Paternal perinatal mental health support: fathers' perspectives on barriers, facilitators, and preferences.

ABSTRACT: The perinatal period is a time of increased vulnerability to psychological distress. Paternal mental wellbeing is linked to both maternal and child wellbeing. Paternal mental health problems are common in the perinatal period. Men, however, report a lack of therapeutic support. This study focused on the experiences of fathers with poor mental health during the perinatal period, who had a biological child under the age of two and a half, and explored their perceptions of barriers and facilitators to, and preferred sources of, mental health support. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with eight participants and an experiential thematic analysis conducted. Three main themes were identified; "Fathers are not the priority (sub-themes of "Deprioritised", "Masculinity"), "The perinatal pe

SUBMITTER: Copland FS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11925843 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature