were excluded if they had a history of mental illness, chronic medical conditions, drug use, or a stressful event in the past 6 months. The findings may not reflect fathers with comorbid depression or major recent stressors. Depression was identified by self-reported EPDS scores of 10 or more, not by clinical diagnosis. Some interviews were by telephone because of the COVID-19 pandemic and participant dissatisfaction with face-to-face interviews. This may have affected the depth of the data. The analysis was mainly done by the first author and then checked by the team. The paper does not describe member checking with participants.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that job support, family support, hope, or skills training reduce paternal postpartum depression. This study reports what fathers said helped them cope, not a tested treatment effect.