Father involvement in the first year of life: Associations with maternal mental health and child development outcomes in rural Pakistan.

ABSTRACT: The contribution of fathers to child development and maternal mental health is increasingly acknowledged, although research on this topic outside of high income countries is limited. Using longitudinal data, we characterized father involvement in a rural setting in Pakistan and investigated the link between father involvement in the first year of life and child development and maternal depression. Data come from the Bachpan study, a birth cohort established in the context of a perinatal depression intervention. Father involvement was mother reported at 3 and 12 months postpartum and covered domains such as playing with or soothing the infant. Child outcomes included growth at 3, 6 and 12 months postpartum, socioemotional development at 6 months (Ages and Stages Questionnaire-socioemotional

SUBMITTER: Maselko J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6708722 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature